The Indonesian Ombudsman (ORI) has emphasised that disaster\nmanagement does not end with emergency response, but requires continuous\ncollaboration and supervision throughout the post-disaster recovery\nprocess.<\/p>\n
Ombudsman RI member Robert Na Endi Jaweng stated that the speed of\nlocal government response, cross-agency coordination, and community\ninvolvement are crucial factors in ensuring that the needs and rights of\naffected populations are met. \u201cIn this context, the Ombudsman RI\nencourages strengthened collaboration between the central government,\nlocal governments, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB),\nministries\/agencies, and various elements of society in disaster\nhandling and post-disaster recovery,\u201d Robert said during a press\nconference in Jakarta on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He noted that disasters serve as a test case to see whether the state\nis present for its people. In this regard, he argued that the role of\nlocal governments, particularly at the regency, city, and village\nlevels, must be strengthened to ensure rapid response in both rescue and\nrecovery efforts. Therefore, Robert stated that active collaboration and\nthe strengthening of basic readiness\u2014in terms of human resources,\nbudget, and inter-agency networks\u2014are necessary to provide a swift\nresponse before support from the central government and various\nministries arrives in affected areas.<\/p>\n
In its monitoring, the Ombudsman noted that in the Sumatra region,\nsignificant work remains in the rehabilitation and reconstruction\nphases, particularly regarding housing, bridges and connectivity, rivers\nand flood control, irrigation and agriculture, dams and water\ninfrastructure, as well as livelihood recovery. Out of 1,227 targeted\nbridge projects, 574 are still in progress and 653 remain unfinished.\nIssues were also found in the construction of permanent housing\n(huntap), which faces hurdles such as \u2018by name by address\u2019 (BNBA) data\nvalidation, certainty of location and land, construction progress, and\nhousing models.<\/p>\n
In West Sumatra, the Ombudsman recorded ongoing issues with victim\ndata collection. One reported problem involves residents whose homes\nwere affected by mudflows who have not yet fully received assistance. He\nstated that this situation highlights the need for clear criteria and\nstandardisation in determining who is entitled to aid. \u201cThe Ombudsman\nhas also received complaints regarding compensation or indemnity for the\ndisruption of basic needs, including the issue of clean water not being\nimmediately available to affected communities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
It was noted that initial data of approximately 24,000 units changed\nto around 17,000 units. This discrepancy requires immediate\nclarification through joint verification and validation mechanisms to\nensure the public is not disadvantaged by differing databases between\nagencies. The Ombudsman also highlighted that the relocation of\ncommunities from \u2018red zones\u2019 has not been maximised. One complaint\nreceived by the North Sumatra Ombudsman representative regarding this\nissue has yet to reach an adequate resolution.<\/p>\n
In Aceh, the Ombudsman found that permanent housing still faces\nobstacles. These hurdles are caused not only by budget and\nadministrative issues but also by supply chain and market capacity\nconstraints. \u201cIt is known that there has been a shortage of cement in\nCentral Aceh and Aceh Tamiang,\u201d Robert noted.<\/p>\n
In East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), the Ombudsman noted that challenges\nfaced by the community relate not only to physical needs but also to\nsocial trauma and the sustainability of public services. He continued\nthat even more than ten days after the disaster on 14 August 2026, some\nresidents had still not received aid. Issues regarding housing, victim\ndata for aid recipients, and access to basic services remain major\nconcerns. The Ombudsman noted that healthcare conditions in several\naffected areas remain concerning, and inter-agency coordination has not\nyet functioned optimally.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis situation requires attention because disaster-affected\ncommunities still have the right to receive public services even in\nemergency and recovery situations,\u201d he said. Based on these findings,\nthe Ombudsman RI will follow up on various issues through oversight\nmechanisms according to its authority. Complaints indicating\nmaladministration will be investigated, while issues requiring\ncross-agency resolution will be coordinated with the BNPB and relevant\nministries.<\/p>\n
The Ombudsman also urged the government to ensure the availability of\naccurate and inclusive data, real-time regional need maps, transparent\npublic communication, community involvement, and active complaint\nchannels at both central and local levels. At the same time, the\nSecretary of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Rustian,\nwelcomed the strengthening of this coordination. The BNPB emphasised\nthat disaster management requires multi-stakeholder collaboration to\nensure effective community recovery.<\/p>\n
According to BNPB data as of 1 September 2026, 1,654 disasters were\nrecorded throughout 2026, resulting in 379 deaths. The 7.7 magnitude\nearthquake in NTT on 15 August was recorded to have caused 127 deaths,\n1,668 injuries, 181,354 displacements, and damage to 97,215 houses and\n3,266 public facilities.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ombudsman-disaster-management-must-extend-beyond-emergency-response-1788365194", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }