The Jakarta post, , Jakarta Sat, 12/06/2008 11:33 AM Headlines
A top official at the post-tsunami reconstruction agency in Aceh and Nias has been assigned to assist in the rebuilding of cyclone-devastated Myanmar, the Foreign Ministry announced Friday.
William Sabandar, Nias regional director at the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR), was named the chief technical adviser to formulate the Post-Nargis Recovery and Preparedness Plan, ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah told reporters.
Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar in early May this year, killing more than 170,000 people and affecting 2.4 million others living in the Irrawady delta, the region's main rice-growing area.
Following the disaster, a tripartite core group was established comprising high-level representatives from the Myanmar government, the UN and ASEAN.
"I will be reporting to the ASEAN secretary-general," William said Friday after the launch of the latest BRR Nias report.
He added he would only be able to work "with the support of the leadership" of the BRR and ASEAN.
Having returned recently from a trip to Myanmar, William said refugees there had gone back to the hardest hit areas of the Irrawaddy, but he noted aid commitments were slow in coming, compared to those following the 2004 earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia and other Indian Ocean countries.
Those affected by Nargis, mostly poor even before the cyclone, now live in their own homes, William said, though some still lived in tents.
The relief operation immediately after the disaster was "a success", he said, with the World Health Organization gaining access to critical areas and preventing several feared infectious outbreaks.
"We're now entering the reconstruction phase (in the cyclone-ravaged areas)," William said.
According to the UN's relief agency, a recovery plan involving the international community is needed to "complement" Myanmar's recovery and reconstruction efforts. The UN and its partners will develop medium-term recovery plans for 2009-2011, says the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The parties will cooperate in disaster risk reduction, education, health, livelihood (agriculture and non-agriculture), shelter and water, and sanitation, according to the agency's website,
www.reliefweb.int.
The plan is scheduled to be presented at the ASEAN-UN summit, planned for mid-December
Duncan Graham , Contributor , Wellington Tue, 07/29/2008 10:03 AM Environment
How do two nations celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations? To play it safe, stage a traditional cultural event with a lushness of finger-flicking maidens swirling batik and rolling their enticing eyes.
Thirty minutes of gamelan gonging and it's all over for another half century.
That's not the way it will be next month when Indonesia and New Zealand recognize five decades of a mostly harmonious and relatively stable marriage.
Instead a clutch of Kiwis will fly to Jakarta, Aceh and Yogyakarta, eventually sharing skills on disaster risk management at a conference in Jakarta on Aug. 5 at Hotel Borobudur, which is expected to attract up to 200 participants and impact nearby nations.
This isn't a topic for fatalists who believe there's nothing mortals can do when the wrath of a vengeful deity is unleashed, punishing the faithless and tormenting the transgressors with tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Those who take a more scientific view argue that many things can be done to prepare, though not always to prevent, natural disasters. Their key word is "mitigation", not earthquake-proofing.
"We've got some real skills here in NZ, developed over the years," David Hopkins said, civil engineer and co-leader of the 21-strong Kiwi contingent.
"We have a different attitude -- we work with people, we enjoy rolling up our sleeves. Let's see if we can make a real difference here, not trying to do everything but working in specific areas of expertise because we're a small country with limited resources."
Decoded, this means New Zealand cannot compete against big-donor nations like Japan and the United States so it has to deliver quality, not quantity.
Hopkins, a specialist in earthquake risk management, looks differently at disaster photos, like those from China's Wenchuan earthquake in May. While most people gape at the damage he seeks out the constructions that have survived. Then he wonders why.
In most cases, the upright buildings have been robustly built using top materials and following best practice. These included steel reinforcement of concrete, cross-bracing walls and no heavy loads at high levels. Critical is the use of materials that can flex not fracture, sway not crumple.
Inevitably the cost is initially higher, which is why some are built to lower standards and building inspectors are bribed to ignore noncompliance with regulations.
This isn't rocket science. Hopkins knows Indonesian authorities are just as well read on the building codes that have been developed in New Zealand, Japan, California and other unsteady locations. The problem is getting the rules implemented. To make his point he employs the image of a skyhook using a chain to hold a huge weight above the people.
"Each link is critical," he said. "We're very good at strengthening the strong links but not so good at looking at the weak."
