Promising recovery time-frame

Setting expectations for housing rebuild post-disaster is crucial and should be conveyed to the affected people in the earliest aftermath. However, the government and aid agencies sometimes give their promises under pressure from the public, political parties, and donors. The immense pressure to quickly rebuild happens globally and not only in a particular country. This principle applies to any housing recovery, even in a humanitarian setting; the process cannot deny the nature of construction. It always takes time until the market, which consists of manpower, proper quality of construction material, and financial institutions are in place. To be added to the market is the fully functional infrastructure for supply chain and government systems. Haste recovery will only lead to poor-quality construction, which will eventually stop the process and bring more disappointment to affected people. Moreover, there is a risk that some people might not be included since, due to their circumstances, they are out of the list.

Government and recovery agents should pursue inclusive, build-back-better, and sustainable recovery but should be able to convey that the process needs time. Learn from other recovery; for instance, the recovery from Hurricane Ike in Texas, USA, might take up to 7 years, and more than 10 years for Haiti post-2010 earthquake. Following the 2011 earthquake in Japan, the government planned a 10-year recovery timeframe. During the housing recovery post-tsunami 2004 in Indonesia, the Chief of the Reconstruction program reminded the agencies to have a clear plan for the reconstruction, which can be communicated to the government and their beneficiaries. Conveying only the messages will not be adequate to calm public protest. Hence, recovery pathways should be seen by everyone.

Putting ourselves in the shoes of affected people will shape our priorities on recovery pathways based on their best interests. Hence, wherever possible, supporting their self-recovery would be the best option for sustainability. For those who have land, strengthening their capacities for rebuilding or retrofit, including opening access to financial support, will focus their energy on returning to normal life. This can be achieved through consultations, training, and other activities to engage their involvement. At the same time, governments develop their policy, systems, and infrastructure to enable recovery. These lessons came from governments and recovery agencies who worked in Japan post-2011 earthquake, Nepal in 2015, and Yogyakarta, Indonesia 2006 earthquake.

The biggest issue is those who don’t have land, who live in poverty and other vulnerable conditions, have to live longer in temporary accommodation. There should be additional support for them. It would be unfair if they receive a similar amount or value as others. Improvement in access to public facilities and financial support should be prioritized to secure their job and well-being.

Arwin Soelaksono

Photo: Doga Ayberk Demir/Shutterstock/The Conversation.  https://theconversation.com/turkey-earthquakes-one-year-on-the-devastation-has-exposed-deep-societal-scars-and-women-are-bearing-the-brunt-221819