Communication Disaster Handling in Mount Sinabung Eruptions

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COMMUNICATION DISASTER HANDLING IN MOUNT SINABUNG ERUPTIONS

Fatma Wardy Lubis1, Yovita Sabarina Sitepu2, Munzaimah Masril3 1,2,3) Communication Science Department University of Sumatera Utara

e-Mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT This article presents the communication disaster treatment received by the refugees of Mount Sinabung Eruptions in Karo Regency. The main problem here is that the government very focused on physical development that communcation matters for the refugees. Communication disaster treatment is very effective to reduce the risk in disaster. This treatment supposed to held in every phase of disaster, mitigation, preparedness, respond, and recovery. Most of the time, the government did not pay attention about communication process at all especially at the mitigation and preparednes phases. There was some communication treatment at the respond and recovery phases, but it is not maximal. Even in recovery phase, the action is having an unfinish solution. They build the building, the gave land to the refugees, they gave food, but they did not gave enough information about the important situations.

Keywords: Communication Disaster, Communication Management, Sinabung.

1. INTRODUCTION April 2014 and after that it dropped to "Standby". Many scientists and volunteers Mount Sinabung, or also called as try to examine the activities of Mount Deleng Sinabung in Karo, is one of the Sinabung because there are not many mountains in Karo Regency. A Volcano as records in history that indicate the pattern of high as 2460 masl is formed on the edge of activity. the Northwest Toba Tua cavity. The Strike The long period of activity of the Slip fault line extends along the western Sinabung Volcano caused a large refugee boundary of Toba, the upper part of which wave. In 2010, when mountain status was forms the continuous Mount Sinabung to raised at "Beware" level, about 12,000 the Northeast until Sibayak Volcano is a people were evacuated to the safe area. second-order fault (Indonesian Disaster Even so, the condition of Sinabung that tend Data 2014: 30). to be unstable had made some residents After a break for hundreds of years, one anxious to return to their homes. However, of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia in the period of 2013-2014, major eruptions has changed from type B to type A due to re-occur and make the population of 17 volcanic activity since the first eruption in villages and 2 hamlets to be evacuated. Not August 2010. After that, Sinabung Volcano only the refugees, the eruption of Mount was silent for 2 years and again erupted in Sinabung, followed by hot clouds in September 2013 and still Eruption to date. February 2014, left 17 people dead, 14 died The volcanic activity of Sinabung continues in the scene and others died in the hospital to fluctuate volatile. The "Beware" status due to burns. was in effect for 23 November 2013 until 8

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The number of victims should be able to between sectors in disaster management are be minimized if the disaster management is still prevalent. This shows that the existence reaching maximized. Reminding, the of the ego-sectoral aspect and the number of victims is not only the numbers understanding of the integrated policy and that meet the statistics of the report but implementation aspects of the natural humans as a symbol of life with all the disaster aspects have not yet become the resources it has. Therefore, not only main agenda. The communication and reducing casualties, good disaster coordination aspects of the related parties management is essential to minimize the are two important points in disaster risks and impacts of disasters. management which must always be The Government, in this case the synergized in every disaster handling. National Disaster Management Agency Because, in the communication already (BNPB) is an institution that became the includes elements of information and in main command in disaster management. coordination already includes elements of The Center for Information Data and Public cooperation. Both of these aspects, Relations BNPB becomes the main communication and coordination, require gateway of information flows related to an integrated system between the disasters and mitigation. BNPB has government and the community for disaster representatives in each region, Regional management from pre-disaster to post- Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), so disaster to proceed as planned. ideally each region has adequate disaster management resources. On the other hand, there are also non-governmental 2. THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK organizations specializing in disaster or a. Disaster Communication non-disaster, with more experience in The eruption of Mount Sinabung had handling pre-disaster, disaster and post- become the attention of the media. This was disaster. because Sinabung has long been "sleeping" However, if you look at the process of before it finally erupted and caused the disaster management in Indonesia to date, surrounding community to be relocated. various aspects are still being a problem Many social problems then arose, but then such as disaster management of Mount the problem of Sinabung is considered as an Sinabung. Setio Budi HH in his Journal of ordinary event, and not defined as a Disaster Communication: Aspects of the disaster. System (Coordination, Information and So, what kind of incident then referred to Cooperation) quoted Budi (2011: 23) as a disaster? According to Coppola, stating that following various legal disasters can be defined as those hazards for reinforcements, institutional and disaster which the consequences may be so great as management experience still leaves many to overwhelm the local capacity to respond issues both conceptually and field . (Coppola, 2009: 75). The main issues are Communication, More specifically, an event can be Information, Coordination and categorized as a disaster when there is a lost Cooperation. From the aspect of speed, of life, some are physically wounded, there exactness, accuracy, communication and is a damaged or missing item, and information aspect becomes problematic, environmental damage. In disaster especially when talking about information situations according to Smith (1992) there confusion, misplaced actions such as can be direct loss, as well as indirect loss. uneven logistics, non-integration or overlap 14

