Photo: OCHA SUARA KOMUNITAS CENTRAL SULAWESI EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE COMMUNITY VOICES BULLETIN EDITION #1

Transcription

1 Photo: OCHA SUARA KOMUNITAS CENTRAL SULAWESI EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE COMMUNITY VOICES BULLETIN EDITION #1 NOVEMBER 2018

2 1 WELCOME TO SUARA KOMUNITAS DONGGALA SIGI DONGGALA PALU PARIGI MOUTONG M7.4 17:02 local time 28 September Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) responders POSO Suara Komunitas Community Voices presents feedback gathered from communities affected by the Central Sulawesi earthquake. It is designed to help humanitarian responders make decisions and adapt programming by providing insights into what communities are saying as the response progresses. It is informed by inter-agency community engagement efforts including discussions with affected people, community focus group discussions and radio programmes. It is comprised of quantitative data, and qualitative information that complements the community feedback humanitarians are responding to. Suara Komunitas is a product of the Community Engagement Working Group, developed by PMI and IFRC with support from OCHA, Pulse Lab Jakarta and UNICEF. The Community Engagement Working Group (CEWG) is attended by a broad range of agencies, and meets weekly in Palu to present updated sector-based feedback and coordinate collective action on rumours, questions and complaints. The Working Group identifies an ongoing need for risk communications and the distribution of common messages about disease prevention, sanitation and safe behaviours. The Working Group acknowledges that it is critical to understand the local information systems, including which channels are popular and trustworthy and it is concerned with how to support people with specific needs, as well as women and children. Information Source* Feedback Awareness Requested Information* Friends 164 Distribution 67 Camp Coordinator, Friends & Mobile Friends & Mobile Camp Coordinator Friends, Mobile & Radio Yes/Available 62% 30% 8% No No Info Service Access, Distribution & Recovery Plan Service Access, Distribution & Help Help Distribution, Recovery Plan & Shelter *top five responses Sources: IOM DTM

3 1 OVERVIEW 7.4M earthquake magnitude 2,000+ confirmed dead 1,000+ people missing 4,400 people injured 211,000 internally displaced 68,000 houses damaged Sources: HCT Sitrep On 28 September 2018, a series of earthquakes struck Indonesia s Central Sulawesi province, the strongest a 7.4M earthquake with its epicentre close to the provincial capital, Palu. Following the earthquake, tsunami and subsequent landslides and liquefaction, some 2,087 people are known to have died, with many more feared dead. Infrastructure and basic services were badly affected, and thousands of people have been left displaced in temporary shelters or with host families and friends. During the month following the disaster, a joint needs assessment was conducted by Humanitarian Forum Indonesia (HFI) followed by a displacement tracking matrix undertaken by the Ministry of Social Affairs, supported by IOM. As part of these exercises, general questions were presented to affected people regarding their information needs and communication habits. The results of these offer a broad indicative analysis, showing that people overwhelmingly (60%) rely on word of mouth - friends - for information. However, their stated preferred methods for accessing information include via Camp Coordinators, handphones and the radio. While more detailed data and analysis might reveal how these methods and modes of communication are relied upon by different people, for different needs, the information currently available is useful in that it indicates the four most important channels used to access useful and life-saving information. Importantly, the data also indicates that the majority (60 percent) of affected people understand that they can provide feedback on their situation, and know how to do so. Experience from other responses demonstrates that access to feedback channels is usually limited to certain parts of the community; women and children and the elderly often have less access. This is a reminder that there is still an opportunity to make all channels of communication and feedback more accessible to all. The main issues identified refer to distribution, access to basic services, temporary shelter and other forms of assistance. This is consistent with analysis of feedback that is being heard through the FM broadcaster in Palu City, Radio Nebula (see Section 2 below) and collected by the staff of Palang Merah Indonesia (PMI) through multiple face to face and digital channels (see Section 3). Initially, questions and feedback from the affected community was related to the urgent matters of family tracing and missing people, and immediate logistical needs including temporary shelter and clean drinking water. While much of the feedback continues to be about the ongoing need for access to safe water, shelter, sanitation, waste management and non-food items such as blankets and tarpaulins, increasingly it shows a need for clarity on future planning. Questions related to shelter are now focused on reconstruction, longer-term housing, and the possibility of a return to home. In addition, as the emergency phase moved into the transition to recovery phase on the 25 October 2018, there have been concerns raised about access to emergency aid and assistance such as humanitarian health services (see Section 4 below). The arrival of the rainy season has also increased the number and urgency of questions and feedback related to shelter, health risks and hygiene. Psychosocial support may be required to address stress-related conditions such as hypertension, that are reportedly resulting from dealing with prolonged uncertainty.

