West Aceh, Japan to Cooperate to Increase Disaster-Preparednes  

TEMPO.CO, Meulaboh - The government of West Aceh in Aceh Province will begin to coordinate its disaster mitigation efforts to increase disaster-preparedness with Japan.

The Head of Planning and Development Agency in West Aceh, HT Ahmad Dadek, said Wednesday, January 6, that he regrets the fact that the disastrous earthquake and tsunami of 2004 did not increase the disaster-preparedness of its residents and failed to incorporate disaster-preparedness as a part of the culture. 

As such, the West Aceh administration has asked Japan to provide assistance and support to increase awareness and disaster mitigation efforts in West Aceh. The administration is planning to submit a proposal to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The General Secretary for Engineers Without Borders of Japan, Prof. Suzuki Tamojo, and a senior fellow for the Asian Disaster Reduction Centre, Prof. Masaru Arakida - who are currently in West Aceh for a working visit - are extensively involved in discussions relating to the proposal. Dadek explained both researchers will craft the proposal for West Aceh administration, which will be submitted to JICA. 

Masaru Arakida, a disaster-preparedness expert, believes that he has a duty to transfer his knowledge on the issue to residents of West Aceh - before adding that models and theories will amount to nothing without proper and effective implementation. "It must be remembered that our model for disaster-preparedness is not the most efficient model out there - as every society has its own way of dealing with disasters," he said.

Suzuki Tamojo concurs with Arakida - stating that a cultural approach is needed to increase awareness on the importance of mitigating disasters. "The Japanese stand calmly in facing disasters because we have been prepared through extensive education and frequent simulations since we were little children at schools," he said.

ANTARANEWS