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Direct loss of fatalities, injuries, cost of The response phase begins when a potential repair or replacement of damagedors disaster is seen and ends when disaster is destroyed public and private structure declared over. (relocation cost / temporary housing, loss of The last phase is the recovery phase. income, Community response costs, Recovery covers repair, reconstruction, or cleanup cost (Coppola, 2009: 50). reassemble what has been lost during the Indirect losses are not necessarily felt, disaster. This recovery period requires a but they have long-term effects on society. longer time and a more intense process than Indirect loss of loss, input / output losses of the other 3 phases. This more intensity will businesses, reduction in business / personal involve more people, institutions, and spending ("ripple effects"), loss of financing. institutional knowledge, mental illness, Disaster knowledge is important and can bereavement (Coppola, 2009: 50). not be ignored. In many cases of disaster in Disaster handling has four main phases, Indonesia, many repetitive disaster effects namely mitigation, preparedness, response, are due to lack of knowledge about the and recovery. Based on Disaster Mitigation disaster. In fact, Indonesia is one part of the Education Center (P2MB) University of world that is prone to disaster. The Indonesia, disaster mitigation is a series of management of communication efforts to reduce disaster risks, both through management in a disaster situation is an physical development and awareness and absolute matter. Communication capacity building for disaster threats. management will help the public to be well- Mitigation is related to risk component informed against the various hazards in reduction. disaster conditions. Preparedness according to RI Damon Coppola (Coppola, 2009: 16) made constitution no. 24 of 2007 on disaster several important goals in the management management is a series of activities of communication management such as: 1) undertaken to anticipate disasters through Raising public awareness of the hazard organizing as well as through appropriate risk, 2) Guiding public behaviour, 3) and efficient measures. Preparedness warning the public, 4) increase or enhance involves the process of equipping affected knowledge, 5) refute myths or community groups with the use of efforts to misconceptions, 6) influence attitude and increase their chances of survival in disaster social norms, 7) Develop skills, 8) reinforce situations and to minimize financial losses knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour, 9) and other losses. The method undertaken at suggest/enable action, 10) show the benefit this stage is to train and equip disaster of behaviour, 11) increase support or management skills at every level of demand for services, 12) coalese government, as well as to train the organizational relationship. In disaster community in relation to what actions they situations, every member of the community can take to reduce the vulnerability of concerned requires “acces to reliable, individuals and other risks. accurate, and timely information at all The main focus at the response stage is the levels of society before, during, and after action taken to reduce or eliminate the disaster” (Jha, 2010: 253). consequences of a disaster, whether the b. Communication Management result of what will happen, is happening, or Many assumptions has stated that has happened. This action aims to limit management is merely related to the injuries caused by disasters, loss of life, and economy, but in actually management is damage to property and the environment. 15