The idea of discussing disaster risk management to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations came from Amris Hassan,the Indonesian ambassador to New Zealand who lives in Wellington, one of the world's shakiest capitals.
Three faults run north and south through the harbor and city of about 500,000 people. Wellington is also the center of government and the parliament so if disaster strikes the nation's leaders would be among the victims. Managing the risks is treated seriously and the city has become a center of excellence in earthquake research.
An audit of public and private buildings recently found hundreds needed strengthening and the work is underway. A technique called "base isolation" using rubber and lead blocks between the foundations and beams of old buildings was pioneered in New Zealand.
Few Kiwis can be unaware that their land is dangerous. The government has a minister of civil defense and emergency management who will be at the conference.
"It does us a power of good to remind ourselves that we live on two volcanic rocks where two tectonic plates meet, in a somewhat lonely stretch of windswept ocean just above the Roaring Forties. If you want drama -- you've come to the right place," former New Zealand prime minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer said.
The last major earthquake in Wellington was in 1855, but there have been several recent disasters nearby. Gisborne on the east coast of the North Island was hit on Dec. 20, 2007, causing considerable damage. New Zealand gets about 14,000 quakes a year; like Indonesia it's part of the Pacific Rim of Fire.
Hopkins worked for almost a year in Turkey looking at apartment blocks. He expected fatalism but was "mind-bogglingly overwhelmed" by the positive response to ideas of mitigating the impact of natural disasters.
His message to public officials, builders and developers is to ask: "Do you have a defensible position?"
"This means asking if you've identified the hazards and potential damage," he said. "You must have taken all reasonable steps prior to the event to reduce its impact under the four Rs of emergency management -- Reduction, Readiness, Response and Recovery.
"You won't be doing enough to be in a defensible position until you examine these issues seriously and develop a sensible action plan that balances the risks, funding constraints and community expectations."
Geomorphologist (landforms scientist) Noel Trustrum, the other co-leader of the conference, spent time in Aceh after the 2004 tsunami identifying projects where New Zealand know-how could be of use. He focused on the Sumatran highlands where heavy clearing had threatened water supplies.
"We want to marry NZ expertise with Indonesian experience," he said. "NZ is best at doing what's absolutely necessary, not looking for Rolls-Royce solutions. For example, twisting reinforcing iron a different way can be significant.
"The Bureau of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (BRR) hands over to local and regional governments after April next year and there is still a lot of unspent money," he said.
He was referring to the agency created by the Indonesian government after the 2004 tsunami.
William Sabandar, the BRR regional director for Nias, was educated in New Zealand.
"We want to maintain relationships with Indonesia and together look beyond to helping in Southeast Asia and the Pacific," Trustrum said.
The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Wed, 12/07/2005 3:51 PM
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Almost a year after two devastating natural disasters struck Nias Island in North Sumatra, some 4,000 families are still living in makeshift shelters and thousands of students are studying under tents, desperately waiting for aid from donor countries.
Most refugees have lost relatives, their houses and their jobs because of the double disasters, and are reliant on help from volunteers and activists from foreign non-governmental organizations and the Nias-Aceh Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency (BRR) that have been supplying their daily needs.
Thousands of students have been attending classes in temporary camps because school buildings have yet to be rebuilt.
""It's ironic that the situation on the island is still far from normal 10 months after the earthquake. Don't compare it with the relatively better conditions in Aceh,"" William Sabandar, BRR representative in Gunung Sitoli, Nias, told The Jakarta Post after a BRR Nias Island stakeholder meeting here on Tuesday.
Nias was as devastated as Aceh following the Dec. 26 tsunami. But the island was further devastated when another major earthquake shook it three months later.
According to Sabandar, only 200 new houses have been built out of the 13,000 the BRR plans to construct. About 50,000 houses also need to be renovated.
""By April 2006, a total of 1,000 houses will be built and the construction of the remaining 12,000 will follow in accordance with the pledges of donor countries. We are in need of Rp 1.1 trillion (US$110 million) for the house construction and rehabilitation project,"" he said.
UNICEF has pledged to help finance the construction of 160 new school buildings and foreign NGOs have promised financial aid to put up 100 school buildings, while BRR has committed to constructing 60 school buildings.
A total of 770 school buildings and hundreds of churches and mosques were severely damaged during the disasters.
