Central Java: money and prevention to reduce natural disaster risks

The 5th Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction was held in Yogyakarta recently. One proposal calls for spending 5 to 10 per cent of local annual revenue on specific projects. Local communities should also take on greater responsibilities. Catholic and Muslim leaders back the initiatives.

by Mathias Hariyadi

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - The week-long 5^th Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) was held recently in Yogyakarta, Central Java. Discussions focused on natural disaster risk reduction and boosting prevention through local community empowerment and decision-making. One proposal urged governments to dedicate 5-10 per cent of local annual revenue to preventing and reducing the risk of natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis, which exact a heavy toll in Asia.

More than a thousand people from 97 countries came to the conference, including cabinet ministers, civil protection experts, activists and religious leaders. They directed their attention on promoting sustainable development as part of a broader international agenda that looks beyond 2015. They also agreed that 5 to 10 per cent of annual local revenue should be allocated to developing prevention plans.

In the last decade, Asia has been affected by a long series of devastating natural events like earthquakes and tsunami. Among the nations affected, Indonesia has been the hardest hit. At least four of its regions experienced major natural phenomena with thousands of dead and large-scale devastation. They include a series of earthquakes, beginning with Aceh in December 2004, which was followed by a tsunami that spread to other countries in South and Southeast Asia; Naas Island in North Sumatra (2004); Mentawai Island in West Sumatra (2004 and 2010); and Pangandaran in West Java (2006).

Officials from Caritas Indonesia attended the conference. They included representatives of Karito, the Caritas branch in Purwokerto (Central Java), and Karina, the Caritas branch in the Diocese of Semarang.

In an internal bulletin for the Catholic community, Karito chief Fr Budi Prayinto Pr said that the conference was a significant forum to share ideas and experience.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's address was much appreciated. In it, the Indonesian leader said that local authorities should be given greater powers to handle risk prevention.

Purwokerto Bishop Mgr Julianus Sunarka SJ agreed as did the delegates from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest moderate Muslim organisation.