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Special Needs of Disabled People in Disaster Situation

cakfu — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 04:49:11 +0000

Disasters not only have an impact on persons with existing disabilities but may also create a new generation of disabled. Disabled people are recognised in humanitarian assistance as a vulnerable group, together with other vulnerable groups such as women, children, elderly people, and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH/A). Each vulnerable group may suffer specific disadvantages in coping with a disaster and may face physical, cultural, and social barrier in accessing the services and support to which they are entitled.

Further, these conditions bring about different characteristics which influence the ways assistance is rendered in a crisis situation. The characteristics of vulnerable groups are often based on their different and specific needs which relate to the context of the local culture, religion and geographical location. Therefore, special care must be taken to protect and provide for all vulnerable groups accordingly.

Specific vulnerabilities influence people’s ability to cope and survive in a disaster, and those most at risk should be identified in each context. Disabled people — both existing disabled survivors and newly disabled survivors — have dissimilar needs based on their level or kind of impairments. Nevertheless, they share the same problem of facing a much harder challenge than other survivors. World Health Organisation (WHO) identifies the consequences of a disaster on disabled people based on two categories of disabled people (an existing disabled people and newly acquired disabilities). The consequences can be listed as the following issues:

Survivors with existing disabilities:

* In comparison with other disabled peer, people with disabilities can be more at risk during the disaster.
* Many persons with disabilities lose their assistive devices during the disasters, including artificial limbs, crutches, hearing aids, and spectacles.
* People with disabilities can have greater difficulties in accessing basic needs including food, water, shelter, latrines and health care services.
* Rehabilitation infrastructures are destroyed and rehabilitation personnel, including caregivers of people with disabilities, may be killed or injured or diverted to other tasks.

Survivors with injuries or/and acquired disabilities:

* Untreated or inadequately treated fractures and infected wounds may lead to severe and long lasting disability.
* Referral of these survivors to appropriate heath facilities often becomes difficult.
* There is a scarcity of rehabilitation personnel and infrastructures to handle a new generation of persons with disabilities.
* Many survivors with newly acquired disabilities will struggle with the loss of their livelihood and other issues for them and their families.

An existing disabled person may suffer more during and after a disaster compared to other survivors. In some cases, people with existing disabilities often need more time than others to make necessary preparations in crisis situation. For example, in instances when people have to be evacuated from a particular city due to an earthquake, existing disabled people (the blind, the deaf, people with mobility problem, and the mentally handicapped) need to be assisted. Special equipments may be needed to help them during the evacuation.

During a disaster, existing disabled people may lose their assistive devices such as spectacles, hearing aids, crutches, wheelchairs, or artificial limbs. In addition, disasters may also destroy the rehabilitation buildings together with all the equipments; rehabilitation staff may be killed during the disasters. This situation causes existing disabled people to suffer more after the disaster because they do not normally get a new assistive device immediately. As a result, they cannot perform their normal tasks like what they can do before the disaster, and this may result in them not being able to access the aids given by humanitarian organisations.
Based on these conditions or facts, some of the needs of both existing disabled survivors and newly disabled survivors in the context of natural disasters are identified, as follows:

Existing disabled survivor:

Notification

Many traditional alarm methods are not accessible to or cannot be used by disabled people. Deaf and blind people are not able to access the alarm systems which are mostly audible and flashing lights. In natural disasters, media such as radio or television are used for communication, which is often not accessible to the disabled due to their already existing impairment. Therefore, existing disabled survivors need an accessible communication media which can notify them in emergency situations.

Evacuation

Existing disabled survivors face a much bigger challenge during an evacuation, especially depending on their level of disabilities. People with mobility impairment may not be able to use the usual means of transportation that they have, such as wheelchairs and crutches. Moreover, it may also not be possible for them to use public transport because during these times, they are usually crowded or the transportation systems may not be working.

Sheltering

When disasters occur, people are often provided with refuge in temporary shelters. Some may be located in schools, office buildings, tents, or other areas. Historically, great attention has been paid to ensuring that those shelters are well stocked with basic necessities such as food, water, and blankets. But many of these shelters have not been accessible to people with disabilities. Individuals using a wheelchair or scooter have often been able somehow to get to the shelter, only to find that there is no accessible entrance, toilet, or shelter area.

Access of food and medical care

Most aid management systems are set up for normal survivors. Medical care is often given in places like medical centres where the refugees are required to visit or go to. It will be a problem for existing disabled survivors who live in refugee camps to have to go to a faraway medical centre and to stay in a queue together with other refugees.
In distributing aids, especially water and food, humanitarian organisations usually only drop the aids in a place. Existing disabled people will face the problem of getting such aids because they have to struggle with other survivors. Sometimes it is difficult to persuade people to be tolerant in receiving aids, and most of the time, they end up fighting with one other to get the aids. In that way, existing survivors are not able to get the aids in equal proportion to other survivors. Therefore, they become second in line in receiving aids and often have to depend on help from their relatives.

Relocation

After staying in refugee camps for a while, most people are willing to return to their former residences. Sometimes, the government and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) rebuild houses and infrastructures which are not disabled-friendly. Needs of the disabled are still not being taken into account by policy makers, and this results in policies which do not have a disability perspective.

Newly disabled survivors

Specific Medical Care

Newly disabled survivors need specific medical care and follow-up after medical treatment. Some disabled survivors may need medical treatment due to injuries on some other parts of their body such as eyes or ears after an amputation. In refugee camps where the environment is not clean and where there is the problem of poor sanitation, the circumstances often make health conditions of the newly disabled survivors worse.

Assistive Devices

Newly disabled survivors need assistive devices in order to help them perform their daily activities. Different assistive devices such as wheelchairs, prostheses, crutches, hearing aids, glasses, etc are needed by newly disabled survivors accordingly, depending on their level of disabilities. The problem is that in an emergency situation, these assistive devices are not readily available, so some of the newly disabled survivors do not receive them immediately. Sometimes, even if they are available, the quality is often very poor, so they cannot be used for long by the newly disabled survivors. For example, prostheses which are available in Aceh do not meet international standards.

