Japan in Pain, So is ASEAN
- VIVAnews/Tri Saputro
VIVAnews - The world watches with horror and sadness live footages showing the devastation from the 9-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that shook Sendai on Friday. Even while Japan was facing the emergency and mobilising rescue efforts throughout the country, Japan continuously shared live updates on the situation, alerted nations potentially in danger to take necessary precautions.
Japan’s leadership, along with international system monitoring earthquakes and tsunamis and the global efforts, have helped reduced the number of casualties in countries in the Pacific. What happened in Japan was a clear reminder that natural disasters can occur anywhere, anytime.
In January of this year were the floods in Australia; last month earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand; last week earthquake in Yunnan; then the earthquake and the killer tsunami in eastern Japan. These massive earthquakes may be signs or warnings that our planet Earth is ailing seriously.
ASEAN has not been spared from disasters. In seven years, countries in the ASEAN region have experienced significant disasters. From the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and the 2008 Cyclone Nargis, to the multiple ones in 2009 and 2010 affecting several countries in the region almost simultaneously.
Australia, China, Japan and New Zealand are all Dialogue Partners and most generous friends of ASEAN in difficult times. We share their sorrow, and ASEAN governments are standing by to assist Japan in manners required and needed by her affected people.
Just by sheer coincidence, members of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) are gathering this week in Manado, Indonesia, to partake in the ARF Disaster Relief Exercise (DiREx). Representatives of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Centre), the ASEAN-Emergency Rapid Assessment Team and the ASEAN Secretariat are also deployed for the exercise.
The ARF is the region’s premier security forum, consisting 27 members. The ARF aims to promote open dialogue on political and security operation among its members.
The exercise aims to advance ARF participants’ ability to enhance confidence and mutual understanding among the ARF, strengthen cooperation and coordination among ARF members’ civilian and military agencies, and rapidly provide coordinated and effective disaster relief. Co-chaired by Indonesia and Japan, the exercise includes a table-top exercise, field training exercise and humanitarian civic actions.
Other ARF participants have all expressed concern and sympathy for the people of Japan. We are very appreciative of what Japan has committed to do in the face of her own unprecedented situation. We would not have been able to roll out the exercise if Japan has not been as committed.
Even in the moments of sorrow, Japan as the co-host of the exercise shows solidarity and enduring partnership.
The ARF Direx 2011, which is being held in Manado until 20 March, is expected to be attended by over 3,000 supporting actors from the governments, including the military, and supporting actors from the public and volunteers.
I am learning that some rescuers, vehicles, equipment and technologies, including those from Japan, may be diverted to rescue efforts in Japan, while some will remain to support the exercise. A friend is now faced with a real natural disaster and we are trying to leverage on the situation to help our ally.
Disaster relief is an area the ARF has identified as an area of cooperation to enhance capacity and as a confidence building measure. It is also one of the five areas of cooperation under the East Asia Summit, an ASEAN-led process of which Japan is a member.
The ARF DiREx is a follow-on exercise to the ASEAN Regional Forum-Voluntary Demonstration of Relief (ARF-VDR) on Disaster Relief held in 2009 in the Philippines. A year prior, the ARF also held the ARF Disaster Relief Exercise Table Top Exercise in May 2008 in Indonesia.
When our Dialogue Partners suffer, ASEAN suffers along with them. We are a community. In time of emergencies like this, it is only natural that we step forward and extend our hands to the people of Japan in return. That, too, is an ASEAN Way.
--
The author is the Secretary-General of ASEAN
3 Orang Tewas Imbas Longsor dan Banjir Lahar Dingin di Wilayah Gunung Semeru
Banjir Lahar Dingin yang dipicu oleh intensitas hujan yang tinggi di wilayah Gunung Semeru membuat meluapnya debit air Daerah Aliran Sungai (DAS).
