Humanitarian Aid Distribution in the Context of Human Rights-Based Approach Among Vulnerable Communities: Flash Floods and Climate Change in North Luwu, Indonesia

Abstract

North Luwu Regency in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, was struck by a flash flood in 2020, resulting in 38 reported deaths and 106 people missing. Additionally, 20,562 residents were forced to evacuate and were referred to as internally displaced persons (IDPs). The handling and protection of the affected community or IDPs in an emergency and a post-emergency period requires proper, integrated, and measurable management. The research done in North Luwu Regency, employed a qualitative approach and was conducted through observation, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions (FGDs) with heads of villages and the officials, religious and local traditional leaders, NGOs, related agencies, and the IDPs. The findings of this study indicate that the policies regarding aid provision during flash floods are considered quite comprehensive, given that the region experiences similar disasters frequently. The findings also suggest that the implementation of IDP protection is comprehensive but encounters some challenges, including hindered aid distribution due to difficult access to disaster-stricken areas, non-targeted and non-centralised aid distribution, as well as the ineffectiveness of the random system for temporary housing for IDPs. In terms of perception, the community expresses satisfaction with the government’s performance in providing humanitarian aid and logistics, resulting in tangible impacts. Furthermore, no discriminatory practices based on religion, ethnicity/race, gender, background, or economic status were found in the aid distribution.

1 Introduction

Climate change increases the risk of disasters.¹ It expands the distribution of intense rainfall, increases the variability of extreme rainfall, and accelerates the hydrological cycle,² so that its amplification increases the intensity and frequency of floods.³ Flash floods are generally caused by heavy or extreme rain that can be localised, affecting large areas in one to several basins, especially in urbanisation zones and upstream bare areas.⁴

Flash floods are categorised as hazards that damage human life and are triggered by an anomaly of rainfall intensity in mountainous areas.⁵ It is strongly influenced by the geological conditions of slope-forming rocks or soil, vegetation or trees, slope, land use, and geological structure.⁶ Flash floods occur when spillage flows out of river channels carrying debris (mixed with mud, gravel, boulders, and wood waste). Such a catastrophic event can destroy urban settlements, causing death and damage to infrastructure.⁷

Climate change can trigger the higher intensity of flood events, including flash floods and urban floods, caused by heavy rainfall.⁸ This arises from the fact that climate change encompasses alterations in precipitation, as well as temperature, wind dynamics, atmospheric pressure, cloud cover, and moisture content due to short-duration extreme precipitation.⁹ Thus, with climate change, the hydrological cycle has been expectedly increased along with the existence of global warming.¹⁰

Flash floods have occurred in many places in Indonesia, especially in several watersheds formed from hilly valleys with steep slopes and abundant water sources. One area that has a high exposure to flash floods is North Luwu Regency in South Sulawesi Province. The area’s exposure is due to the predominance of a steep topography with an elevation of 1200–2000 m. Most of the area is surrounded by various water points (Malacca Straits, Pacific Ocean, Maluku Sea, Bone Bay), which are ideal and complex terrains for flash floods.¹¹ During the last 23 years, there have been multiple hydrometeorological disasters triggered by floods, landslides, tornadoes, and droughts in North Luwu Regency. Floods were the most dominant trigger of disaster in the area. Climate change is expected to exacerbate these threats. Flash floods hit North Luwu Regency on 13 July 2020 following the landslides in the upper reaches of the Masamba, Rongkong, and Radda rivers.¹² The affected Regencies include Masamba, Sabbang, Baebunta, South Baebunta, Malangke, and West Malangke. The leading cause of the flash floods in North Luwu Regency was the high rainfall pattern that had occurred gradually in the previous months. Heavy rainfall can be one of the main factors that triggers flash floods.¹³ In this case, it is unusually high as flooding is frequently caused by prolonged periods of heavy rainfall, a phenomenon that occurs naturally and raises the amount of moist air in the atmosphere, leading to heavy rainfall over most of Indonesia. The angle slope or local terrain has an impact on flooding as well. A flash flood will be more destructive the steeper the slope as then the faster the water will flow. There are numerous ways to reduce the likelihood of landslides and floods. Among these are afforestation which requires the growing and upkeep of a certain number of trees in the watersheds to restore the ability of forests to store water effectively. Additionally, we must keep an eye out for the dangers posed by mining and logging operations that invade watershed areas. Before the flash floods on 13 July 2020, rainfall was expected to be around 50 mm over 10 days.¹⁴

In contrast to the flash floods that occurred in other areas, the material in the flash floods in North Luwu was mainly sand and a little mud.¹⁵ The Communication and Information Office of North Luwu noted that the impact of the flood led to the death of 38 people and 106 were injured. In addition, 1600 houses were heavily damaged, 136 moderately damaged, and 2384 slightly damaged. The flash floods also damaged public facilities, 3 units of health facilities, 25 units of educational facilities, and 25 units of houses of worship. Furthermore, an estimated 20,562 residents were forced to flee from 75 Masamba, Baebunta, and Sabbang Districts posts.

