Photo of a free-to-take food from Indonesia during the coronavirus crisis is false.
An image claiming to be a photo of essential food packages kept in the open for any citizen to take without charge is spreading on WhatsApp and Facebook.
Claim: The image shows neatly arranged stacks of food spread across a sandy, open area. The text accompanying it reads
“इंडोनेशिया में खुले में जरूरत का समान रखा जाता है कोई भी किसी समय ले जा सकता हैं ये होती है सच्ची मानव सेवा हमारे यहां रोटी देते हैं दो और फोटो खिंचवाते है आठ|”
Translation: “In Indonesia, essential items are kept in the open, so anybody who needs it can come and take it any time. This is what true humanity is. Here, they give 2 rotis (flatbread) and take 8 photos of them doing it.”
The image is being forwarded on WhatsApp with the misleading text on the image itself.
The image was shared on Facebook with the same text as a caption.
Truth
The caption/text is incorrect and misleading. A simple reverse image search returned the result with the truth of the matter.
Upon investigation, the image was traced back to a Facebook page ‘Rariya’, where the images were first uploaded on 18th May 2019.
It is captioned “WATA MIYAR SAI A MAKWAFTA. Kayan Abincin Azumi Kenan Da Wani Tajjiri A Kasar Gambia Mai Suna Elhaji Ibrahim Dinding Sylla Ya Rabawa Musulmai,” which translates to “This is fasting food, donated by Gambian Abrahim Ibrahim to share among Muslims”.
The photo was taken in The Gambia in 2019 when a man donated food to fasting Muslims in the month of May, which was the holy month of Ramadan.
Therefore, the image is neither from Indonesia, nor is it related to the coronavirus.
