Learning from Nias<\/p>\n
The high-level visits paid in the past few days by top central
\nand provincial government officials and aid agencies to disaster-
\nstricken Nias have, in a sense, brought to a close a most tragic
\nepisode in the drama that has befallen this Indian Ocean island
\noff the North Sumatra coast.<\/p>\n
As has been widely reported by the media, floods and
\nlandslides engulfed seven villages in six districts located at
\nthe southeastern tip of the island in the early hours of Tuesday
\nlast week. They left at least 83 people dead and 192 people
\nmissing, according to the latest official count released on
\nMonday by local search-and-rescue officials. At least 332 houses
\nwere destroyed and 200 hectares of arable land were reported as
\nruined. Hundreds of people are now living in temporary shelters
\non safer ground.<\/p>\n
But even as the danger appears to have abated, this most
\ncalamitous disaster to hit the island in more than 60 years is
\nlaying bare a number of questions that need to be answered if
\nmore catastrophes of this magnitude are to be prevented from
\nhappening -- not only in Nias, but elsewhere in the Indonesian
\narchipelago as well.<\/p>\n
Ecologists have blamed this most recent disaster in large part
\non the denudation of the island's forest cover to make way for
\nnilam (patchouli) shrub estates. The catalyst for the landslides
\nwas excessive rainfall in the preceding months. And while the
\ndamage caused by denudation is not precisely known, the
\nIndonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi) estimates that "hundreds
\nof hectares" of forest have been cleared -- apparently by local
\nresidents as well as by forestry companies -- for this purpose.<\/p>\n
Of course, in view of the fact that Nias is not only the most
\nisolated but also statistically the poorest regency in the
\nprovince of North Sumatra, the local people can hardly be blamed
\nfor seeking additional sources of income. This problem might have
\nbeen alleviated if the government had offered them assistance by
\nproviding jobs for the island's growing population.<\/p>\n
So far, tourism is one of Nias's main sources of revenue. The
\nisland, especially the southern parts around Teluk Dalam,
\nBawomataluo and Hilisimaetano, is internationally renowned for
\nbeing the site of one of the world's only remaining stone-age
\ncultures. In the past few years, it has gained popularity as a
\nfine surfing destination as well, which, in turn, has brought
\nsome benefit to the local economy, especially around the more
\npopular surfing sites.<\/p>\n
Still another problem is the efficacy of the local
\nbureaucracy. This is relevant not only in Nias but almost
\neverywhere relief work has to be done after the occurrence of
\nlarge-scale natural disasters. Accurate casualty estimates are
\nhard to come by, making quick relief work difficult.<\/p>\n
Also, in the case of Nias, one might be surprised to learn
\nthat not even the local forestry authorities are aware of the
\nextent of the damage that has been done to the island's forests,
\nor that any damage has been done at all, depending instead on
\nreports supplied by the local population.<\/p>\n
Hopefully, the recent visits to Nias by Vice President Hamzah
\nHaz and other top-ranking officials will bring some meaningful
\nimprovements in these areas. If that can be achieved, much good
\ncan yet come from the plight of the people of this remote
\nIndonesian island and other remote Indonesian areas as well.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/learning-from-nias-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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