Special Assistance

After receiving medical treatment and assistive devices, newly disabled survivors still require further regular and special assistance. Such assistance is needed to help these newly disabled survivors cope with their new condition of being disabled. Physical therapies and physical assistance may be needed to make newly disabled survivors get used to using assistive devices like walking aids, wheelchairs and others.
Newly disabled survivors may also need psychological counselling in order to assist them to fully accept their new condition. Most newly disabled survivors reject their condition the first time they realise that their physical condition will be changed. Trauma, frustration, and feeling disadvantaged or valueless mar their psychological condition. Therefore, they need friends to share their feelings with.

Access to public facilities and aid distribution

Due to their disabilities newly disabled survivors are not able to participate fully in social activities. This is because most public facilities in refugee camps are built for normal people. Consequently, there are no public facilities which can be accessible to newly disabled survivors. Newly disabled survivors are mostly not willing to get out from their houses or tents because they know that they will face a much harder problem outside.
Newly disabled survivors have the same rights as other survivors in receiving food, water, and other aids. However, in practice, aids are often distributed collectively at the same time, and not person by person. As a result, aids are not distributed equally among refugees, and disabled people are often neglected and do not get sufficient aids compared to other people.

Preparing for development

Development is a phase when reconstruction of the physical and social aspects of a disaster area is completed and when the people start to lead a normal life. Although, the border line between development and reconstructions are very slightly, but the programs seems to be different. After the disaster, some people may lose their properties and source of income. However, newly disabled survivors may not only lose their properties and families, but obviously they also lose a part of their bodily function which is considered the main human capital for income generation. In a developing country like Indonesia, where social security is not available, disabled survivors face a much bigger challenge when they lose their source of income. Some newly disabled survivors may be discharged from their company due to their disability or because they are considered by a company as being less productive. Therefore, newly disabled survivors need an alternative source of income after the reconstruction phase to ensure their future.

These are ten basic needs of disabled people (existing disabled survivors and newly disabled survivors) which should be fulfilled during an emergency situation after a disaster.

Disabled People and Comprehensive Security

cakfu — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 04:47:45 +0000

The needs of disabled survivors can be analysed using the six dimensions of comprehensive security. to show that there is indeed a lack of these security elements in their lives. Comprehensive security is defined as the absence of threats against the physical and functional well-being and their form of political and social organisation.
The first dimension is political security which can be defined, in terms of disability, as a position of disabled people in the state. This comes from the idea that a disabled person is personally a member of the state who has the same rights as other citizens. Citizenship, with equal participation in a national community, is one means of achieving social and political integration, either through the general acceptance of common values or through the negotiation of divisive inequalities. Therefore, the absence of needs of disabled people in Aceh after the Tsunami can be seen as a failure of the state to fulfil its responsibilities to disabled people. In addition, it is assumed that the government does not carry out the needs of disabled people in Aceh because disabled survivors are powerless and lack bargaining position at the political level.

The issue of equal rights of disabled people emerged in Indonesia when many independent organisations were established by disabled people during the 1990’s, and further these organisations stimulated the disability movement in Indonesia. The disability movement has urged the government to establish regulations which ensure disabled people’s rights in every sector of their life. In 1997, the Indonesian government established the Public Act No. 4 (1997) on Person with Disabilities which covered the rights of persons with disabilities in all aspects of livelihood, including education, training and job opportunities. However, this regulation does not cover special needs of disabled people in disaster situations.

The second dimension is social security, defined as sustainability, within acceptable conditions for evolution, of traditional pattern of language, culture, religious, national identity and custom. In addition, the concept of social security is linked to the economic security concept in terms of the effect of disability to the survivors. The situation in which public facilities are not readily available in refugee camps has prevented disabled survivors to participate in the social activities. The Sphere Project defined that response programs and projects should be designed to close the gap between existing living conditions and the Sphere Minimum Standard. Social security can be also defined as ensuring the future of disabled survivors. Disabled survivors may lose their main income as farmers, fishermen, company employees, etc. Moreover, the situation in Indonesia is worse in terms of social security system where the government does not have a social insurance to its citizens.

Basically the Indonesian government has a legal constitution on social security which is stipulated in article 34 of Undang-Undang Dasar1945 which states that “The poor and destitute children shall be taken care of by the State”. However, the government does not have a sufficient social security system in place. The state social security is provided only for those who have regular wage such as government officers, military officers, and company employees. Pension is provided for government officers and Jamsostek (Social Security for the employee) is only provided for private or company employee.

This condition becomes worse by existing social discriminatory attitudes towards disabled people. This social discrimination is based on the perception that disability is the result of a curse. This becomes a main barrier for disabled people to move forward in terms of social participation. Most Indonesians, especially those in the rural areas, have a negative perception of disabled people. There are some myths and stereotypes which stigmatised the disabled people and see them as valueless and less capable. Furthermore, the stigma affects social perception and social behaviour towards disabled people in the way that disabled people are refused as employees. Consequently, the majority of disabled people in Indonesia are living in poverty.

The third dimension of Comprehensive Security is environmental security. With regard to disabled people in disaster situations, environmental security is explained by two perceptions about environment. Many cases of disability are caused by natural disasters (flood, earthquake, volcano, etc) which prove that natural environment has contributed in increasing the number of disabled people. On the other hand, environment can also be understood as physical infrastructures which usually become the great barrier of disabled people to participate fully in social activities.

The later perception about environmental security developed to be the main issue in disability. This is related to the rights of disabled people to have an equal opportunity in all aspects of social life. In addition, participation and an equal opportunity which are less possessed by disabled people mainly caused by unfriendly physical infrastructures. However, so far this issue remain to be the main problem for disabled people both in the natural disaster situations and the normal situations.

The condition of physical infrastructures in the disaster situations is worse compare to the condition in the normal situations due to the lack of disability awareness among the humanitarian organisations. In refugee camps where non-permanent physical infrastructures are built without disability perspective, disabled people face a big challenge in their daily life. Therefore, it should be planed when humanitarian organisations build non-permanent public facilities in refugee camps to ensure that persons with mobility, hearing, visual, and cognitive disabilities are ensured have ability to use the space independently.

