ANTARA chief: Aceh Tsunami Museum a reminder of disaster preparedness
Banda Aceh (ANTARA) - The President Director of Perum LKBN ANTARA, Benny Siga Butarbutar, has stated that the Aceh Tsunami Museum serves as a reminder, a lesson and a hope for creating a sound system to reduce potential risks and ensure preparedness in facing disasters.
“For me, the Aceh Tsunami Museum is a reminder that disasters will always occur, especially as Indonesia lies within the Ring of Fire. And this reminds us to always be prepared,” said Benny Siga Butarbutar in Banda Aceh on Tuesday.
The statement was made by Benny after visiting the Aceh Tsunami Museum together with ANTARA Corporate Secretary Sella Gareta and General Manager of Human Resources Arif Mujayatno, accompanied by Aceh Bureau Chief Febrianto Budi Anggoro and other staff in Banda Aceh.
Benny explained that the Tsunami Museum is a reminder that humanity cannot be separated from disasters. Moreover, many stories in the museum remind us that nature itself actually provides preparedness for facing disasters, but this is not studied.
“Nature gives us a reminder, and we ignore it. So we need to learn,” he said.
“Therefore, it is important for this to become a lesson. Build a system, build an ecosystem that can reduce or mitigate disasters,” he added.
Looking at the Aceh Tsunami Museum, Benny continued, there is a hope that better steps must be created in efforts to mitigate disasters, whether through information systems, earthquake-resistant buildings and other measures.
On the other hand, he sees the presence of the Aceh Tsunami Museum as also presenting a new icon in Tanah Rencong, in addition to the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh.
“If we compare this with Japan, which has a disaster museum in Kobe, that also serves as a reminder, a lesson and a hope that humanity must cooperate within a global scope to mitigate and build cooperation in overcoming disasters,” he asserted.
For example, he added, ANTARA is building a narrative of disaster mitigation based on local wisdom, such as that practised by communities in the Simeulue Islands, Aceh.
There, the people of Simeulue Regency often chant the Smong (tsunami) verses on various occasions, and these become lullabies for children. This culture has since become one of the community’s disaster mitigation measures. As a result, during the 2004 tsunami, despite the enormous waves, only seven lives were lost there.
“There is a system, there are stories and songs that warn us about disasters. That is where ANTARA builds and designs information that becomes knowledge, and then provides warnings to the world, the public and the government so they can make decisions,” he said.
In other words, Benny added, ANTARA does not merely provide information, but also builds an information ecosystem for the public and the government so they can make quick and sound decisions when disasters occur.
“This is the role of a news agency. It is not only news. But also a social contribution, where ANTARA plays a role in providing reminders, dissemination and amplification so that decisions are taken, cooperation is produced and good reminders are created,” Benny Siga Butarbutar concluded.