The established regency is home to a population of 327,820 residing across 15 sub-districts, with the reported poverty rate at 13.22 per cent in 2022, showing a decrease from the previous year’s 13.59 per cent.¹⁶ In terms of disaster vulnerability, this area is classified as highly susceptible to hydrometeorological and climate-related events, with a low level of community resilience against such occurrences, and the population exposed to specific hazards being notably high; for instance, 268,345 individuals live in flood-prone areas.¹⁷ North Luwu is the regency with the highest flash flood hazard area in the South Sulawesi Province, covering 48,083 hectares.¹⁸ The local government has recognised this issue and is committed to safeguarding its vulnerable residents through a human rights-based approach. This dedication is exemplified by the accolade bestowed upon the North Luwu local government by the Ministry of Laws and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) in 2022.¹⁹ The award is a testament to the various indicators addressing community needs, including the right to legal assistance, access to information, promotion of diversity and pluralism, healthcare access, educational opportunities, protection of women and children’s rights, population rights, and ensuring a healthy environment and adequate housing.

Handling the community affected by flash floods in North Luwu Regency required appropriate, integrated, and measurable actions, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Managing humanitarian assistance was a multidimensional challenge as it had various problems, such as aid distribution, accessibility, and meeting the needs of displaced populations. These problems are often presented during the emergency response and post-disaster phases, where survivors need temporary and permanent shelters to start life again after a disaster. Further challenges were the unavailability of land or space, the distribution of permanent shelters, and the building process.

In this background, the study aimed to understand the policies, practices, and public perceptions regarding managing internally displaced persons (IDPs) during emergencies and post-emergencies from a human rights perspective. This study specifically aimed to (1) examine the protection of displaced populations as reflected in logistics management policies in humanitarian assistance; (2) review the implementation of IDP protection in the management of humanitarian assistance and logistics; and (3) examine the perceptions of the affected community towards fulfilling the needs of displaced populations and management of humanitarian logistical assistance.

2 Research Methodology

This research was conducted in North Luwu Regency, South Sulawesi Province. This location was chosen by purposive sampling because floods often occur for a long duration, causing many fatalities and had damaging effects on 20,562 residents. From this category, there were 15 affected sub-districts in North Luwu Regency. However, in this research, the researchers only focused on the two districts, i.e. Masamba and Baebunta, which were mostly affected by the flash floods that occurred on 13 July 2020. The field study was carried out within four days from 4 to 8 October 2021 to collect the data.

Masamba is known for its strategic location and serves as the regency’s capital.²⁰ The region is characterised by its diverse landscape, including plains and hills, and is an essential economic hub for the surrounding areas. Baebunta, on the other hand, is recognised for its unique geographical features and plays a role in the economic and social life of the regency. Both districts are part of the larger North Luwu Regency, contributing to the cultural and economic diversity of the region. The communities in these districts are often engaged in agricultural activities, and the areas face specific challenges, such as the risk of flash floods, given their geographical characteristics. These two districts are traversed by the Masamba River, the Radda River (a tributary of the Masamba River), and the Rongkong River,²¹ which often causes flash floods.

This research uses a qualitative approach with documentation, observation, interviews, and focus group discussions (FGD). Documentation was carried out to identify policies and examine the perception of displaced populations on the humanitarian and logistical assistance delivered by aid providers. The initial observation of this research was carried out to find out the socio-cultural characteristics to the distribution of displaced populations in the study location. The distribution of displaced populations was analysed using spatial tools such as ArcGIS and Google Earth, to simplify the data collection scheme that had to be carried out optimally to divide the number of respondents for sampling. Data collection was carried out using structured and in-depth interview techniques with 32 displaced respondents, 16 each from Baebunta sub-district, and 16 from Masamba sub-district. The FGDs involved key informants, including regional/village heads and their officials, local traditional and religious leaders, NGOs, related agencies, and temporary and permanent housing displaced populations, totalling 14 people at the meeting in Baebunta sub-district and 13 people at the meeting in Masamba sub-district.

