Insights: Indonesia

One of our team members, Hendriko went back to his home country, Indonesia. He conducted three interviews with the interviewee to be: The Red Cross DKI Jakarta (volunteer based), The Red Cross Indonesia (coordination and training focused), and The BNPB (The Government), which effectively gave him great insights of the current condition of Indonesian's Natural Disaster relief effort. The diverse background of the interviewees themselves also created interesting points that we did not find to be very crucial, while it actually is. In this article, we will first provide the insights that we gained throughout the interviews and then we will be comparing and contrasting according to the main points. For easy understanding, all points have been rewritten in English with adaptations.

The interview was conducted on Monday 29th August 2016 at PMI DKI Jakarta office, we are fortunate that we got to interview the head of the division Mr. Oktariadi. Mr. Oktariadi is the Head Division of DKI Jakarta Red Cross managing the Natural Disasters, Social Issues, as well as Youth and Volunteers, which makes him the expert in the Natural Disaster relief effort, the recovery, as well as the volunteer related issues.

Mr. Oktariadi (O) was willing to give us an interview time and space on the topic around the disasters in Indonesia and his involvements as a volunteer. Here are the main interview points and insights:

The biggest challenges:

• Imperfect Information (unmet needs, oversupply of unuseful goods) 
• Supply system (unclear, and slow) 
• Transportation (slow) 
• Location of victims (inability to pinpoint potential survivors) 
• Money (funding is not enough, and there is a high possibility of misuse)
• Recovery requires a lot of resources, usually are unmet (Post Disaster Trauma and rebuilding)
• Evacuation Space

1. Shelters are not private, but privacy is not really important. However, with individual shelter an effort could decrease the need for transportation of tents.
2. The volunteers need to have a post-disaster trauma help as well.
3. Recovery is largely done by the government.

Besides going to the volunteer bases, Hendriko went to talk with the main committee of Indonesian Red Cross, the people who educates, trains, as well as deploy volunteers to the disaster struck areas.

Mr. Tri Priyanto is the person in charge of the subdivision of Youth and Volunteers and Natural Disasters of Indonesian Red Cross, while Ms. Rovi is the person in charge of specifically corporate volunteers. Both of them experienced at least one huge disasters which had them activated automatically. With their responsibilities, they are the expert in the preparation of volunteers as well as the system Red Cross takes in helping a disaster relief.

The Biggest Challenges:

• Prediction and assessment systems (causes unmet needs)
• Communication Methods (inefficient distribution and search and rescue efforts)
• Completeness and Transport of the Equipment (mobility and causes unmet needs)
• Volunteers and Survivors stress management 
• Evacuation Space

More Insights:

1. Red Cross Indonesia have the psychosocial approach in dealing with the survivors of disasters.
2. The psychosocial approach enables survivors to go back to their life (mentally) before the disaster struck.
3. Economically speaking, survivors are helped through donations of organisations, and government, however, the government has the largest role in the economic recovery. The recovery is through the giving of seeds, tools, and education. Education was used to create a new kind of job in the disaster-struck area.
4. Death tolls depends on disasters, however in the less developed area the survivors management could cause more deaths.
5. Other more advanced countries will help and they have equipment that Indonesia does not.
6. Every approach to help is different from one area to another, adapting according to culture and traditions.

The government who is suggested to have the most involvement in a disaster relief was also interviewed by Hendriko. Mr. Teguh Harjito is the Head of Statistical Data Subdivision, he is the person who conducted assessments, both rapid and detailed, as well as cross-checking data supplied from third party assessor (eg. NGO). Besides assessing, he also oversees the development of the data of Indonesian disasters, natural and social, and monitor the internal and external threats of disasters. This includes the spread of MERS, and currently ZIKA.

The Biggest Challenges:

• Assessment process
• Logistic needs usually unmet
• Coordination among volunteers
• Transportation needs
• Norms and Tradition
• Evacuation Space

1. Volunteers are required to have a certificate to volunteer
2. The relation of Disaster Management Authorities and Bodies are not simply vertical and horizontal.
3. Everyone working under BNPB is trained to be deployed to natural disaster areas.
4. The Government role is more towards the coordination and education.
5. The Government has "Ready money" to be used during an emergency.