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related to humans. It is about how to 2. Sincerity: Does management’s organize human resources for stand communication offer sincerity? Is together to achieve organizational goals. communication has done in a good More specifically related to the changes that faith? Is there no scope for occur in humans when they move from manipulation left? Has management individuals to organizational humans avoided misleading people? Does (Klikauer, 2008: 9). communication lead to guided Communication is an important part of decisions as opened up under human activity. The flow of this activity conditions of rational choice that involves social interaction with other offer choices within management human beings, and ultimately without good organised conﬁnements? management will lead to potential conflicts 3. Legitimacy: Is management’s of different interests. Communication can communication legitimate? Does be regarded as the foundation of effective one’s acceptance lead to a management. As a general practice, the goal legitimisation of managerialism? Is of communication should be to clarify management’s claim a hidden information to the level of depth required legitimacy of a corporate judgement by the receiver (Pritchard, 2004: 1). covered in professionalism? Communication activity exists in every 4. Truthfulness: Is management’s communication activity starting from communication based on truth? Can initiation process, planning process, one believe and trust in what has programme execution process, control been said? Is there any evidence process, until closing process. After it can supporting their claim? Is the be seen its effectiveness. The effectiveness evidence good enough? Is the of communication can only be seen through offered information upon which one the feedback given by the recipient. The acts or reaches a decision truthful or obvious test of communications untruthful, even unintentionally? effectiveness is to ask the receiver in the In research conducted by the World communications model to reiterate what Bank team (2010), there are several has been said or what commitments have institutions that deal directly with the been made (Pritchard, 2004: 199). communication and information process The basic concept of managerial in the during a disaster. There is a government, context of communication has a peculiar which must coordinate the entire process of principle. There are 4 main managerial information and communication. Speaking principles in the communication context: of the government, of course not only the 1. Comprehensibility: Does central government but also the local management communicate work government. At the second level is an related issues comprehensively, so information management agency that is an that one can understand what in fact agency specifically involved in assistance is happening at the business level and reconstruction, as well as local and beyond the borders of an communities that will assist the enterprise? Is managerial communication management process. communication precise, inclusive, There are also international organizations intelligible, complete, broad enough that can assist the communication to form a view thorough and ample management process while still enough? coordinating with local communities.

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United Nations International Strategy services for the exchange of for Disaster Reduction (UN / ISDR) in the information on good practices, cost- book of Community, Environment and effective, and easy-to-use DRR Disaster Risk Management Vol 7 (Shaw, technologies, and lessons learned on 2011: 27) has made several communication policies, plans, and measures for and information management steps to DRR. reduce disaster risk: 6. Institutions dealing with urban 1. Provide easily understandable development should provide information on disaster risks and information to the public on disaster protection options, especially to reduction options prior to citizens in high-risk areas, to constructions, land purchase, or encourage and enable people to take land sale. action to reduce risks and build Update and widely disseminate resilience. The information should international standard terminology related incorporate relevant traditional and to DRR, at least in all ofﬁcial United indigenous knowledge and culture Nations languages, for use in program and heritage and be tailored to different institutional development, operations, target audiences, considering research, training curricula, and public cultural and social factors. information programs. 2. Strengthen networks among disaster experts, managers, and planners across sectors and between regions, 3. RESULTS and create or strengthen procedures a. LIfe Before The Eruption, No for using available expertise when Mitigation At All agencies and other important actors develop local risk reduction plans. There were 3 villages located at Mount 3. Promote and improve dialogue and Sinabung valley, Bekerah Village, cooperation among scientiﬁc Simacem Village, and Suka Meriah communities and practitioners Village. People in these three villages working on DRR, and encourage generally work as farmers with coffee, partnerships among stakeholders, oranges, corn, chilies and potatoes as the including those working on the main commodities. With stable agricultural socioeconomic dimensions of DRR. conditions, people used to be able to harvest 4. Promote the use, application and vegetables regularly every three months, affordability of recent information, and two weeks to harvest coffee. A good communication, and space-based level of soil fertility makes the area around technologies and related services, as this area ideal for farming. Every well as earth observations, to household can own up to hectares of land. support DRR, particularly for Socioeconomic conditions were training and for the sharing and relatively stable. With stable harvests, the dissemination of information economic level of the residents is fairly among different categories of users. good. For education matters, each village 5. In the medium term, develop local, has a school from elementary to high national, regional, and international school. Cultural life and art also went well, user-friendly directories, the culture of togetherness through Goro- inventories, and national goro Aron and “Kerja Tahun” still carried information-sharing systems and out regularly 17

