Dr Minako Sakai (m.sakai@adfa.edu.au)

The University of New South Wales

Agency in Asia Pacific Disaster Relief:

Connectivity, conflict and community resilience

Outline

Background of this project

Methodology

Approaches

◦ Geographical scope

◦ Conceptual framework

Key Finding and Policy Recommendations

Questions for effective

partnerships?

How can Australia and New Zealand or

international community effectively assist

in disaster management and fostering

community resilience in the Asia Pacific

region?

Disaster Relief in the Asia Pacific Region: Capacity Building and Community Resilience

1. Capacity building and resilience of the affected community

2. The role of civil society organizations

3. The role of government institutions and the armed forces

11 papers presented. For abstracts, see

http://hass.unsw.adfa.edu.au/apss/past.php?select=+2011+&chosen_year=2011

Asia Pacific Seminar Series at

UNSW Canberra 2011

Approaches and Methodology

Interlink between resilience and

vulnerability

Resilience: human capacity to recover

from a disaster

Not single-disaster focused, a wide

range of disaster incidents in scope in

seven key countries in the Asia Pacific

region

Approaches and Methodology

An analysis of the role of key agencies

in a comparative manner (general

sociological knowledge of the capacity to

act in a given situation and specific

institutions including governments)

Disasters: multi-dimensional including

both natural (cyclones, earthquakes)

and human-induced disasters (coups,

conflicts)

Approaches and Methodology

Multi-disciplined social science approaches to explore effective connections and collaborations between agents

◦ Anthropology, Geography, Media Studies, Political Science, Economics, Sociology

Academics have long-term on the ground research experiences in the locality besides disaster management and community resilience issues.

*Dr Minako Sakai (UNSW)

*Dr Edwin Jurriens (UNSW)

*Dr Jian Zhang (UNSW)

*Dr Alec Thornton (UNSW)

A/Prof. Ursula Rao (UNSW)

Prof Satish Chand (UNSW)

Prof David Lovell (UNSW)

Dr Amelia Fauzia (UNSW and UIN Jakarta)

A/Prof Keishin Inaba (Osaka University)

Dr Priyambudi Sulistiyanto (Flinders University)

A/Prof. Etinne Nel (University of Otago)

Dr Maria Talaitupu Kerslake (National University

of Samoa)

Dr Chris Roberts (ANU and UNSW)

A/Prof Jenny Bryant-Takalau (University of

Otago)

Disasters in Scope Country Disasters and the times of incidents

China Wenchuan earthquake (2008)

Japan Kobe Earthquake (1994), Tohoku

Earthquake and Tsunami (2011)

Myanmar Cyclone Nargis (2008)

Indonesia Aceh Tsunami (2004), Yogyakarta

Earthquake (2006), Padang

Earthquakes (2006), Merapi volcano

eruptions (2010)

Fiji Cyclones and Flood (1972, 1983, 2009),

Droughts (1982, 1998), Political Coups

(1987,2000,2006)

Samoa Cyclones 1990-91, 1994, Tsunami 2009

India Slum Demolitions in Dehli (2009)

Key Agencies in this project

Key agencies Countries and Regions

Civil society groups Japan, Indonesia

Political actors &

Government agencies

Indonesia, India, ASEAN

Military China, Myanmar

Media Indonesia

Businesses and

Economy

Fiji, Samoa

Local knowledge and

Culture

Indonesia, Fiji, India

Civil Society and the State

1) Civil society groups with varied backgrounds (no SES equivalents)

2) Tendency by the state to regulate civil society groups

◦ Accountability and /or government funding (Japan)

◦ Civil society groups as competing and a threat (Indonesia)

3) Appropriate legal framework needed to support civil society groups for sustainable fund raising activities

Political Actors and the Military

Disasters = Political Opportunities

(personal gains)

Disasters: non-traditional threat = places

to be seen

Over dominance of the military and lack

of engagements with civil society

organisations or weak civil society

development (Myanmar, China,

Indonesia)

Media and its Role in

Community Resilience Main stream media: Disaster Media

◦ Decontextualization of existing social

situations

◦ Driven by media cooperate interests for

publicity and viewing rates (infotainment)

Alternative Community Media: effective for

community cohesiveness and resilience

◦ Community theatre, video making by youth,

Businesses

Creating a stronger economy and

economic diversification: Neo-liberalism

approaches often difficult to implement

on the ground

Man-made disasters such as coups and

conflicts have more negative economic

impact than natural disasters as it

destroys trust in society.

Local knowledge and Culture

Government or top-down approaches for

post-recovery efforts: not necessarily the

best for strengthening community

resilience

Local knowledge, formal and semi-kinship

and cultural belief vital for survival and

community resilience

Dr Minako Sakai m.sakai@adfa.edu.au

SENIOR LECTURER, SCHOOL OF

HUMANITIEES AND SOCIAL SOCIENCES THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES,

CANBERA Asia Pacific Seminar Series 2011 Theme:

Disaster Relief in the Asia Pacific Region: Capacity Building and Community Resilience

http://hass.unsw.adfa.edu.au/apss/past.php?select=+2011+&chosen_year=2011