As we can see from above these are the biggest challenges:

1. Logistics (Supply Demand) also related with assessment and transport
2. Evacuation Space
3. Communication (for rescue and within volunteers)
4. Post-disaster stress (trauma) management, for both survivors and vounteers

How did you arrive becoming the head of the volunteer/ youth, social and natural disaster division?

I was trained as Youth Red Cross during my High school years and I got stuck since then.

How does Red Cross Respond to a disaster?

When Disaster struck inbound, we will straight away go for an emergency meeting and deploy our men accordingly. When Disaster struck outbound, we will wait for our headquarters to assess and determine whether the help of other Redcross regional power is required or not. For such events of deployment we usually take the means of travel provided by the government (usually by ship) and arrive there within 2 weeks. However, the main team would take the plane and arrive at the area hopefully on the same day.

Where have you been deployed? What were differs?

I went to Situ Gintung, Aceh Tsunami, Jogjakarta earthquake, Merapi Eruption, Pangandaran Tsunami, and more. The social considerations are the most differing, as in a natural disaster, everyone is affected equally, while in social crisis, there could be things that we must not dp

Does Red Cross Jakarta help in any kind of disasters?

No, we are ready every time, every day, any. there is no limit in the helping of disasters, natural disasters, humanitarian crisis, etc.

What do you dislike from volunteering as a Red Cross Officer and imagine you have a magic wand, what would you want to change?

The waiting,I don't think there is anything to change, as natural disasters are not predictable and rare, the time I wait is used to make sure we are ready for the worst

What is the general structure of the organisation?

The general structure would be: Field Coordinator, PR, Admin, Evacuation team, Health service, etc. It varies according to the needs of a natural disaster.

What are the steps of a disaster relief effort?

Before the Aceh Tsunami, one organisation would organsie themselves in the helping effort, However learning from the Aceh Tsunami, the government stepped in and created BNPB (the National Natural Dissaster Body) to coordinate across organisations. The system from being spread through the board of the organisation now is focused through the BNPB, and this results in a much more efficient way of coordination. Each Localised Bracnhes of organisastions such as the Red Cross or other NGOs, would be reporting to the BPBD which effectively the Government body of the regional sector, which is activated by the BNPB when help is required, and the organisation coordination trickle down.

BNPB (The govt) will be dividing the task according to the disasters. however, there is a division according to the basic work function, such as PMI for search and Rescue, Military cooks, etc

Also, BNPB will be dividing the task at the place of disaster, as the disasters scale varies, BPBD(regional BNPB) will coordinate the task accordingly. As PMI Jakarta is a province based organisation, we are only deployed when an area needs more help

How about the communication system that were used?

In the past we all use telephone, however with the IT advancements it is much easier now, Whatsapp, and other social media helped us in the process of evacuation as well as giving the public education.

How does Red Cross Indonesia is funded?

Red Cross Indonesia is solely by Donations, donations in many forms including fundraising, and no ties attached personal donations. We ​dont do flag days as it was tried and caused unneccesary pressure on our Youth Red Cross personells.

How your organisation knows about the needs of these survivors?

The needs of the victims is found through several stages of assessments, on the day itself, there is Rapid Assessement where the basic needs are identified. eg. 1000 victims, needs 2000 pairs of clothings, and 500 kg of rice, etc. from that the first response team would be deployed together with these basic needs. Then, Detailed Assessment will assess in detail the number of each persons in different categories, and are met accordingly.

Describe a technical failure in an operation.

Technical failure was experienced during the 2004 tsunami, there was too much of help that does not cater to the need of the people. Resulting the problem of accumulation, and the help come to waste.

What is the main duty of Red Cross in a disaster relief context?

First aid, provision of basic necessities (food, water, tents, etc) for usually 1 month, however if it is required we can extend

How an evacuation space is prepared, and how to ensure the structural integrity of the shelters?

Tents are sent and it is erected as soon as possible usually 3x24 hours, all are decided according to the SPHERE handbook. As the tents are bought, the structural integrity should be guaranteed.