Before the flash flood occurred, the community depended on the agricultural sector as paddy field farmers, meeting their livelihood needs through harvest yields. Moreover, they were able to provide for their children’s education without difficulty. However, following the flash floods, many from the agricultural community lost their steady employment because the land they had cultivated for so long was buried under materials such as mud and rocks. This has significant economic implications, particularly for those farmers with low incomes and limited education, making it challenging for them to find alternative employment to sustain the economic and educational needs of their children. Consequently, the community had to undergo relocation and a shift in their means of livelihood. Formerly employed as paddy field farmers on their own lands, the community found themselves working as daily wage labourers on others lands.²²

This research is expected to be a reference in designing effective strategies to improve the management of humanitarian assistance in areas affected by disasters such as flash floods due to climate change and incorporate issues of prioritising a human rights perspective. With this aim, the research results are divided into four sections to explain related logistics management policies in existing humanitarian assistance, the implementation of IDP protection in humanitarian assistance and logistics management, and the related perceptions of displaced populations on the fulfilment of protection and management needs of humanitarian logistics assistance that has been carried out.

3 Disaster Management in Indonesia and the Regulations on Humanitarian Aid Management

The regulation and the implementation of disaster risk reduction activities has changed over time in the world’s biggest archipelagic country. Following the 2004 earthquake and tsunami that killed 160,000 people in Indonesia alone,²³ improvement of regulation and practice, in the disaster risk reduction (DRR) context, has taken place in the nation. The catastrophic event triggered the government, community, and stakeholders to be more aware of disasters, not only just in terms of the action in emergency response, and there appears to be significant progress in all phases of disaster that include pre-disaster, during disaster, and post-disaster. The emergence of the Law on Disaster Management 2007 and the establishment of the National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB) and the Regional Disaster Management Authority (BPBD) prove that the Government of Indonesia (GoI) is seriously committed to disaster issues.

While the government emphasises decentralisation, key areas such as foreign policy, defence, legal systems, and monetary policy remain under national government jurisdiction. In the context of DRR, the BPBD are entrusted with DRR responsibilities within their respective domains, while the BNPB as the authority in the national level acts as the central agency for national DRR policies.²⁴ The issues cover all areas of DRR practices, including humanitarian aid management that should be prepared right from inception when there is a likely potential of hazard. It refers to how the government with the participation of academics, business/private sector, community, media, and other stakeholders, can collaboratively conduct displacement and humanitarian assistance management, particularly in the prone-areas. The objective is to reduce the risk and fatalities in the upcoming disasters. These processes could either be meticulously organised and officially endorsed, or they may arise spontaneously from affected populations in accordance with their own understanding and assessment of risks.²⁵

3.1 Humanitarian Aid Management Policy at the National Level

Disaster Management Law in the Republic of Indonesia²⁶ is the foundation of all the derivative regulations (the derivative regulations can be presidential decree, regional regulation, etc.) and community implementation in DRR. Disaster management handling should be based on humanity; justice; equality before the law and government administration; balance, harmony, and congruence; order and legal certainty; togetherness; environmental conservation; and science and technology.²⁷ These humanitarian principles mandate the State’s obligation to protect and respect every Indonesian with human rights and human dignity. Specifically, the ‘principle of justice’²⁸ means that every implementation of DRR reflects justice for every citizen without exception, regardless of background, including religion, ethnicity, race, class, gender, or social status. The status of ‘citizen’ refers to individuals of the indigenous Indonesian population and individuals of other nationalities officially recognised as citizens by law,²⁹ and residents are Indonesian citizens and foreigners residing in Indonesia.³⁰ Thus, disaster management based on humanitarian principles has a strong statutory basis to protect people in disaster prone-areas in Indonesia territory.

The BNPB has established regulations for further streamlining the disaster management process, particularly focusing on basic needs assistance.³¹ It gives a message to the government and the stakeholders involved, to ensure the fulfilment of the rights of disaster-displaced populations and the affected community, especially in providing essential services. The BNPB states that the principle of assistance must be carried out based on gender equality and a human rights approach.³² Moreover, the agency is also concerned with gender equality in disaster, followed by the regulation mentioning gender mainstreaming.³³ This regulation provides guidelines for implementing Gender Responsive Planning and Budgeting (PPRG) in the scope of disaster management, as well as gender mainstreaming at the pre-disaster, disaster emergency, and post-disaster phases. In addition, the regulation also indicates that assistance should be based on the principle of sustainability, local wisdom, and participation between stakeholders and the affected community.These regulations at the national level are supplemented by the regional-level policies, described below.