Subandar said that besides financial shortages, difficult access due to the devastated infrastructure had hampered BRR in supplying construction materials to the worst-hit areas.
""Some 19 projects worth Rp 431 billion to rehabilitate damaged roads, bridges, hospitals, public health centers and schools are still underway. We hope the projects can be completed within two years,"" he said.
Separately, BRR chief Kuntoro Mangkusubroto confirmed that the reconstruction and rehabilitation work in Nias was far slower than in Aceh because of a shortage of finance.
While there has been criticism, progress has been achieved in Aceh because 96 percent of donor countries' donations had been used in the province, but Nias had remained untouched, he said.
""After the tsunami devastated Aceh and Nias last year, donor countries and the government committed to providing only 4 percent of their total donations to Nias. No new commitment was given following the March 18 earthquake that left 40,000 people homeless and almost 1,000 school buildings, churches and mosques damaged,"" he said.
The government and donor countries have so far committed themselves to providing $2.1 billion of the $7.1 billion in total donations to Nias within four years.
Following the devastating quake, Kuntoro said, BRR has asked donor countries and the government to allocate between 12 percent and 17 percent of total donations for Nias because of the extensive damage and the vast amount of reconstruction needed.
Attending Tuesday's meeting were representatives of the World Bank, UN, foreign NGOs, foreign ambassadors and North Sumatra deputy governor Rudolf Pardede.
""Donor countries and BRR agree to prioritize road and bridge reconstruction projects to give easier access to the supply of construction materials to worst-hit remote areas on the island,"" Kuntoro said.
Besides the World Bank, UN and foreign NGOs, Germany, Sweden and China have expressed their commitment to providing financial aid to Nias.
Another meeting of stakeholders is scheduled for Jan. 17 in Gunung Sitoli.
The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Thu, 10/19/2006 10:38 AM
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan
The Aceh-Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR) has reported two contractors to the police and terminated the contracts of five others over graft allegations.
The agency's representative office on Nias Island reported PT Citra Ria Mumi and PT Sarana Fiberindo Marina to the police over allegations they embezzled project funds. The cases are now being investigated by the North Sumatra Police.
Citra Ria Mumi was given a contract to construct 35 houses in Lahewa district, Nias regency, while Sarana Fiberindo Marina won a contract to provide 300 fishing boats. The total value of their contracts was Rp 5.7 billion.
The BRR office in Nias also terminated the contracts of PT Uli Artha, CV Harapan Insan, CV Faisal Kontraktor, PT Wimcom Karya Utama and PT Bintang Agung. The five companies have been blacklisted and will not be eligible to receive any future contracts from the agency.
William P. Sabandar, the agency's head in Nias, said the steps were taken to ensure all BRR projects met expected quality standards.
""The BRR has declared this year 'quality year', so we will not tolerate poor quality work, especially when there are indications of corruption, collusion and nepotism,"" William said following an agency workshop in Medan on Wednesday.
Apart from the seven contractors, the agency has also terminated two managers, an assistant manager and three staff members, and replaced the heads of three working units in the Nias office.
William said the agency also planned to prosecute three staff members allegedly involved in legal violations.
Responding to problems within the body since the 2004 tsunami in Aceh and Nias, and the massive earthquake on Nias last year, he said the agency would introduce a people's empowerment program through which all housing construction projects in Nias and South Nias regencies would be overseen by residents.
""Starting next year, all projects related to housing construction will be directly taken care of by residents. This change is being made in response to widespread corruption, collusion and nepotism within the agency and contractors,"" William told The Jakarta Post.
Dozens of people from the Student and Youth Forum on Nias Development staged a protest outside the Medan venue where the workshop was being held, demanding the government launch an investigation into the alleged corruption inside the BRR's Nias office.
Forum secretary Kurniawan Harefa said many tsunami and quake victims in Nias continued to live in miserable conditions because reconstruction work was progressing slowly and money intended to build houses was being embezzled.
""Many of the BRR's reconstruction projects in Nias have been disappointing, with the quality of the construction far below the amount of money budgeted for the work,"" he said.
William said the agency was not closing its eyes to the allegations and would investigate all claims.
Asian Development Bank spokesman Pieter Smith said the bank had allocated US$30 million to help rebuild Nias.
He said the bank also planned to rebuild villages in Nias with $15 million set aside for the work. ""The program is in the planning phase and will start next year,"" he said.
