The safety of communities living around the slopes of Mount Merapi becomes the focus of a new partnership that exists between Australia and UGM. For this activity, UGM receives 1.2 million Australian dollars from the Australia-Indonesia Facility for Disaster Reduction (AIFDR) to aid the program to improve community preparedness in disaster risk and support the rehabilitation and reconstruction programs.
"Mount Merapi is one of the active volcanoes in Indonesia, therefore we need to ensure the safety of residents in the region," said AIFDR Director, Dr. Matt Hayne after the signing of MoU with the UGM Senior Vice Rector of Finance, Administration and Human Resources Prof. Dr. Ainun Na’im MBA, Wednesday (13/4).
Matt Hayne said that the joint research would study the understanding of local knowledge, beliefs and way of life of people residing in 30 sub-villages in four districts in Yogyakarta and Central Java, furthermore the findings from this research will be used to guide the livelihoods recovery plan for local community.
"It’s important for us to continue to be ready for possible eruptions in the future. Comprehensive preparedness strategy must include recognizing, understanding and using the experience of residents who have long settled in the area of Mount Merapi," he said.
In the meantime, Ainun Na’im welcomed the implementation of the cooperation. He said this cooperation is expected to be able to help decrease the disaster risk for communities living around the slopes of Merapi to get a better life and future. "It could help create a community that is prepared to disaster risks. This time it is focused on the research field of anthropology and social science," he said.
On the occasion, Ainun also explained that UGM through its academic community, both lecturers and students have contributed in the disaster management. The UGM’s involvement in disaster management, also conducted in other areas, such as the tsunami disaster in Aceh with the medical team of University Syah Kuala.
Head of UGM Anthropology Department, Dr. Nicolas Warouw, said the research was conducted in 30 sub-villages around the slopes of Merapi to list the local knowledge and belief in the local community. "We will list the local knowledge and existing artifacts around Merapi that are so diverse that cannot be generalized through only one policy," he said.
The results of research conducted in 12 months, said Warouw, were expected to help connect the understanding of government and community in deciding mitigation strategies policy, evacuation, reconstruction and recovery together.