3.2 Humanitarian Aid Management Policy at the Regional Level

The Minister of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia issued a regulation concerning social assistance in catastrophic events,³⁴ which is and becomes one of the legal bases for managing humanitarian assistance at the regional level. In the regulation, it suggests that direct distribution of aid in the form of clothing, food and boards, health services, provision of temporary shelters, psychosocial therapy services in shelters, cash, waivers on the cost of processing population and ownership documents, condition of low-cost necessities, provision of public kitchens, clean water, and healthy sanitation, and provision of funerals for disaster victims are carried out by officers in the provincial and regency/municipal levels, involving sub-district or village officials or other similar names in their places of residence.³⁵ It is also complemented by the BNPB Regulation concerning Guidelines for Logistical Assistance.³⁶ Logistical assistance is needed for disaster management activities, primarily when a disaster occurs, covering the community's daily needs, such as food, clothing and its complementary, water sanitation, sleeping bags, and so forth.

In addition, the Government of North Luwu Regency has a series of regulations related to the management of social assistance that can be funded from the revenue budget and regional expenditures.³⁷ The North Luwu Regency has also provided space for efforts to implement community-based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR),³⁸ which is based on the objective to involve community participation in DRR efforts. People are also enabled to use their resources so as to prevent, reduce, avoid, and recover from the effects of disasters. More than that, the implementation of CBDRR also addresses the obligation of the government to protect the community as part of human rights.³⁹

The local government has implemented various regulations as part of its emergency response, rehabilitation, and reconstruction strategies in the light of the flash floods. Most recently, the government has identified recipients, from stimulus budgets, to aid affected communities in repairing moderately and lightly damaged houses.⁴⁰ Emergency expenditure budgets have been distributed to the IDPs for logistic assistance in the affected districts.⁴¹ In addition, another policy outlines technical guidance for the development and reconstruction of houses impacted by the flash floods.⁴² The authorities are committed to ensuring that communities receive funding assistance for Phase II,⁴³ the construction of permanent shelters.⁴⁴ These measures collectively represent a comprehensive approach to addressing the challenges posed by the flash floods.

Policies at the Ministerial and national levels, and their derivatives, as well as the Regent Decree on flash flood disaster, show that there was a firm reference or legal basis for the management of humanitarian assistance for the protection of displaced populations caused by disaster. The national/regional/local policies in response to managing humanitarian aid to protect IDPs due to flash floods in the North Luwu Regency were comprehensive. These policies aimed to protect communities affected by disasters and prevent various possibilities of conflict. However, there were some differences between the existing policies and their implementation at the disaster site. Flash flood management policies in North Luwu Regency were not optimal due to ineffective government communication.⁴⁵ The following section enumerates the field study conducted by the authors in the North Luwu Regency to understand the effectiveness of disaster assistance following the flash flood tragedy.

4 Implementation of Humanitarian Aid Distribution on Flash Floods

The impact of the flash floods in North Luwu Regency resulted in socio-economic changes for the affected people.⁴⁶ Various parties participated in disaster management efforts from the first critical period (Golden Hour) to the rehabilitation and reconstruction. Humanitarian assistance for flash flood-affected displaced populations came from various parties, including Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Social Service Organisations, Disaster Voluntary Group (Tagana), Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP), National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), NGOs, academics, business institutions, religious institutions, as well as families and the surrounding community.⁴⁷ Multi-sectoral involvement in the distribution of humanitarian aid during the flash flood event in North Luwu Regency at the various phases of disaster assistance is described as follows.

4.1 Distribution of Humanitarian Aid During the Golden Hour

The first 72 h after a disaster are referred to as the ‘Golden Hour’, considering the fact that these times are very crucial for people to survive.⁴⁸ Flash floods in Luwu in 2020 occurred at night, damaging many buildings, houses and public facilities, and causing road access and main telecommunications to be cut off. Information on the occurrence of flash floods was constrained by the disconnection of two main communication accesses. As a result, the flow of emergency response coordination and aid distribution during the Golden Hour did not run optimally. The distribution of humanitarian aid to the Baebunta sub-districts on the first day could not be carried out because the land access connecting the two districts was damaged. Most of the humanitarian assistance in Masamba district was provided by the closest family, from the Indonesian Red Cross, and the nearest sub-district.

4.2 Distribution of Humanitarian Assistance During the Emergency Response Period

The emergency response period for the North Luwu flash floods covered a span of 60 days. During the first 30 days, several agencies such as the BPBD, Social Services, and government agencies from other districts and provinces began to provide humanitarian and logistical assistance as well as evacuation assistance, especially in the Masamba district and the Baebunta district. Meanwhile, based on findings in the field during the emergency response period, several NGOs or humanitarian agencies also participated. In addition, academics, scouts, and the Cakra community were active in providing logistics and psychosocial services, and the Indonesian Red Cross and Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT) a humanitarian organisation provided logistics and clean water in the Baebunta district.

