Professor Djohermansyah Djohan of the Institute of Home Affairs\nGovernance (IPDN) has urged a paradigm shift in Indonesia\u2019s disaster\nmanagement so that central government assistance is provided based on\nregional capacity to handle emergencies, rather than merely waiting for\na national disaster status to be declared. He acknowledged that regional\ngovernments are indeed the parties closest to communities when a\ndisaster occurs. However, that proximity is not always matched by\nadequate capacity in terms of personnel, equipment, logistics or\nbudgets.<\/p>\n
For this reason, the central government is considered to need to\nprovide support immediately once regional capacity begins to be\nexceeded. The designation of disaster status should not become a reason\nto delay the deployment of resources needed by affected communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt should not be the case that because national status has not yet\nbeen determined, central assistance appears to have to wait. In an\nemergency, what the people need is not a label, but clean water, food,\nmedicine, heavy equipment, medical personnel, evacuation shelters and\ntransport access,\u201d Djohermansyah said in a statement on Tuesday\n(25\/8).<\/p>\n
He explained that the implementation of regional autonomy in disaster\nmanagement does not mean that district or city governments must handle\nall disaster impacts independently. The division of authority must be\naccompanied by a division of responsibility, resources and support\nacross levels of government.<\/p>\n
According to him, the government closest to the disaster site must be\nthe first to act. However, when that capacity is no longer sufficient,\nhigher levels of government must immediately strengthen the\nresponse.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose closest move first, those stronger immediately reinforce,\u201d\nDjohermansyah said.<\/p>\n
Under this scheme, the district or city Regional Disaster Management\nAgency (BPBD) becomes the spearhead when a disaster can still be handled\nwith local capacity. If regional capacity is exceeded, the provincial\ngovernment must take a greater role. Subsequently, when provincial\ncapacity is no longer sufficient, the central government needs to\nimmediately deploy national support.<\/p>\n
Djohermansyah assessed that disaster management has too often been\nheld hostage by discussions over whether an event has met the criteria\nto be classified as a national disaster. Yet the more urgent issue is\nthe ability of local government to save communities and control the\nimpact of disasters.<\/p>\n
Law Number 24 of 2007 regulates the determination of disaster status\nand levels by considering, among other things, the number of victims,\nlosses, damage to facilities and infrastructure, the extent of affected\nareas, and socio-economic impacts. Meanwhile, Government Regulation\nNumber 21 of 2008 regulates the determination of emergency status at the\nnational level by the President, at the provincial level by governors,\nand at the district or city level by regents or mayors.<\/p>\n
However, according to Djohermansyah, the provisions regarding status\nshould not be interpreted as a prerequisite for the central government\nto provide assistance to regions.<\/p>\n
He also encouraged the establishment of a more automatic escalation\nmechanism. When district or city capacity begins to be exceeded, the\nprovincial government must immediately step in to provide support. If\nprovincial capacity is also insufficient, central government support\nmust be provided immediately before conditions on the ground deteriorate\nfurther.<\/p>\n
Such a mechanism is considered increasingly important because the\nimpact of disasters does not recognise administrative boundaries. Floods\ncan cross several districts, forest and land fires can spread across\nprovinces, while large-scale hydrometeorological disasters can quickly\ndrain a region\u2019s resources.<\/p>\n
For this reason, Djohermansyah considers that the concept of\ncross-regional or regional disaster management needs to be clarified\nwithin the national disaster system. Such arrangements are not intended\nto add bureaucracy, but rather to ensure command protocols, coordination\nand financing when disaster impacts exceed the boundaries of a single\nautonomous region.<\/p>\n
In addition to the escalation mechanism, strengthening BPBDs is also\nconsidered urgent. Djohermansyah said BPBDs should not only be active\nonce a disaster has occurred, but must become strategic institutions\nthat build preparedness long before an emergency emerges.<\/p>\n
Various issues remain challenges in the regions, ranging from limited\npersonnel and competence, minimal equipment, limited technology to\ninadequate disaster management budgets.<\/p>\n
According to Djohermansyah, budget policy also needs to be directed\ntowards strengthening capacity before disasters occur. The government is\nnot enough merely to provide funds for post-disaster handling, but also\nneeds to increase investment in prevention and mitigation.<\/p>\n
He encouraged the central government to strengthen support through\nthe Physical Special Allocation Fund (DAK) for Disaster Management for\nregions with high vulnerability levels. These funds can be used to build\nearly warning systems, evacuation routes and sites, logistics\nwarehouses, rescue equipment, emergency communication systems, public\nfacilities and infrastructure that is more resilient to disasters.<\/p>\n
\u201cInvestment before a disaster is far cheaper than paying for damage\nafter a disaster,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, Djohermansyah assessed that the National Disaster\nManagement Agency (BNPB) needs to be strengthened as a national\norchestrator. That role should not only become visible after the\nPresident declares an event a national disaster, but from the moment\nindications emerge that regional government capacity is beginning to be\nexceeded.<\/p>\n
He also considers that international assistance mechanisms need to be\nprepared in a measured manner. Assistance from other countries must\nstill enter through coordination with the Indonesian government and be\ntailored to needs on the ground. However, considerations regarding\nsovereignty should not turn into rejection.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/expert-central-government-should-not-wait-for-national-disaster-status-1787633448", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }