Disaster Management Coordination : Challenges for Local Capacity Building in Mentawai Tsunami Response

For the past one year, various organizations have been intensively building local capacity in West Sumatra in order to reduce disaster of future risk. Most recent trainings and workshops, among others, were:

1. Workshop and exhibition “Through Coordination and Collaboration, Let’s Accelerate Community Housing Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Program in West Sumatra”, July 8, 2010.
2. Basic Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Gender Integration into Disaster Management, held on June 30 – Aug 2, 2010.
3. Disaster Management Workshop, Aug 23-25, 2010
4. Intermediate Level Geographical Information System  (GIS) Training, Aug 23-25, 2010
5. Training of DRR Facilitator on DRR Integration into Local Development Planning and Budgeting (Sept 26-29, 2010)
6. International Seminar and exhibition on Lessons Learned from West Sumatra Recovery (Sept 30, 2010)
7. Tsunami Early Warning System Simulation (Sept 30, 2010).
8. Workshop on  Relocation Strategy for IDP in Padang Pariaman and Agam District (October 21, 2010).

When I remember all these trainings and workshops in a house of local where I stay for emergency response in Sikakap, Mentawai, I know there is little impact of these trainings and workshops. One of the reasons I could think of is because of the remote location of Mentawai archipelago from the main land of Sumatra island that local capacity building program couldn’t’ be followed by people from here. Disaster management in this region seems to be neglected by government agencies responsible for disaster preparedness and mitigation.
 

To describe how difficult and challenging the access, I will tell my story. On Wednesday October 27, 2010, I departed with my 2 friends from Teluk Bayur Port on Cargo Ship “Bahtera Jaya I – Perintis” which usually carry cement from Padang to Mentawai. Since it was cargo ship, the passenger, us, had to sit and sleep on top of all logistic aid it carried. Without any intention to dramatize the situation, there were around 158 humanitarian workers from various government agencies who were also going with us. Sleeping on top of logistic aid in cargo ship was my very first experience traveling by ship for more than half an hour. It took us 12 hours from Teluk Bayur Port to Sikakap Island Port. As November and December are the months for surfer in Mentawai, we were lucky not to get to the island without any hang over. Come to think of how far and challenging to transport from Mentawai to Sumatra main island, I am grateful to know that some international and national organizations have been doing capacity building to local people on disaster risk reduction. If our program cannot reach people here, theirs can.

Another thing I could think of why such series of capacity building seems to fail saving hundreds of people from earthquake and tsunami in Mentawai is the focus of capacity building has been so far aimed to target local capacity in Padang Pariaman, Kota Pariaman, and Agam District.

Lack of communication and coordination amongst and between West Sumatra provincial, Mentawai district, and affected sub district government agencies for disaster management has been the issue since day 1 of emergency. From my several days mission in Sikakap, it was obvious that leadership, knowledge, and networking for disaster management needs to be substantially supported and strengthened.

By Nova Ratnanto