The forth dimension is food security. In the context of the pilot project, food security is defined as equal access of food including water and other basic needs. Food is certainly a basic need of human beings to survive and to ensure a healthy life. It is also stated that having enough and adequate food is considered to be the rights of everybody. In a disaster situation, delivering aids, especially food, poses a problem. Food cannot be delivered directly to the survivors due to roads and infrastructures having been destroyed. As the result, food is dropped from the air by helicopters so that the survivors can be helped sooner. On the other hand, the way of delivering food by dropping them from the air is certainly disadvantageous to vulnerable groups such as women, children, elderly people, and disabled people.

On another note, in humanitarian intervention situations, the lack of access to food is caused also by failed distribution systems. Delivery of food often develops into a problem due to insufficiency of infrastructures such as access of roads and also the lack of facilities to deliver the food to disaster areas.

Among vulnerable groups, disabled people is the group which face the most challenge in accessing food during the intervention phase due to their physical handicap. Additionally, in practice, disabled people are less taken into account by the humanitarian workers in the intervention process. This condition has caused disabled people in disaster areas to suffer more, not only from their physical conditions, but also from the fact that special treatment for disabled people are less likely to be included in humanitarian programmes.

The fifth dimension of comprehensive security is health security. Health security is closely related to the issue of disabled survivors. Most of disabilities or impairment in disaster situations is caused by infected injuries during the disaster. The health conditions in disaster areas are usually not well managed. Sanitations, shelters, and the environment surrounding refugee camps are often not clean. Therefore, the last dimension of comprehensive security, environmental security, should be integrated with the concept of health security in order to prevent further negative effects on the health of disabled survivors.

The last dimension of comprehensive security is economic security. Poverty is both a cause and consequence of disability. Poverty and disability reinforce each other, contributing to increased vulnerability and exclusion. The definition of vulnerability in the World Development Program 2000/2001 defines that Vulnerability is a constant companion of material and human deprivation, given the circumstances of the poor and the near-poor . Refers to that definition, Disabled people are the most vulnerable group of the economic security especially in the developing countries. They do not have such economic assets which proposed by World Bank as the causes of poverty, human assets, natural assets, physical asset, financial asset, and social assets are not performed by the disabled people. Most of them are unskilled and uneducated.

World Health Organization estimated ten percent of total population in Indonesia is disabled people. Most of them are living in poverty due to lack of access to the economic activities. The reason of disabled people living in poverty can be determine from two perspectives. Socially, disabled people are stigmatized for having low capability and capacity. This stigma influences to the social attitude that the society is reluctant to accept disabled person to be an employee. Consequently, most of disabled people are unemployed and lack of income. Politically, disabled people are a group with sense of voiceless and powerless in the society. Disabled people are not actively involved in the decision making process even the policy is linked to their own problem. As the result, the policy which is set up to solve the disabled people problems is not effectively working in the operational level.
Economic security for disabled people is not simply just by providing a social insurance in terms giving some money every month. Encouraging them to be self-sufficient and reducing the discrimination against them are the best way to bring them out from the poverty. In addition, empowerment is also needed in terms of enhancing the capacity of them to influence the state institution that affects their life by strengthening their participation in political process and local decision making process.

In brief, it can be said that according to the six dimensions of Comprehensive Security the needs of disabled people especially in delivering aids and services are less taken into account by humanitarian organisations. This situation seems to be a complex matter where each dimension of comprehensive security interlinked with others. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis which involves all aspects social and managerial organisation should be applied to overcome the problems faced by disabled people in humanitarian situations.

Framework Analysis of Comprehensive Security

cakfu — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 04:44:23 +0000

There are two approaches used in the analytical framework of Comprehensive Security, based on the strategic interaction among the actors – the Normative Approach and the Subjective Approach . The Normative (Top-Down) point of view is based on the ideal of achieving universal values like human rights, freedom from fear and freedom from wants. The problem here is that sometimes the universal values such as human rights, civil society, etc are not applicable to every culture. Taking an example from human security using the normative point of view, the value of human rights which is based on Western culture focuses more on respect for the individual freedom, while in Eastern culture, collectivity is taken to be the main value in the most social activities. Thus, cultural respect should be taken into account in applying the normative model of comprehensive security.
The second approach is the subjective (bottom-up) point of view that is established on the objective condition of society. This model defines that comprehensive security as the main goal can only be reached if the basic needs of society are fulfilled. This concept generates a question: in what ways can the basic needs (human security) of society be fulfilled when the state security is absent, since state security such as stability of the state is required to ensure human security.
Comprehensive Security comprises two inter-related components: five core concepts and six core dimensions. These components help in analysing complex situations of comprehensive security. This framework analyses the disaster situation in two ways – by looking at the diagnostic problem and the intervention problem. In both cases, it has to be clarified as to who or what exactly is affected by the disaster or the intervention at a particular moment. Further, the framework elaborates five core concepts (actor, goals, resources, interactions, and institutions) with six dimensions of comprehensive security (political security, economic security, environmental security, heath security, food security, and social security) to answer these questions.

Five concept of Comprehensive Security
Actor
It is necessary to analyse the different kinds of actors who are involved in the intervention process of disasters. Identification of the different actors is important because each of them can have different goals and resources. Related to this pilot project, it can be outlined that disabled survivors can be considered as the natural actor, while NGOs, IGOs and the state or local government are the corporate actors who may have different goals in their programmes. Additionally, the third actor can be a multinational corporation that is supplier of the humanitarian organisation. This third actor can be a company that produces and provides materials or equipments which are needed by humanitarian organisations in conducting their programmes.

Goals
Analysing goals is also very important because goals generate drive the actions of each actor in a certain situation. In addition, achieving comprehensive security is considered to be the highest goal in the framework. Measurement of a goal is also vital to understand a complex situation. It is obvious that each actor has a different goal that may lead to a complex situation. Most humanitarian organisations set their goals from a Top-Down perspective. Consequently, problems will emerge due to the measurable indicators being drawn up according to the biases of policy makers, and they often do not meet the real needs of beneficiaries in the field.

