TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Two trucks carrying West Sulawesi’s humanitarian aid for the victims of disaster-stricken Palu and Donggala, Central Sulawesi, was looted in the Donggala district on Tuesday, October 2.

The trucks were part of a 20-vehicle motorcade carrying assistance for the refugees that departed from Pasang Kayu, which is roughly 120 kilometers from Palu.

“The looters were not people from the affected areas. They defended that they needed the food supplies,” said West Sulawesi Governor Ali Baal Masdar to Tempo on Tuesday noon. He was part of the motorcade that also transported medical teams and Pasang Kayu Regent Agus Ambodjiwa.

According to Ali’s testimony, a large group of people had gathered along the road that led to Donggala and Palu. He revealed that the motorcade was actually escorted by authorities, however it was not enough to prevent the people from stopping and climbing on to the trucks carrying humanitarian aid.

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“I understand that they need food, but they should have been able to provide themselves with food since their area was not destroyed by the earthquake,” said Ali.

Previously reported, police arrested 45 Palu residents for looting stores and taking with them electronic items.

Pasang Kayu Regent Agus Ambodjiwa said he never saw police or military securing the road along the motorcade’s route where the looting could have been avoided if local authorities explained the dire situation the victims in Donggala and Palu are currently in.

TEMPO.CO