During the extension of the emergency response period to an additional 30 days, all agencies and NGOs provided and distributed logistical and psychosocial assistance, clean water supply, and other public facilities in the two sub-districts. These activities began to involve many parties, including foreign parties such as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which initially focused only on the Baebunta district, and later began to enter the Masamba district and significantly impacted the handling of displaced populations, especially in the provision of logistics and the provision of medicines, tents, and psychosocial services (see Table 1).

Table 1 Distribution of humanitarian aid in Baebunta and Masamba district during the emergency response

The terms ‘disaster relief’ and ‘humanitarian response’ encompass the initial response and early recovery phases, with the foremost priority being the provision of essential necessities (such as food, water and sanitation, clothing, health service, and shelter) to the individuals most severely affected in the immediate aftermath of a disaster.⁴⁹ The distribution of humanitarian assistance (Table 1) prioritised the basic needs when the flash floods had just hit the area. The form of assistance can change over times following the needs of the community in each phase of disaster.⁵⁰ Nevertheless, pre-disaster evacuation plans were not practised in the case of flash floods in North Luwu Regency. There were disparities in emergency response actions during the floods that occurred in Masamba and Baebunta. The community in the Masamba district, which serves as the capital of North Luwu Regency, received a one-hour flash flood warning, and the local government promptly directed the evacuation of residents to the Regent's Office. Meanwhile, there was no warning in the Baebunta district, resulting in a lack of preparedness among the residents when the flash floods occurred.

There are persisting deficiencies within the distribution framework. The BPBD of North Luwu, as the primary disaster response entity, bears the responsibility of coordinating and overseeing humanitarian aid efforts during emergency situations such as flash floods. The agency is tasked with procuring aid from external sources, encompassing both organisations and individuals, subsequent to a swift quantitative needs assessment, and subsequently disseminating it to the affected community.⁵¹ This procedural approach is designed to optimise the precision and effectiveness of aid allocation. Unfortunately, not all stakeholders possess a comprehensive understanding of the associated regulations. Some donors opt to directly disburse social assistance to the community, permitting their involvement in emergency scenarios, albeit potentially leading to sub-optimal distribution outcomes. Moreover, each engaged donor pursues its own agenda and carries distinct beliefs and systems.⁵² Consequently, instead of being active participants in development, vulnerable individuals have been relegated to the status of objects. The conflicting ideologies, systems, and approaches among various actors have further exacerbated this problem. Furthermore, the BPBD faces internal challenges in this context, including insufficient human resources, logistical and equipment limitations, budgetary constraints, and the logistical complexities of reaching isolated areas.

4.3 Distribution of Humanitarian Assistance During the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Period

The types of assistance distributed during the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase focused on increasing the welfare and capacity of the community, including the provision of a DTH (House Waiting Fund) of USD 32/family/month for six months by the BPBD and the Ministry of Social Affairs (see Table 2). The organisations and the individuals provided the advanced assistance when the essential aids were no longer needed, such as the training for the affected community to build resilience and the life security for administrative purposes. Displaced populations also received permanent housing assistance of USD 37/person. Nonetheless, numerous inhabitants of Bone Tua Village in Masamba expressed dissatisfaction, asserting that the aid provided did not align with the commitments made by the government.

Table 2 Distribution of humanitarian aid in Baebunta and Masamba district during the rehabilitation and reconstruction

Distribution of humanitarian assistance for the flash flood-affected community in North Luwu Regency has been carried out in a multi-sectoral manner from the government and non-government sectors. A number of policies related to displaced populations have been well implemented, starting from the establishment of the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency that has the role to lead and coordinate DRR practices in Indonesia.⁵³ The Government of Indonesia has also issued the regulation to emphasise that the importance of DRR action, in this case is an emergency response that focuses on the services to the affected community or IDPs at the shelters.⁵⁴ Specifically, the BNPB has mandated the policy in regard to logistical assistance guidance which proposes the objectives: logistic assistance planning in disaster response should be in accordance with needs; the procurement of logistics aid in disaster response adheres to applicable regulations concerning the quantity, type, and quality of assistance; the distribution of logistic aid in disaster response is effective, efficient, targeted, and accountable.⁵⁵ Communication between the local government and institutions, organisations or associations that provide logistical assistance to the community has not been well developed⁵⁶ and is causing the distribution of logistical assistance to be unreliable. It is not in line with the government regulations that emphasise the principal of coordinative and supportive communication.⁵⁷ Data and information management in handling IDPs should be integrated into the Emergency Response Management Command System.⁵⁸

Based on the regional level, the regulation of Regent Decree Number 290/2021 concerning the Determination of Recipients of Stimulant Funds for the Repair of Heavily Damaged Houses Due to Flash Floods and Landslides is also considered to be ineffective. Most IDPs complained about the inconsistency between what was announced by the government and what was distributed to them. In addition, the allocation system (by lottery) for the distribution of temporary and permanent housing for IDPs is also considered inaccurate, unfair, and unobjective.