Resources
The December, 26 Tsunami has taken away almost all sources of life of the Aceh people. They lost all their properties such as houses, farmlands, etc. Even worse, disabled survivors not only lost their properties but also a part of their body which can be considered as a main economic resource. This condition has put disabled survivors in the lowest position among the actors in responding to the Tsunami in Aceh. Resources can be seen as means for the realisation of (lost) physical and social well-being and, ultimately, comprehensive security. The interaction among involved actors in Aceh seems to be imbalance because humanitarian organisations and multinational actors have control over most of the resources e.g. aids and money.
Nowadays, many humanitarian actors adopt a profit-oriented attitude (like a multinational organisation) in their project management. Consequently, the humanitarian organisations always deal with ideas of efficiency and effectiveness. Taking care of disabled survivors, to some organisation, can mean that they have to put an additional budget and efforts in the project. Therefore, it becomes the reason that not so many humanitarian organisations are willing to take into consideration the needs of the disabled survivors in disaster situations.
Establishing an interaction system among involved actors in responding to a disaster is needed because each has interest to exchange the resources. A good interaction system can lead to an optimal outcome in reconstructing the affected disaster area. Interaction can also lead to conflicts among the actors because there is miscommunication resulting from different cultures where the actors come from. Cultural understanding is very important to maintain the interaction among involved actors.

Institution
Institutions can be defined as system of rules. In the comprehensive security framework proposed by Herman and Wittek, institutions can be distinguished as four classes in general: markets, primordial social orders, the state, and the organisation. Therefore, the interaction among the institutions in the context of a disaster is multi-functional where each can substitute the other in terms of achieving comprehensive security. In the context of responding to Tsunami in Aceh, the local resources e.g. local customs, cannot be neglected because it may be useful in achieving general outcomes. In the case of Mr. Zaini where the humanitarian organisations are falling to take into consideration disabled survivors’ needs, the local social institution e.g. family or relative can substitute this problem by helping the disabled survivors to get their basic needs. However, the disabled survivors cannot achieve their maximal needs due to their dependence on the help of the family and relatives.

Six Dimensions of Comprehensive Security
Definition of each component of the six dimensions of comprehensive security will be explained here to help in the analysis of the problems.
Political Security concerns the organisational stability of states, system of government and ideologies that give them legitimacy. Political security can also be understood as the relationship between the state and its citizens. Further, the state is responsible to provide security for its citizens in terms of safety and social welfare. The politics of disability arises as the sociological approach was used to analyse the issue of disability. This approach brings two dimensions of politics: disabled people’s relationship to ‘conventional’ political institution and processes, and the emergence of a ‘politics of disability’. The first dimension explains the role of formal institutions of the state in exercising varying degrees of power on interpreting laws and regulations which affect aspects of a disabled people’s life. In contrast, the politics of disability concentrates on social position of disabled people and their power as citizen of the state. Therefore, political security for the disabled people can be understood as having equal access to social and political activities.
Economic Security concerns access to the resources, finance, and markets necessary to sustain acceptable levels of welfare and state power. Economic security is the main focus in the disability issue because most disabled people in developing countries are living in poverty. This condition is mostly caused by the lack of access to employment as industrial societies tend to look at disabled people as an ineffective and inefficient group. In Indonesia, disabled people are commonly put in the lowest positions in workplaces with a very limited salary or are even jobless in many instances. The economic position of disabled people is always caused by their physical status of being disabled.
Social security concerns the sustainability, within acceptable conditions for evolution, of traditional pattern of language, culture and religious and national identity and custom. Social security of disabled people can be seen in two positions; position as members of society which is related to social welfare provided by the state, and position of disabled people in social interactions with other members of society.
Environmental Security concerns the maintenance of the local and planetary biosphere as the essential support system on which all other human enterprises depend. Disability related to environmental security can be explained in the way that some disabilities are caused indirectly by damages to the environment.
Food security is an access by all people at all times to enough food for an active and healthy life. Disabled people are the most vulnerable group both in crisis and normal situations. Access to food is the main problem of disabled people in crisis situation where food is normally distributed in the standard ways which are not easily accessible to disabled people. In addition, under normal circumstances, most disabled people are also not able to access food directly. Most of them depend on other family members and relatives to help.
Health Security is defined as incorporating clean water supply, sanitation, food, nutrition, shelter, site planning, and health services. Disability is very closely related to health security in that improper conditions of health are suspected to be causes of disability. The traditional view of disability always refers to diseases as causes of disability. In addition, the medical model is still often used to analyse and solve the disability problem.

Comprehensive Security

cakfu — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 04:41:55 +0000

The concept of comprehensive security has changed with developments in the international situation. The global market issue and issue of universality (Human Rights, Gender, Civil Society, etc) have influenced the awareness of the people around the world concerning individual freedom. The debate of security emerged in the 17th century when it defined that the state had the rights to protect its citizenship. Traditionally, the notion of security is described as the state’s ability to counter external threats, and this is documented in Chapter VII of the UN Charter 1945. In the classical formulation, security is about how states use force to manage threats to their territorial integrity, their autonomy, and their domestic political order, primarily from other states. Therefore, a critic would take issue with this classical definition that the notion of security is unilateralist which is restricted to the military threat from the rival state. The other criticism is that the meaning of security in the classical formulation implicitly points to the protection and the welfare of the state. With this, the question arises as to how the state welfare can be reached when the welfare and the protection of individuals or citizens are not ensured.