4 2 RADIO FEEDBACK Radio Nebula FM (101 MHz), located in Palu City, resumed broadcasting seven days after the events of 28 September. The first broadcast aired in the evening of 5 October at 7:30pm and the station immediately opened the telephone line to receive calls from listeners, inviting people to recount experiences from the day of the disaster, and allowing them to make requests and complaints. Currently, every broadcast hour on Nebula FM is dedicated to responding to questions related to the disaster and to survivor s needs. During every three-hour broadcast, between 20 and 40 people call or send messages via SMS and WhatsApp. The vast majority of calls and messages (90 per cent) are from men who represent their households % people call per broadcast of callers are female During the first week of broadcasting, listeners presented questions about people who were missing. They gave feedback focused on logistics and were critical of the government as they were still in need of basic assistance including tents, food, clean water, blankets and clothes. In the early weeks, throughout 18 hours of daily broadcasts (from morning until midnight) there were around 20 calls or messages per hour; the majority of complaints received by telephone and SMS addressed the issue of basic assistance. Nebula FM began broadcasting a weekly interactive talk show with PMI called PMI Nolelei on 31 October. Nolelei, in the Kaili language means disseminate information. The programme airs every Wednesday at 20:00. Callers can discuss questions live on air, with guests including representatives from the government and aid agencies working on the emergency response in Palu. If the staff working on the programme are not able to answer the caller s question via the guest, or if an answer cannot be immediately sourced, the radio station will store the question and try to find an expert to provide a verified answer to the question. COMMON ISSUES ASSISTANCE TO SURVIVORS WHO DID NOT EVACUATE TO CAMPS In Palu, Donggala and Sigi, many people choose not to leave their homes even though their houses cannot be inhabited safely anymore. Instead they choose to build tents mostly makeshift in their own yards. However, these communities have reported that they are struggling to access sufficient aid. During the broadcast on Sunday, 4 November, at 3:30pm, Rudi, a resident of Palu City stated that his family had not yet received assistance because they took refuge in a field near their housing complex. 15 members of his family are staying there because their house has been damaged and cannot be inhabited again. CLEAN WATER Clean water is a problem for the many survivors, not just residents who choose to live near their own house like Mr. Rudi and his family, but also residents of the displacement camps. Apart from Palu, complaints have been received from residents who have independently rebuilt temporary housing in Donggala and also residents of Kulawi, Sigi Regency. LATRINES AND ISSUES OF POOR HYGIENE Lack of clean water has a direct impact on hygiene. Some camp residents have claimed that there is a lack of latrines where they are staying. They have also reported that latrines in displacement camps as well as private facilities are reportedly not clean or are damaged, and the waste management system is not functioning. ELECTRICITY SUPPLY Complaints came from Balaroa and Kulawi camps. There have been reports that electricity in Baloroa camp is often cut, while in Kulawi camp there is still no supply at all. SHELTER A caller from Donggala asked: there has been donation of tents that should then belong to them, but why then would those tents be taken back by the village leaders if they move to a shelter? Residents of Petobo called to say their house was destroyed but it was not in the area of the liquefaction, until now there has been no clarity from the government whether they will be relocated or if it is possible to rebuild their house in the old location?

5 2 RADIO FEEDBACK WEEKLY RUMOUR The first day (after the earthquake and tsunami) I still remember, we got help with four packs of instant noodles, two kilograms of rice, and four bottles of mineral water. That is first and last said Rudi to Radio Nebula. Now I Please give certainty because we want to rebuild the house. In South Dolo, some residents built their own shelters from waste materials from their old house. They can t wait for clarity from the government. OCTOBER 25 Clean water reserves are arguably adequate, but there is a significant time lapse between the commitment of NGOs to establish Mandi Cuci Kakus (MCK or WASH-related facilities) and their actual installation. Rumors are built upon the suspicion that the slowness of establishment of MCK in the camps is related to the schedule of moving people to shelters as the transition period ends. NOVEMBER 2 Temporary shelter: communities have heard confusing news at times about the future, particularly about temporary shelter/ don t ask for basic needs again, What I want now is clean water and drinking water. DONGGALA Shops and small businesses must be controlled (regulated), so that prices do not soar. housing (Huntara) and relocation. A rumor circulating about the Huntara design is that people would be living in one building consisting of 12 households. Most CEWG members who attended the meeting on 2 November 2018 confirmed they heard this rumor. These include Yakkum, Sulteng Bergerak, Pena 98 and Lentera. NOVEMBER 9 Health and sanitation: communities have heard local health facilities in the affected areas are infected with bacteria from PALU dead bodies. As a result, many community members have been reluctant to access healthcare systems as they believe this could risk their health instead of receiving treatments. The potential negative impacts of this rumor are high. Ministry of Health and some organisations are conducting DONGGALA SIGI PARIGI MOUTONG risk communication measures on this issue and helping communities to access healthcare services. POSO