How work is divided in a disaster relief?​

In the disaster area there is the basic function work. and we will do the work according to the deployed group

How categorization of the survivors done?​

Depends on the natural disaster, usually basically using the Identification process, gender, age, etc. there is no special categorisation, we are only giving the basic help at startHowever,

How does Red Cross store their equipment? ​

It is stored at regional store house, PMI has 6 regional store house in Indonesia, and it is activated according to the need of the disaster victims

Was there a time where a help was rejected by the survivors?​ How about any Cultural, Racial, Religion, or Tradition challenges?

Very minimal, and it is not exposed. They feel lost they only look for shelter for awhile, and it is not permanent. (in flooding, lost of comfort, in earthquake, lost of house?)

Yes ,yes, but it isn't in a natural disaster, but it is more when humanitarian crisis, eg the Ambon riot, where non muslim and muslim clashed, hence the helpers are divided accordingly. In a natural disaster they feel the same way.

How Red Cross gain many bases in Indonesia?​

It is according to the government divisions, in Indonesia especially, where regions are divided into 3 large layers, National, Province, and city or regions. When a post is wiped out together with the disaster, there would be this called " temporary operation team" in which they take over the basic functions of the once existed PMI body, to operate again.

What are the challenges in a Disaster Relief? Is privacy a problem and how private information are handled?

The lack of supply, the un met needs. this happens everywhere. The topological problem as well, eg in Flooding context, boat on water bodies, then suddenly got land again, this is a huge problem. Transport, The survivors themselves (such as the disables) however, these are the challenge for us.

Not exactly, as they should share, during a disaster shelter is a need, while privacy is a second, to the basic need fulfillment. When they have money they will not go for tents. Private information is protected by the government and only used for the assessment. Only BNPB have the rights to disclose.

What can be improved to the shelters?

the improvement could be around the access (the availability) to the tents. However, it must not be too heavy that it could burden the users. The individual personal tents would be effective, however, if it is too heavy or too difficult to access it will not be useful at all.

GPS tracker would be good however the price would be the problem. and it have to be light as well. Humanihut? should be used for refugee cases instead

How quick is a disaster relief effort? How specific needs are catered?

There are main outposts, and the government is the one responsible for this. Usually, these needs are ready within 3x24 hours, really depends on the place.

The household needs only be brought after the detailed assessment. it is a need. The problem is the transport of these things are the problem (again) the provision of its own. These thingsare used notfor common use but it is distributed according to small groups or families

Who are in charge of the safety of the evacuation camps? What are the currently available equipment and shelters?

Police and military will be activated, their real occupational job, not mere volunteers.

In a camp, there is the Health department (from the government), Logistics team, Victims team, Kitchen team, safety,Information centre. The tent itself is in a form of dome, it is a family tent ( usually for 2 families of 5 people), or the big tents (platoon tents, can fit up to 30 ppl) we have around 20 tents in all local bases, and a lot of the main storage areas. The tent can live for many years if stored.

the transport, the supply and demand numbers, money

What differs from one disaster to another? Does specific shelter is required?

The social considerations are the most differing, as in a natural disaster, everyone is affected equally, while in social crisis, there could be things that we must not do.

What is the source of death toll in a disaster?

the disaster itself, however, it depends on the disaster type itself. A flooding will not kill as many people due to the slow increasing of the water level of the areas, this enables people to actually evacuate the area before the disaster gets bigger. However, in an earthquake that occurs in split second it would cause the disaster to take a larger toll.

What is needed? Who are in charge of the recovery and who are the volunteers?

Basic needs at first. The government would be the in charge, however, the Red Cross ourselves have the presence in every single region making the red cross be one of the helpers in the recovery even until the end. Volunteer-wise, everyone that has some skills and are willing to help.

Why are these people volunteering? And for future generations of volunteers what do you want to say to them?

I feel that the drive is the humanity and the self-fulfilment itself. I would want to help anything, however, I must be reminded of my limit, and I must not cause myself to get sick when I am helping others, this also applicable for future generations.

Remember that they lost something, they would accept any help that could be given to them.

After a disaster what do the survivors usually do? What kind of help was given? and Who are there to help?

Ya, some of them go back to their previous work. In the case of lost, a farmer the government would help them to supply some animals and seeds. when the person is a shop owner they are given some start funding, etc. In PMI, due to our presence, we do not really move out from the area. However, usually for people that helped and originated from outside of the area, we will be giving some kind of token for the victims, that is useful and appreciative.

More to be updated.

Hendriko