Today, the global information and market flows rapidly through the every corner of the world. The political clash in a small village in Africa can be seen by people around the world at the same time that they can see children in Papua enjoying McDonalds and Coca-Cola. Nowadays, people are interconnected and are interdependent of one other, which means that the state is not able to stand alone without the support of other states. The issue of globalisation which emerged in the 1990s has shifted the international situation economically and politically, and is making the world one which is without border. On one hand, this situation has opened up opportunities for people to be free but on other hand, it also leads to political instabilities of the states throughout the world. Therefore, the world situation is made more complex with more conflicts which affects the developing and developed countries.
In the beginning of the 1990s, the paradigm of security has shifted from the absence of physical threats to territorial and functional integrity to the empowering of individuals. This circumstance is not only a result of the notion of universality but also by the fact that in some situations, the state fails to be the protector of its citizens. Moreover, the state can be a source of insecurity for the people. The military operation in Aceh province during the Suharto era can be an example where people felt insecure. In this case, the idea of security should be discussed in the terms of its objective of protecting the individual. Therefore, this is why the idea of security now must be focused on the human as an object.
Furthermore, the sources of insecurity are not dominated by state as an institution, unlike in traditional formulation of security, but the concept of security itself nowadays is going broader in terms of types and sources. In addition, threat in the security term should be considered not only physical but also non-physical. Therefore, threats to territorial integrity and political order must be reckoned not just from other states but also from various non-state actors and even natural catastrophes. This much more expanded notion of security, which broadens the instruments and sources of threat, may be called comprehensive security.

Definition of Disability

cakfu — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 04:40:36 +0000

In order to give a clear understanding on this pilot project, the definition of disabled people will be discussed first. There is dissimilarity among scientists in the definition of disability. This dissimilarity causes differences in defining the data of disabled people which are published by institutions. For instance, data from medical institutions often refer to the medical term while social institutions use a broader definition which includes the social condition of the disabled person such as ability to perform normally in a society. Lexically, disability is defined as: 1) a physical or mental condition which means that you cannot use a part of your body completely or easily. 2) The state of not being able to use a part of your body completely or easily; the state of not being able to learn easily. Further, Oxford dictionary specifies the definition of disability in terms of the causes of being disabled. Disabled is defined as ‘unable to use a part of the body completely or easily because of a physical condition, illness, injury, etcetera; unable to learn easily, mentally disabled’. These definitions are normally used in common conversations when people refer to the definition of disability or disabled people.
Scientists have also given a social definition on disability. Handicap is a state of disadvantage for a given individual resulting from an impairment or disability that limits or prevents the fulfilment of a role that is normal (depending on age, sex, and social as well as cultural factors). In this definition, handicap is related to the cultural condition of the given person, which describes his social and also economic roles in the society compared to other members. Further, the status of the disabled is linked to the interaction of the persons with specific circumstances and culture. Someone who is considered a handicap in a certain society may not be considered as one in another society.

Impairment is defined as any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structural or function. In addition, impairments are disturbances at the level of the organ which includes defects in or loss of a limb, organ or body structure as well as defects in or loss of mental function, for example, blindness, deafness, loss of sight, paralysis of the limb, and amputation of a limb, mental retardation, and autism.
However, it is still widely debated among social scientists to distinguish who should be called a disabled person. Some sociologists have a definition on disability which is based on medical terms, while others prefer to use social terms on disability. Medical terms are related to physical impairment of the person which is normally caused by sickness. A person who is recognized as being disabled is basically one who is unable to help himself or herself practically (lame, crippled, amputated) or is constrained in his or her activities by one or another disabling condition (blindness, deformity, epilepsy or others).
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation’s definition of disability is based on the model of the International Classification of Diseases which defines disability as any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function. Disability has been defined as biological or physical impairment that limits major life activities like walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and performing manual tasks. Thus, disability in medical term is an impairment which is understood as any restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being. Whichever definition one takes, the fact is that disabled people are different compared to other vulnerable groups. Disabled people have special needs based on their disabilities. It must be taken into consideration that every disabled person may face different challenges based on the level of his impairment. Different conditions of disabilities produce different types of functional impairment. In addition, people with the same disabilities may differ significantly in the extent of their difficulties. For instance, the level of difficulty for a deaf person may differ from that of a blind person although both of them can be identified as having a disability. These dissimilarities result in the variety of needs of disabled people.

Globalization and Cultural Dialog

cakfu — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 05:02:17 +0000

The collapse of WTC in New York could be seen by every people in the world. Children in remote area of Indonesia could see the kissing of Madona and Britney Spears. That is globalization. Globalization is not only an issue but also a reality that cannot be ignored by every body. Like virus, globalization spread easily and speedily trough every part of the world. It is difficult to answer when actually globalization was started. In reality, globalization has influenced – sometimes has changed – culture and also tradition in society. Some societies do not take granted the globalization, but they tray to negotiate with globalization.

Basically, globalization is not a recent phenomenon. It has happened since Western people went to Asia and Africa. Western people have brought several parts of their culture to non-Western through military forces in the past, but now information technology has played a main role in this part. As if there is no border between West and non- West; everything is similar. Today people both in the East and in the West experience the same thing. Mc. Donald, Coca Cola can be enjoyed in the East and also in West at the same time. Moreover, mass media such as television, radio, news paper, and internet have supported globalization to be main actor in society.

As global phenomenon, globalization has not only given advantages to global development but also has brought negative effects especially to cultural heritage. We believe that every country has an own tradition or culture that is inherited from their ancestor.

Today there is an interesting phenomenon in Indonesia. That is related to the music. This country has about five hundred tribes and each has own culture including music. Traditional music has an important role in every tribe. It is not only used as entertainment but also used as ritual part in traditional ceremony. In some ethnics traditional music is adhered to mystical belief that is played to worship on God. In addition to become traditional art, traditional music becomes special part for tribe members.

The Javanese, one of tribes in Indonesia, has a traditional music is called Karawitan. Karawitan music is arranged by special Javanese music instruments such as gong, gambang, and kendang. Also, this music has pakem; it is a certain melody or music arrangement that couldn’t be changed. This music is usually performed by old people. Only a few young people like the music. In the end of 1990s, karawitan music was almost disappearing. It was difficult to find the cassette and CD in music shop.

Some Javanese musicians were trying to keep Karawitan up by combining with pop music. Pop music was popular for young people since 1960s. Pop music has become an identity of young people. Moreover when Western pop music dominated the music market in Indonesia through radio and television, it has almost displaced the original music such as karawitan. On the other hand karawitan is regarded as ethnical identity of Javanese people. That means the existence of karawitan should be defended. Therefore, Javanese musicians have created a new music arrangement combining between karawitan and pop music that is named Campursari.