6 3 PMI COLLECTED FEEDBACK Main feedback, questions and complaints from affected people received by PMI (366 individual responses) Through different methods, Palang Merah Indonesia (PMI) is collecting feedback, questions and complaints from people affected by the earthquake and tsunami, and is providing appropriate responses when available. So far, this feedback has come from 366 people via the following communications channels: 3% General services 7% Family tracing 7% WASH 10% Food items 44% Logistics (shelter & non food items) PMI s hotline, which is a dedicated phone number and call centre established locally in Palu; Face-to-face discussions in the four information centres POSKO in the districts of Palu, Sigi, Donggala and at Provincial level in Palu City; Social media, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (using #TanyaPMI which means Ask PMI) Help or information desks staffed by PMI teams, located at aid distribution points; Interactive radio talk shows, broadcast on Radio Nebula and RRI; PMI volunteers working with disaster-affected people in all affected areas in Sulawesi. While in the initial week, many questions referred to family tracing and missing people, the majority of the questions and feedback recorded six weeks after the disaster are about logistics. Logistics is used to describe distribution of items such as shelter food and non-food items such as hygiene kits, medicine and cleaning equipment. 13% other* 13% Health other: donations, blood donation, compliments, media inquiries About 44 per cent of requests are from people needing blankets, tents and tarpaulins. People are requesting cleaning products and tools to help keep their living area in the camp clean, and there are also some questions about and requests for food (10 per cent), such as rice. This is followed by questions and concerns on access to safe water and sanitation (7 per cent). This issue began to emerge some three weeks after the earthquake and tsunami. People are also requesting water containers and personal hygiene items. Additionally, humanitarian workers have reported that in many camps there is poor sanitation infrastructure and a lack of clean water. For example, in the Petobo camp, located opposite the PMI camp, only one water tank is available for latrines. This is not adequate to maintain the cleanliness of latrines. There are gaps in the provision of adequate sanitation and safe water which needs to be assessed and addressed. These topics -- logistics in relation to the distribution of food and non-food items, access to sanitation and safe water -- continue to be reported by affected communities to members of the Community Engagement Working Group, in addition to information about the distribution of tents and food. These requests have mainly been from Sigi district and Palu City.

7 4 FOCUS ON HEALTH Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial (BPJS) On 25 October 2018 the Indonesian Government declared that the emergency response phase would be replaced with a transition from emergency to recovery phase. As a result of this, people who need to access health care are now being asked to provide their BPJS card, but many people have lost all their possessions including their BPJS and other ID cards. Key questions being asked of health workers include: Are we still insured to receive emergency and chronic health care from national services? Are we covered by national insurance scheme if we don t have our card? Is there anything we should do in order to ensure we receive health care? Which health services are we still able to access? Is other ID acceptable if we have it? Is healthcare support from humanitarian organisations (including PMI) available without presenting a BPJS card? Is there a way to get a replacement BPJS card? Some action has been taken to resolve these issues. In two meetings held by the Cash-Based Assistance Working Group in Palu, hosted by the Provincial Office for Social Affairs, which were attended by representatives of BPJS and Dinas Dukcapil (Civil Registration Office), it was explained that the Government through Dukcapil is conducting an assessment to find out who has lost or does not have their BPJS cards and ID cards. Dukcapil is then issuing them with a family card (KK) and ID card so that they are able to process or register for a BPJS cards. I lost my BPJS card, how should I present myself to health facilities? Non-communicable diseases: There is also an emerging issue of increasing importance. As a result of the loss of medical records, arising problems include: Pregnancy monitoring and test results; HIV treatment; Diabetes treatment; Heart disease; Immunisation status of children. Contextual information from health workers: The onset of the rainy season has complicated and exacerbated health issues, including increasing the risk of infectious diseases such as diarrhea, dengue and malaria. Hygiene issues related to poor shelter and access to clean water are also compounded by heavy rainfall. Health literacy is also low and people don t necessarily have the language to articulate exactly what they need and what they re having difficulty with. There is an increasing need for health risk communications.

8 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORKING GROUP (CEWG) The Community Engagement Working Group (CEWG) supports collective work on community engagement and accountability. The CEWG supports the clusters through: Cross-sectoral coordination of the provision of information to affected communities; Integrating the views of affected communities into programme decision-making and coordination; and Encouraging and enabling affected communities to comment on responders performance. FOR MORE INFORMATION Aulia Arriani, Head of Public Relation and Community Engagement Focal, Palang Merah Indonesia, Husni Husni, Community Engagement and Accountability Coordinator, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Rachel Maher, Humanitarian Affairs Officer AAP and PSEA, United Nations OCHA, SUARA KOMUNITAS CENTRAL SULAWESI EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE