The government is urged to immediately create a comprehensive and integrative management to deal with disasters. Although repeatedly hit by natural disasters, those do not necessarily make the country quickly learn from experience. As a result, there are many casualties and material losses.
"There is irregularity in disaster risk management in society. Casualties and material losses caused by disasters indicate unpreparedness of individuals, communities, and institutions in facing a disaster," said Chairman of CRCS UGM Studies Program, Dr. Zainal Abidin Bagir, Tuesday (8/3). According to Bagir, currently the government is still weak in building community preparedness.
The government should focus on the preparation before the disaster. This is expected to reduce the amount of losses. Bagir mentioned that disaster is a complex phenomenon, a combination of risk, damage, and vulnerability. "This destructive natural phenomenon will not be a strategic disaster if people have readiness," he said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Arqom Kuswarjono, a researcher of CRCS, revealed the attitude of society to uphold the culture, traditional perspective in addressing a catastrophic risk are the cause of the large number of victims when a disaster occurs. A number of mythological reasons always appeared when they are advised to evacuate to a safer place. "There are reasons why they are difficult to be evacuated, ranging from serious reasons to leave the property, the oebdience to keep the ancestral lands, to mythological reasons. The combination of all of them is often fatal," he explained.
Arqom added that there are knowledge and belief which sometimes cannot be tested by scientific procedure, but they effectively determine the attitude and steps that are taken. On the other hand, science has a measurable and empirical nature, but sometimes it is less familiar with the locals. By integrating science, religion, and culture, it is expected that all aspects about disasters and religion can be better understood.
Therefore, the CRCS UGM will hold a conference entitled "Towards a Disaster- Ready Community" from March 9 to 10 2011 at the 5th floor of UGM Graduate School. The experts who engaged in the study of disasters, both from technical and social perspective, will attend and share experience and critical reflection in disaster preparedness. Some experts who will attend are Professor. Sudibyakto, Prof. Dr. Ali Ghufron, Dr. Sri Nuryani, Dr. Kwartarini, Prof. Dr. Heddy Shri Ahimsa Putra, Dr. Arqom Kuswanjono, Dr. Nur Ikhwan, and Agus Indiyanto, M.A.
This workshop was attended by experts and stakeholder representatives who are competent and in touch with the sustainability of forest ecosystems in Indonesia, such as UKP4, Bapenas, IPB, Padjadjaran University, UNRI, and Unmul. In addition, the workshop also involves the University of Utrecht Netherlands which is currently collaborating in research on strategies to increase the competitiveness of the forestry sector against the pressure of widespread conversion of land into oil palm plantation.