Incorporating Cultural Attributes into Disaster Risk Reduction-Based Development Plans in Indonesia

Abstract

AbstractFrequent occurrences of natural disaster in Indonesia cause major problems in the form of financial losses and social disturbances. Disasters with tremendous impacts disrupt the administration of state and hinder the development processes, mainly because the events require expensive and long recovery process. The issuance of Law No. 24 of 2007 on Disaster Management has triggered a paradigm change in disaster management in Indonesia. The management of disaster which previously tended to be responsive and spontaneous has shifted toward preventive and more focused on disaster preparedness and risk reduction. This law explicitly states the responsibility of the government in the implementation of Disaster Management in the form of disaster risk reduction and it integration to development programs. In addition, in the implementation of Disaster Management the government has the authority in determining disaster management policies in line with national development policies. But it is undeniable that there were many cases where different approaches between government and community emerged and become sensitive issues in dealing with disasters management particularly in disaster risk reduction. In this paper a series of intensive community involvement in the form of focus group discussions has been proposed and should be carried out by government in the preparation of development plans. This includes early round of activities followed by formal round of consultation before a draft document of development plans is prepared. Accommodating local wisdom through this robust community engagement is essential in the governmental strategy preparation process. It is a valuable addition and an effective integration in the action strategies of integrated disaster risk reduction so that an appropriate planning decision including the resulting mitigation plan and disaster-resistant infrastructure accepted by the community can be implemented in the disaster prone areas.KeywordsDisaster managementDisaster risk reductionData and geospatial informationCultural attributesDisaster-resistant infrastructure