| Representation Regarding Japan's Future Response to the Sumatra Earthquake and Indian Ocean Tsunami Disaster |
 |
8 March 2005
Rt Hon Junichiro Koizumi
Prime Minister of Japan
Democratic Party of Japan Sumatra Earthquake and
Tsunami Disaster Strategy Headquarters
Chair: Secretary General Tatsuo Kawabata
Deputy Chair: Next Minister of Foreign Affairs Yukio Hatoyama
The disaster caused by the recent earthquake off the coast of Sumatra and the resulting Indian Ocean tsunami was an unprecedented, widespread and virtually simultaneous humanitarian catastrophe. From February 14 to 19, we dispatched an investigative mission to Indonesia and Sri Lanka, which were badly hit by the disaster, to find out from the victims and governments of the afflicted countries what kind of assistance would be really effective. As a result of our investigations we call on the Japanese government to take action on the following important matters.
1. Large-scale Increase in Medium-term and Long-term Reconstruction Assistance
According to a preliminary damage and needs assessment carried out jointly by the Asian Development Bank, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and the World Bank, the total cost of the disaster for Indonesia and Sri Lanka alone amounts to around 6 billion US dollars. The 5 billion US dollars or so of assistance currently pledged by the international community is insufficient, and an increase in the scale of assistance for medium-term and long-term reconstruction is essential.
2.Radical Reform of Measures Taken to Ensure the Safety of Japanese Nationals
A variety of problems have come to light regarding Japanese diplomatic missions handling of Japanese nationals caught up in the disaster in the afflicted countries. As a result, radical measures should immediately be taken to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals, so that the overall response, including search operations, medical treatment, forensic identification, and support and protection of the victims, is one that is truly considerate.
3.Participation in Auditing of Financial Assistance
In response to the positive stance taken by the governments of Indonesia and Sri Lanka toward the auditing and transparency of international financial assistance, Japan should participate in the auditing of aid donations and work to bring about greater transparency, in order to ensure that repair and reconstruction carried out due to international assistance meets the real needs of the victims and is used effectively.
4.Strengthen Direct Assistance to NGOs
The initial aid response by Japanese NGOs has been eye-opening, demonstrating the importance of the framework provided by the Japan Platform (JPF). However, the JPF's main role is to provide emergency humanitarian assistance, and an increase both in the amount and the scope of direct financial assistance provided by the government to NGOs, and in the flexibility of selection criteria and management of such assistance is urgently needed.
5.Establish a Human Resource Bank for International Reconstruction Assistance
Japan should consider establishing a mechanism that will enable those with relevant experience, including for example current and former employees of private corporations and international organisations, to register and operate as a kind of international emergency relief team. A human resources bank with a name such as International Humanitarian Assistance Team or International Reconstruction Assistance Team should be established, which will include personnel capable of coordinating international assistance and of project planning and management, rather than just professionals from various technical fields.
6.Cooperation with Peace Mediation
Aceh Province in Indonesia and the North-East Coast of Sri Lanka, which were badly affected by the disaster, have both experienced long periods of conflict. In order to improve the effectiveness of repair and reconstruction, an agreed framework of cooperation between the government and anti-government organisations is essential and Japan should cooperate actively in the creation of this framework, as well as in peace mediation.
7.Needs Assessment
In order to minimise the discrepancy that exists between victims and government policies regarding the way in which assistance should be implemented, meticulous needs assessment that includes interviews with victims should be carried out. Furthermore, Japan should construct an ongoing assistance framework that includes psychiatric care for victims of post-traumatic stress disorder, already showing a rapid increase, and measures for coping with disaster orphans.
8.Project Assessment
Aid projects should be carried out taking into consideration assessment reports of damage in the stricken areas, including material damage suffered by victims and damage caused by the collapse of the local social infrastructure. This process should take place under a mindset that embraces medium-term and long-term measures for dealing with the evolving situation, and with sufficient liaison and division of responsibilities between international organisations and domestic and international NGOs. In addition, aid evaluation should be carried out by monitoring projects after implementation.
9.Prevention and Warning Systems
Japan should play an active role in constructing international prevention and warning systems, including "the creation of a regional early warning system" agreed upon at the recent UN World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in Kobe. |
|
|
|