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The condition of Mount Sinabung which attitudes of the community to the refugees. had been 'sleeping' for hundreds of years It is true that they have gotten a lot of help has made the government and the from the government, international community not pay attention to the dangers institutions, local communities, and of Mount Sinabung. Mount Sinabung has universities, but that assistance does not for many years been one of the climbing necessarily relieve stress and sadness destinations in Tanah Karo. because of the loss of property, hometown, The villagers did not get any information their normal lives that taken away by about the potential disasters from Mount disasters. Sinabung. Residents are not provided with From several group s who often provide an enough knowledge about disaster. Life assistance, the university is a group that can goes normally without realizing that the be said to be quite concerned about the danger was right in front of their own eyes. problem of disaster communication for these vulnerable groups even though it b. Life During The Eruption, No cannot be said to be maximal because it is Preparedness not done with a planned timeframe. Vulnerable groups such as women, Universities in North Sumatra such as USU, children, disabilities, and the elderly are UNIMED, UMSU and several other groups that need attention. Vulnerable universities often perform simple trauma groups are categorized as having physical healing for a range of groups. Activities and psychological risks. Vulnerable groups such as playing and singing together are should get top priority to be saved. often done to help them to forget a little Handling of vulnerable groups in about the disaster. disaster communication can be in the form Unfortunately, activities like this are of information about accessible locations, starting to be rarely carried out after they rescue training for men to help rescue move to the Siosar area. Some residents vulnerable groups, or trauma healing. actually feel that staying in refuge is even Based on the focus group discussion that better than after being transferred to Siosar. has been carried out with residents there There were not many campus was no special effort made for the representatives who came, played, and vulnerable group of the Mount Sinabung sang with them anymore, or tell stories. eruption disaster. Meanwhile the children still felt inferior as Children actually experience a decline in labelled as refugee children, and there are confidence. Children who previously still elderly people who often looked at attended school in their respective villages, Mount Sinabung from afar, wondering during the disaster phase stayed in refugee where the land was. camps. They have sent to the nearest to the c. Life During Respons Fase evacuation area. The thing that later When Mount Sinabung erupted for the happened was that these children mocked first time in 2010, the they got confused by other school students, such as the words about the information, They were asked to "Hey refugee children!". This makes the return to the village even though there was children then feel they have no self-esteem. no information on whether the village was In addition, there was an assumption in safe or not. After returning to the village in the community that the refugees are the morning, there was another eruption at actually lucky because they get a lot of night. Then they have to runaway again assistance. It impact on the negative from the eruption.

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After the second eruption, the residents did not match the type of plant they survived to stay in temporary evacuation normally planting. Residents still have to which was made in public hall (Karonese adapt to the very cold air and the strong called it Jambur) around Kabanjahe City. winds, and the existence of clean water that About 3 months of staying in refugee is still very limited with a bad quality. With camps, residents are again encouraged to a little sarcasm the residents said, "since return to their homes. This time it was even living in Siosar, we are getting ugly". delivered by the regent. And apparently the Access to educational facilities is still situation is still not safe. 2013-2014 was the difficult where students have to go out of peak of Mount Sinabung's volcanic activity the village area to go to school while Siosar and resulted in a large influx of refugees. distance with the nearest school is very far. in crisis conditions, people are in dire need Every village in Siosar is actually has a of information to reduce anxiety and PAUD building, but because there has been uncertainty. The information needed is no handover between BNPB to the village, related to safety points, evacuation the building cannot be used and is still locations, the presence or absence of lives, locked. Some children's play facilities have education and health services during even been damaged even though they have evacuation. Information about the victims not been used for education. was obtained from television (the victims In addition to physical development, the did not come from residents, instead thing that should not be forgotten is the students came to the disaster site), safe people's need for information about places and evacuation locations from the disaster. Information that can increase their village head, and the danger points to avoid knowledge capacity to adapt to the effects were obtained from BMKG. Although there of disasters. While in Siosar, there are is information distribution, it is not actually efforts to increase people's maximally organized. knowledge about disasters. There is a During the evacuation period, residents Disaster Preparedness Cadets Training often moved from one Jambur to another. (TAGANA) for young people where these The move information was delivered orally young people are given knowledge about by local people or soldiers. At beginning, salvation when a disaster occurs. the residents initially searched for their own Unfortunately, some youth were reluctant safe points such as Jambur and Koramil to participate in this activity because the (military residence). After that, the army government only provided transport money took part in helping with the provision of for a month. The issue of the amount of food and the installation of tents for assistance was also criticized by one of the evacuation. village heads for being considered to spoil d. Life During Recovery the people. However, there are also village Siosar referred to as Land Above The heads who actually assess aid as the main Clouds. The area that was once a protected obligation of the government or forest area does have natural beauty and is organization that comes to the village suitable as a tourist area. But, actually One of the communication mediums that moving to Siosar also does not necessarily people like is the Perkolon-kolong art event. solve the problem of the former refugees. For residents, the existence of this cultural Residents who previously owned hectares event helps them to momentarily forget the of land had to start from scratch with an area pain of losing their hometown, and the of 0.5 hectares with soil conditions that still difficulty of adapting to a new place.

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4. CONCLUSION Volunteer to disseminate information Mount Sinabung has not stopped issuing needed in disaster conditions, such as volcanic ash to current day now on. The information on safe points, evacuation dust effect was not only felt by the closest locations, schedules for counseling and villagers, but it could also be felt to trauma healing activities, disaster Kabanjahe, and also Brastagi. Learning knowledge updates for the community from the previous ineffective handling of both in the vulnerable and non- disaster communication, prevention efforts vulnerable groups. are needed to reduce disaster risk for rural • Recovery of disaster effects on humans communities who still live around Mount cannot be completed only by providing Sinabung such as Payung Village, physical facilities and taking a long Kutarakyat Village, Batukarang Village, time. One medium that is preferred by Selandi Village, and other villages. the people is Goro-Goro Aron. The Some of the efforts that can be done government can use this medium to include: convey information and knowledge • Disaster communication activities about disaster. This art activity can also must be carried out more conceptually reduce the effects of post-disaster by involving experts in accordance trauma on the community. with the needs of the community by considering the different characteristics of each phase of REFERENCE handling • Active communication about disaster Arif, Ahmad. (2010). Jurnalisme Bencana, during the mitigation phase, both Bencana Jurnalisme: Kesaksian dari through structured extension activities Tanah Bencana. Jakarta: Kompas in youth, women and schools. Learning Gramedia. from the absence of disaster Budi, Setio (ed). (2011). Komunikasi communication efforts at the initial Bencana, ASPIKOM, Yogyakarta. mitigation stage, it is better for the Bungin, Burhan. (2007). Penelitian government to focus more on disaster Kualitatif; Komunikasi, Ekonomi, risk prevention measures, especially in Kebijakan Publik, dan Ilmu Sosial areas surrounding the Mount Sinabung Lainnya. Jakarta: Kencana Prenada area. Media Group. • For the Siosar region, the government Coppola, Damon K. (2009) can reduce physical assistance, but Communicating Emergency focus on non-physical assistance, Preparedness: Strategies for especially related to efforts to bring Creating Disarter Resilient Public, people closer to access information Taylor and Francis Group. according to their needs. Access to Jha, Abhas K, Safer Homes. (2010) information such as information on Stronger Communities: A Handbook trauma healing, information on social for Reconstructing after Natural welfare services, agricultural Disaster. Washington : The World information services, information on Bank. clean water treatment information. Klikauer, Thomas. (2008). Management • It is necessary to establish a frontline Communication: Communicative and official Disaster Communication 20

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