Social problems in disaster victim identification following the 2006 Pangandaran tsunami

Abstract

Disasters, both natural and man-made, are inevitable. Interpol and the ICRC have produced Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Guidelines to assist examiners in the identification of disaster victims. Nevertheless, problems remain in DVI practice, as was evident following the 2006 tsunami in Pangandaran, a popular tourist destination in West Java, Indonesia. The problems included the desire of families to bury their relatives quickly, the decomposed condition of the dead bodies, the inadequate security which hampered the identification process, the shortage of space to conduct identification, and the lack of understanding by local police and the community. Despite these challenges, simplified identification did take place. Due to these challenges, however, academics and the government have begun workshops for both professionals and non-professionals in an attempt to introduce DVI to society. These workshops have been attended by government officers, members of the public, religious figures, military personnel, fire department employees, SAR, journalists, NGOs, and regional police officers. It is anticipated that these individuals will convey the importance of DVI practice to others within their professions and communities. We propose that future identification processes be streamlined, so that they are both quicker and more efficient. This would minimise the problems experienced in DVI, particularly when there are a large number of victims.