Combining between traditional music and pop music is not easy. There is a strong discussion among Javanese musicians. Pro- Campursari argues combination between pop and karawitan is needed to perpetuate the traditional music. By combining music, pro- Campursari believes that traditional music like karawitan will able to be loved by every people. On the other side, anti-Campursari sees destroying tradition has occurred in Campursari music. Karawitan, according to anti-Campursari, has special value in the society. This music is put on the high position as a part of original Javanese culture. People do not be allowed to reduce or add something from the music. Furthermore, anti-Campursari argues if Karawitan music is changed, the music will lose a spiritual value that every Javanese people believe in it. In fact, nowadays Campursari music has become a popular music in Java. Every people even children like the music and also every radio and television station has a special program for Campursari.

In this case, we can see there is a dialogical process between original culture and global culture. One of the effect of globalization is we cannot stop the increasing mobility of good, services, technology, capital and also culture throughout the world. Sometimes we are forced to accept the globalization as a part of our life. Globalization has created an interdependence community not only in the market world but also in the global culture community. As an object of market, music with all its equipments are produced and sold with purpose to get economic benefits. For this reason, music producer forces the people in order to use the music as a part of their life.

Campursari music is an effort to transform the global culture into local culture. Campursari music has translated the global music into local context by taking in part.
When one takes a closer look at the meanings and uses given the specific imported goods within specific ‘local context’ or ‘realities’, one often finds that the goods has been transformed, at least in part, in accordance with the values of the receiving culture (Howes,1996).

We cannot look at the globalization as black or white. Globalization is a necessity that we cannot avoid it. It is an effect of global development and global trade. Goods, services, capital, technology, and culture increase their mobility around in the world. People in all of parts on the world can enjoy the same entertainment and food or drink at the same time. We accept the reality that global development in the West especially in the technology has brought some advantages for the people in the East. Information technology such as television, radio, internet etcetera has made a balance between The West and the East. But we cannot deny that globalization has negative effects culturally to the people in the East.

Cultural values such as hospitality, gotong royong (support each other), respectful, and other original cultures that is lauded in the East has been changed by globalization. Some original cultures such as original religion in the East have disappeared. Therefore, the cultural dialog is a better way to absorb globalization effect. Taking a positive part of globalization and still keep the original values from the local contex.

This artcle was written in 2004

I am a Difable Person not a Disabled Person

cakfu — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 19:27:29 +0000

Normally persons who have a different physical or mental condition are called as a disabled person. It is not clear the root of the term of disabled people is created. But in the reality disabled people seems to be the right word to describe the condition of persons who have – according to common people- difficulties to perform their daily life. The common people have a negative perception toward disabled people that they are unable to perform their daily activities without help of other persons. In addition, disabled persons are also regarded neither as ineffective nor inefficient individuals. Therefore, it can be assumed that this negative perception perhaps becomes the reason where the term of disability comes from.

I think that the definition of disability basically is not fit with what disabled people experiencing in their life. There is dissimilarity among scientists in the definition of disability. Therefore, this dissimilarity causes differences in defining the data of disabled people which are published by institutions. For instance, data from medical institutions often refer to the medical term while social institutions use a broader definition which includes the social condition of the disabled person such as ability to perform normally in a society. Lexically, disability is defined as: 1) a physical or mental condition which means that you cannot use a part of your body completely or easily. 2) The state of not being able to use a part of your body completely or easily; the state of not being able to learn easily. Further, Oxford dictionary specifies the definition of disability in terms of the causes of being disabled. Disabled is defined as ‘unable to use a part of the body completely or easily because of a physical condition, illness, injury, etcetera; unable to learn easily, mentally disabled’. These definitions are normally used in common conversations when people refer to the definition of disability or disabled people.

Scientists have also given a social definition on disability. Handicap is a state of disadvantage for a given individual resulting from an impairment or disability that limits or prevents the fulfilment of a role that is normal (depending on age, sex, and social as well as cultural factors). In this definition, handicap is related to the cultural condition of the given person, which describes his social and also economic roles in the society compared to other members. Further, the status of the disabled is linked to the interaction of the persons with specific circumstances and culture. Someone who is considered a handicap in a certain society may not be considered as one in another society.

Impairment is defined as any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structural or function. In addition, impairments are disturbances at the level of the organ which includes defects in or loss of a limb, organ or body structure as well as defects in or loss of mental function, for example, blindness, deafness, loss of sight, paralysis of the limb, and amputation of a limb, mental retardation, and autism.

However, it is still widely debated among social scientists to distinguish who should be called a disabled person. Some sociologists have a definition on disability which is based on medical terms, while others prefer to use social terms on disability. Medical terms are related to physical impairment of the person which is normally caused by sickness. A person who is recognized as being disabled is basically one who is unable to help himself or herself practically (lame, crippled, amputated) or is constrained in his or her activities by one or another disabling condition (blindness, deformity, epilepsy or others).

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation’s definition of disability is based on the model of the International Classification of Diseases which defines disability as any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function. Disability has been defined as biological or physical impairment that limits major life activities like walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and performing manual tasks. Thus, disability in medical term is an impairment which is understood as any restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being. Whichever definition one takes, the fact is that disabled people are having a negative image and also a negative treatment from the society.

Based on the definition of disability which is not representing the fact of disabled people above, Indonesian disabled movement activists in 1998, created a new definition which is expected to be an appropriate definition to represent the real life of disabled people. DIFABLE is an acronym from Different Abled People or People with Different Abilities. This definition is believed as an appropriate definition to describe person who has a different physical and mental condition by reason that every human being own an ability to perform everything in a different way from others. This new understanding on seeing disability has deconstructed the definition of disabled people itself. People change their perception that basically no body is disabled, every body is able because the God has given a talent to every body in order to survive in their complicated life.