5 Fulfilment of Basic Needs and Perception of Displaced Populations in Humanitarian Aid Distribution

5.1 Protection of Displaced Populations and Fulfilment of Basic Needs

During the evacuation, displaced populations have the right to receive protection in accordance with human rights and humanitarian law standards governing IDPs. One of the rights that displaced populations must obtain is fulfilling their basic needs.⁵⁹ Every individual who is affected by a catastrophic event has the right to receive assistance to meet their basic needs.⁶⁰ Furthermore, the assistance for basic needs intended for disaster-affected people is in the form of temporary housing, food assistance, clothing, and clean water and sanitation, and health services.⁶¹ Disaster emergency assistance is provided by considering the minimum standard of basic needs and prioritising vulnerable groups, such as older people, women, persons with disabilities and children.⁶²

Based on the research results on displaced populations, perceptions of protection and fulfilment of their basic needs during flash flood events in Luwu District, the researchers found that most of the disaster-affected community was quite satisfied. The disaster management that was carried out was very good. This perception was taken from the percentage of displaced populations already in permanent housing, where they had gone through the Golden Hour, and the emergency response, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. The qualification for permanent housing recipients were those who had experienced housing damages due to flash floods. When our team was collecting the data, the distribution was still in progress. The community was considered to have a sufficient understanding of the protection and fulfilment of the basic needs of displaced populations and was open to share about their experiences in receiving the aid (see Table 3). It should be noted that the total respondents were 32, including 5 pregnant and breastfeeding women, 4 people with disability and 3 senior citizens from the population. The table shows the response of all respondents.

Table 3 Perception of displaced populations on the fulfilment of basic needs

Protection and fulfilment of basic needs such as clean water, health services, clothing, food, and vulnerable groups were considered very good by the displaced populations. The practice is based on the mandate from the BNPB Regulation to provide basic needs as primary assistance in a disaster event.⁶³ Clean water was always available thanks to the Indonesian Red Cross and the state-owned enterprise ‘PDAM’ that provided water tanks at all evacuation points. Quality of health services during the evacuation were considered reasonable by the displaced populations. Many volunteers helped with the health services. The Indonesian Red Cross assisted by providing various medicines to help the community. According to the displaced populations, health workers served them well even though they had mild symptoms such as headaches.

Many volunteers came to the evacuation point to provide logistical assistance in the form of rice, fast food, and various clothes. Most displaced populations consider that the provision of clothing and shelter was good enough. However, some considered the realisation of the assistance poor, especially for evacuation locations that were very far away and difficult for volunteers to reach. Meanwhile, some people thought sanitation was inadequate because trash bins were not provided.

In general, the satisfaction in meeting the needs of vulnerable groups was deemed satisfactory. Children's necessities, such as diapers, warm clothing, blankets, and specialised food, were adequately provided for displaced populations. Pregnant and lactating women also reported their various needs being adequately met. Assistance for pregnant women came in the form of packages comprising milk, vitamins, clothing, masks, and food. Aid providers visited evacuation tents to meet pregnant and lactating mothers to ensure targeted assistance. Furthermore, special food assistance for the celebration of Eid al-Adha was also provided to this group as it coincided with the Muslim community's celebration. The support for older individuals was also noted as being fairly robust, with the head of the North Luwu area promptly providing canes for those in need.

Additionally, a majority of the requirements for persons with disabilities were addressed. Those with hearing impairments received hearing aids, and individuals with mobility challenges were supplied with wheelchairs courtesy of the North Luwu Regency government. Nonetheless, some of the displaced populations with disabilities and older individuals expressed that their needs were minimally met. Upon the arrival of volunteers at the evacuation site, able-bodied community members swiftly sought to meet their basic needs, inadvertently causing some difficulties for people with disabilities and older individuals in accessing the necessary support. In this phenomenon, community awareness to prioritise vulnerable groups is still low. The government should also take the action concerned regarding the challenge in order to actualise the regulations that provide the first assistance to these vulnerable groups.