An example, I am as a disabled person can perform driving car and cooking food. Obviously the way I am driving and cooking are different from other normal people, but output of these activities are not quite different from other people have done. So, I fully believe that NO BODY DISABLED, we are just different from others. Different in performing and enjoying our life. Never look at our physical and mental condition as a tragedy but look at our body and what the God has given to us as a blessing from Him. Because however we feel and we do, life always goes on and today always change become yesterday. I am not Disabled Person, but I am a difable person because I still can do what you do even the way to do it is different.

Disability – From Individual to Social Model

cakfu — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 19:25:37 +0000

Traditionally, disability is viewed as a medical problem rather than a social problem and therefore, medical treatments are perceived as the best way to solve the problems of disability. This view focuses on bodily abnormality, disorder or deficiency, and the way in which this in turn causes some degree of disability or functional limitations. In this medical model, disability is seen as a contrast to the notion of normalcy, a state that an average human being should be in. In addition, this model also places people with impairment in a dependent position. Furthermore, disabled people are even assumed not to be able to make decisions by themselves.

This perception results in the social attitude and behaviour that put disabled people as objects of pity. Even worse, disabled people are expected to make extra efforts in terms of individual adjustment and coping strategy in order to make the best of their circumstances. Disabled people have to deal with such personal experiences which are related to their personal emotions and psychological well-being. These personal experiences can be compared to the five stages of personal adjustment that people with severe spinal injury has to go through. The first reaction is shock and horror, this is then followed by denial or despair that any recovery is possible, and then leading to anger at others, and finally to depression as a necessary preliminary to coming to terms with their diminished circumstances. Finally, the central trust of the individual model is to cast disability as a personal tragedy where the individual concerned must depend on others for support: Hence, the assumption of disability in health term is pathology and in welfare term is a social problem.

Since the 1970s, the paradigm of disability has changed into that propagated by the social model, where disabled activists and their organisations criticise the individual and medical model of disability. The social model approach concentrates on a set of causes established externally: that is, as obstacles imposed on disabled people who limit their opportunities to participate in society. The social model focuses on the experience of disability, but not as something which exist purely at the level of individual psychology, or even interpersonal relation.

Turner and Layder illustrated three potential applications of different sociological approaches to the study of disability and impairment. The first level is exploring the experience of disability at the micro level, with particular reference to the attitudes and feelings of the individual with impairment. The second level is to pay attention to social roles and norms. The main institution of social controls are classifying and regulating the social construction of disability which is related to stigma and stereotype. The third level encompasses the study of the overall social systems including system of health, education, and social welfare for disabled people, how these link to the state, economy, and social policy. Thus, disability can not be seen simply as social problem but it involves an interdisciplinary approach which influences to the others.

Social scientists believe that disability is constructed by the society. Tom Shakespeare argues that disability has been conceived as an outcome of social processes or as a constructed or created category. Furthermore, the notion of disability has been imposed by social power into a social culture in which such negative stereotypes and stigmas are attributed to someone who is categorised as disabled person. Disability is always linked to inferiority, shamans, and other negative statuses. This negative cultural perception has influenced to social attitude and behaviour of society towards disabled people. Disability is something imposed on top of our impairments by the way we are unnecessarily isolated and excluded from full participation in society. Disabled people are therefore an oppressed group in society. As a result, disabled people are excluded from the social activities even in their family.

The social exclusion towards disabled people widely occurs in all aspect of social life such as education, health care, employment, political participation, and public facilities e.g. public transports and public buildings. In education system, disabled people are always considered as having low intellectual capability and therefore they are separated from the normal schools. Moreover, disabled people are politically powerless and voiceless. As a result, this condition has affected to social policies which made by government and social institutions do not have a sensitivity of disability perspective.

Finally, social model of disability is aimed to promote a social inclusion life of disabled people. It ensures the respect and dignity of individuals with disabilities. It does not pry into medical histories or diagnoses, and it guards against the casual exchange of privileged information. It speaks and listens to the individual with a disability. Furthermore, inclusion society should respect to an equal opportunity for disabled people to participate in social activities as well as in a social services. The inclusion society does not discriminate a minority group including disabled people to contribute equally to the social community. Therefore, diversity and equality should be seen as potential social assets to build the inclusive society where persons with disabilities are welcomed and valued for their contributions as individuals. The presence of a disability is not seen as a detriment. Rather, disability is valued as part of the range of diversity that exists in the human condition.

Psychological Effects of Disabled Victims on Aceh Tsunami 2004

cakfu — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 11:00:46 +0000

I. Introduction.

It is not deniable that during disasters happen some survivors becoming disabled. At the time of struggle to save their life some of them can be lose parts of their body (leg, arm, etc) and also psychologically may suffer from trauma. Particularly for disabled victims –people who become disabled during the disaster-, they are not only physically injury but also deals with psychological problem as well as social problem which are a consequence of their disabilities.

Sometimes the disabled victims more suffer from social problem than their disabilities itself. In the traditional communities they couldn’t be accepted fully by the society and their family as other able body. The society views disabled people as an invaluable person who is less capability and dependent. This view affects psychologically to disabled victims who become lose self confidence and self-esteem and it becomes a barrier of them to participate in the social activities. Shortly, disabled victims challenge a harder challenge in the society then other survivors after the disaster.

This paper explains the life condition of people who become disabled during the disaster. What they feel internally (psychologically) to be disabled will be elaborated with the social perception towards disabled people. As a case study, this paper will be based on Indonesia context which is most affected by the biggest tsunami disaster 2004 and culturally the society still has negative perception toward disability and disabled people.

II. Disabled People in Indonesia.

Indonesia is the biggest country in South East Asia region with 203.5 million populations. The prevalence of disabled people was 1.46 million equal with 0.74 percent of total population. This number contrasts with WHO estimation that estimated one of ten persons is disabled people. In addition female disabled people population is higher than male disabled people. However, they are still facing both structural and social discrimination in participating to the social activities.

The structural discrimination is that the government policies lack of disability awareness. Public facilities in Indonesia are becoming a problem for disabled people, in term of availability, space, and safety. Almost all public facilities are not accessible for disabled people and without providing special access for wheelchair.