5.2 Perception of Fulfilment of Basic Needs

The basic needs of the displaced populations from the North Luwu flash flood disaster was achieved according to the demands of the situation. The basic requirements for vulnerable groups have also fulfilled the priority elements. Some displaced populations considered that the coordination between the government and volunteers was ineffective due to the lack of information about the presence of disabled and older people at the evacuation points. Therefore, the volunteers were not aware of it. From this experience, it is evident that the communication procedure is not well implemented. The Emergency Disaster Command System (SKD) is a standardised protocol for handling disaster emergencies, utilised across all agencies and institutions. It involves the coordinated mobilisation of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communication channels within a unified organisational framework under a single command structure. This system is implemented by the BNPB/BPBD to effectively deploy resources from various agencies, institutions, businesses, and the community for an efficient response to disaster emergencies.

Assistance for displaced populations and disaster-affected people had been carried out in an open, accountable manner, involving various parties and without the propagation of a particular religion or belief. The perception elements of the community (see Table 4) are in accordance with the principles of the BNPB policy framework,⁶⁴ which consists of responsiveness and accuracy, priority, coordination and integration, efficiency, transparency and accountability, partnership, empowerment, non-discriminative, and no religious matters. As part of the research, our team explained to the respondents about each perception in detail to make sure they understood. The elements of ‘partnership’ or ‘coordination and integration’ were how the respondents saw the solidity of various stakeholders in handling aid distribution.

Table 4 Perceptions of protection and fulfilment of basic needs

The evaluation carried out by the community regarding the implementation of basic needs assistance practices in the aftermath of the flash flood event in North Luwu showcased a commendable level of responsiveness and accuracy. A substantial 53 per cent of the respondents expressed their utmost satisfaction with the assistance received, underscoring the effectiveness of the initiatives. The local government played a pivotal role in exhibiting responsiveness, ensuring that the community received timely and appropriate disaster aid, especially in addressing basic needs during the emergency response. According to the FGD result, the government, through agencies such as the BPBD and the Dinsos (Department of Social Affairs), has commenced active provision of humanitarian aid and logistics, as well as managing the evacuation of disaster victims (establishment of shelters/emergency tents). Thus, the efficiency of the local government's efforts was reflected in the high satisfaction rates reported by the surveyed individuals.

The community's perception reflects a positive assessment of the provision of assistance needs in the aftermath of the flash floods. With a combined percentage of 100 per cent (Very good: 35per cent and Good: 65per cent), the majority of the respondents view humanitarian aid positively, indicating a general satisfaction with the assistance provided. The aid efforts seem to have successfully targeted the priority elements outlined in the disaster response plan, aligning with the community's immediate needs. It reveals that the distribution reaches the vulnerable groups, such as pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as older people and those with disabilities.

The community expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by donors from diverse sectors through the elements of coordination and integration. The collaboration between the local government and external donors proved instrumental in aiding the survivors of the flash floods in Masamba and Baebunta. This collaborative approach not only highlighted the effectiveness of partnerships in disaster response but also showcased the collective commitment to supporting affected communities in times of crisis. For instance, the FGD result revealed that several NGOs and other humanitarian organisations were also actively participating, such as the PMI (Indonesian Red Cross) and the ACT, in providing logistics and clean water. Additionally, the Scouts Movement (Pramuka) and the Cakra community were involved in supplying logistics and psychosocial support. Overall, the combined efforts of the local government and external donors contributed significantly to meeting the immediate basic needs of the flash flood survivors and facilitating a more coordinated emergency response.

The analysis of the community perception regarding the distribution of humanitarian aid in response to the flash floods in Masamba and Baebunta reveals a generally positive outlook. A combined 85 per cent of the respondents rated the provision of assistance needs as either Very Good (22 per cent) or Good (63per cent), indicating a predominant satisfaction with the efficiency and effectiveness of the aid distribution. This positive perception suggests that the aid delivery process successfully met the immediate needs of the affected community, demonstrating a level of coordination and responsiveness. While a small percentage (16per cent) rated it as fair, further investigation is warranted to understand the specific concerns or areas for improvement highlighted by this group. On the whole, the survey underscores the overall success in achieving efficiency and effectiveness in the distribution of humanitarian aid in response to the flash floods.

The examination of community perception highlights a notable focus on transparency and accountability. While a majority of respondents (91 per cent) acknowledged that the provision of assistance needs met acceptable standards, there is room for improvement, with 9 per cent rating it as Very Good. The dominant perception of fairness (50 per cent) suggests that community members perceive the aid distribution process as transparent, and the providers are held accountable for their actions. The emphasis on fairness indicates that the community values open communication and responsible handling of resources. The survey results underscore the importance of continuous efforts to enhance transparency and accountability in humanitarian aid distribution, ensuring community trust and satisfaction in future disaster response initiatives.

A significant majority of respondents, comprising 87 per cent (16 per cent Very Good and 71 per cent Good), expressed satisfaction with the provision of assistance needs, emphasising the collaborative efforts and partnerships involved in the aid distribution process. This positive perception underscores the effectiveness of cooperation among various stakeholders. The high percentage of positive responses suggests that the community values and appreciates the synergistic approach taken during the distribution of humanitarian aid, reflecting a successful collaborative effort in addressing the needs arising from the flash floods.

The community's perception regarding the fulfilment of the basic needs of the flash flood affected in Masamba and Baebunta reveals a positive acknowledgment of the element of empowerment. A substantial 63 per cent of the respondents, comprising 13 per cent Very Good and 50 per cent Good, expressed satisfaction with the provision of assistance needs, indicating that the aid distribution process contributed to empowering the affected community. This positive perception suggests that the assistance provided not only addressed immediate needs but also empowered individuals and groups to actively participate in their recovery. While 38 per cent rated it as fair, further investigation is needed to understand specific nuances or areas where empowerment could be enhanced. Overall, the survey results highlight the importance of considering empowerment as a key aspect of humanitarian aid distribution and the potential for continuous improvement in fostering community resilience. In regard to this, the FGD respondents mentioned that the BLK (Training and Skills Centre) and the Department of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection had started organising various training sessions at evacuation centres, such as culinary training.

In terms of the element of non-discrimination, an overwhelming 88 per cent of the respondents, comprising 72 per cent Very Good and 16 per cent Good, expressed satisfaction with the provision of assistance needs, suggesting that the aid distribution process was perceived as fair and impartial. The minimal percentages of fair (9 per cent) and poor (3 per cent) ratings indicate a high degree of confidence in the equitable treatment of individuals or groups, irrespective of background or demographics. This overwhelmingly positive perception underscores the success of efforts to ensure non-discrimination in the distribution of humanitarian aid, reflecting a commitment to fairness and inclusivity in addressing the needs arising from the flash flood.

A significant 94 per cent of respondents, comprising 72 per cent Very Good and 22 per cent Good, expressed satisfaction with the provision of assistance needs, emphasising that the aid distribution process was perceived as impartial and devoid of religious considerations. The minimal fair rating of 6 per cent suggests that the majority of the community views the assistance as free from any religious biases, contributing to a sense of inclusivity and neutrality in addressing the needs arising from the flash flood. This overwhelmingly positive perception underscores the success of efforts to ensure that humanitarian aid is distributed in a manner that respects and upholds the principle of religious non-involvement.

6 Conclusion

Flash floods in Masamba and Baebunta sub-districts, North Luwu Regency, in mid-July 2020 caused fatalities, damaged basic infrastructure, disrupted ‘'residents’ economic and socio-economic activities, and destroyed their homes. Based on findings in the field and discussions with relevant stakeholders and residents affected by flash floods, the following conclusions and suggestions are made:

• a. The policy for handling humanitarian aid and logistics during a disaster crisis was considered comprehensive because floods frequently hit North Luwu Regency. Flash floods in July 2020 occurred due to hydrometeorological conditions.

• b. Policies and regulations related to disaster management are considered to be comprehensive. On the other hand, implementing disaster management still faces many challenges, such as the distribution system and logistics coordination due to limited accessibility to disaster-affected areas. The fulfilment of the basic needs of the IDPs was very good while they were in the evacuation camps but they began to face problems when they moved to temporary shelters, such as the random allocation system of temporary shelters for IDPs which was considered inaccurate, unfair, and unobjective. Lessons learned from handling the disaster in North Luwu included the following: efforts to deal with the crisis were carried out in a multi-stakeholder manner, involving, the regional government of North Luwu, other regional governments, volunteers, business institutions, non-governmental organisations, and social organisations. In addition, there was a distribution of assistance carried out privately but not integrated through the government, so some assistance to certain areas was late or was not received at all. This consequence arose because of the mechanism of distributing temporary housing randomly or by lottery, and therefore some affected residents who needed houses did not get them. On the other hand, residents who had built homes elsewhere received homes.

• c. Community affected by flash floods in North Luwu were quite satisfied with the government's performance in providing humanitarian and logistical assistance during and after the emergency response. Coordination between the government and other parties in handling the 2020 flash disaster was also considered good, so the evacuees felt many positive impacts. In addition, there was no discrimination in distinguishing one religion from another in the distribution or distribution of aid.