This condition becomes worse by existing of social discrimination toward disabled people. Social perception of disability is the main barrier for disabled people to move forward in the social participation. Most of Indonesian people, especially in the rural area, have negative perception to the disabled people. There are some myths and stereotypes which stigmatized to the disabled people.

Culturally, some people believe that disability is a curse or punishment from God of sin committed by the disabled person or her/his parents. This social stigma not only affects psychologically to behavior of disabled people but also the attitude of society towards them. Disabled people in Indonesia are generally not encouraged to develop personally themselves and feel inferior when socializing with other people. Moreover, they are not considered a valuable member of society and as a result they live as a marginal group in the society.

III. Disabled People in the Society.

A. The Definition of Disability

It is still debatable among the social scientists to distinguish who should be called as disabled person. Some sociologists have a definition on disability which is related to the medical term, while the others prefer to use a social term on disability. The medical term is related to physically impairment of the person which is caused by sickness.
A person who is recognized as being disabled is basically one who is unable to help him or herself practically (lame, crippled, amputated) or is constrained in his or her activities by one or another disabling condition (blindness, deformity, epilepsy or others).(Talle:1995).

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization definition of disability is based on the model of the International Classification of Diseases. The disability is defined as any loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function.(WHO:1980) Disability has been defined as biological or physical impairment that limits major life activities like walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and performing manual tasks. (White: 1990:197-198) Thus, disability in medical term is an impairment which is understood as any restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being (Allen & Allen: 1995).

The disability studies have led us to move forwards in looking at the disability from medical term to social term. Socially, the disability was constructed by the society by prescribing of standard for functional independence, capabilities, and social reciprocity. When people’s functioning or biological composition is not within the realm of these standards, they are assumed to be inferior and are subject to a decrease in inclusion of society.( Hahn :1998). The term of disability itself has been constructed by society when the concept of normal body and ideal body emerged in nineteen century. The idea is when there are some people do not fit with the average of normal body either physical or psychological, they are considered as abnormal body or disabled body.

B. Social Stigmas on Disabled People

Bodily difference has for centuries determined social structures by defining certain bodies as the norm, and defining those which fall outside the norm as ‘Other’; with the degree of ‘Otherness’ being defined by the degree of variation from the norm. In doing this, we have created an artificial ‘paradigm of humanity’ into which some of us fit neatly, and others fit very badly. (Clapton and Fitzgerald :1998).Then when the outsider is present, people start to create the evidence of attribution for the outsider should be by putting categories that already exist in the society. This cultural cognitive process is used as foundation to create a stigma on certain group of people. In this way disabled people are stigmatized to be a certain group together with several kinds of specific characteristics.

Disabled people are stigmatized based on their differences from the normally people use to be. The process of creating stigma is based on human differences as E. Goffman (1963) states that stigma is equivalent to undesired differentness. While what is considered as undesired depend on the social context in which it is defined by the majority group. From this point, it can be seen that stigma is close related to the possessing power or the dominant group that can determine which group of people are desired or undesired.

Stigma is generally accepted to be an “attribute that is deeply discrediting” that reduces the bearer “from a whole and usual person to a tainted, discounted one” (Goffman 1963). Link and Phelan (2001) describe stigma as occurring when four interrelated components—distinguishing and labeling differences; associating human differences with negative attributes; separating ‘us’ from ‘them’; and status loss and discrimination—converge in the context of social, economic, and political power. Stigmatization often leads to discrimination, which refers to any form of distinction, exclusion, or restriction affecting a person by virtue of a personal characteristic (Gilmore and Somerville 1994). So, stigmatization is a dynamic process that arises from the perception that there has been a violation of a set of shared attitudes, beliefs, and values. These can lead to prejudicial thoughts, behaviors, and/or actions on the part of governments, communities, employers, health care providers, coworkers, friends, and families.

IV. Disabled Victims and Psychological Effect of Disaster

Person who becomes disabled during the disaster experiences such new psychological phenomena. Depression is the first psychological experience when the disabled victims release that a part of their body has already changed. Depression is a normal and usually transitory reaction to life’s hassles—minor failures, disappointment, disruption. (Ghotlib and Hammen : 1992). Ghotlib and Hammen also explain that sometimes depression is completed by other negative mood condition such as negative thoughts and feeling about oneself and pessimism about the future, physical experiences of low energy, as well as reduced feelings of pleasure and motivation. Becoming a normal body, as explained above, is idealized by every person to be an asset to encourage his or her self-esteem and self-confidence in the social interaction. In contrast, becoming disabled is a disappointment or pity that can result on reducing the self-confidence of the persons.
Depression which is the first psychological reaction of disabled victims in the disaster later on leads to a changed personality. The negative social perception have affected to the way disabled person looks at her or him self. Disabled victims are feeling inferior, shame, and may hopeless because it is constructed by the society that disability is a devaluated condition. As a results, this condition influences to her or his self confidence where self-confidence can be seen as the product or result of one’s past experience. It is related to one’s value system, to one’s system of strategies to deal with solving real-life problems, to knowledge of self, to one’s general outlook. (Rothchild: 1970). Meanwhile, Indonesian society still has negative perception in looking at the disabled person. People with disabilities are more often considered an embarrassment. In certain community, disability is believed as punishment from the God. Therefore, this perception develops into the main barrier faced by people who become disabled during the disaster.

V. Encourage the Disabled Victims

Disabled victims of disaster are more suffering from the social treatment rather than their disability. This circumstance is beyond from humanitarian assistance issue which is only focusing on helping vulnerability groups such as women and children. It is not clear whether the disabled people and disabled victims are considered as vulnerable group in Humanitarian Assistance issue. As discussed in this paper that disabled victims experience a complex situation regarding their physical impairment and changed their psychological aspect. Therefore, special assistance is needed to encourage the disabled victims.

Giving the psychological aids to encourage the disabled victims is recommended even under adverse conditions or circumstances besides providing the material aids such as food, water, and other basic needs. Certainly, it consumes more energy for humanitarian workers, however psychological support to the victims must be provided. There are some activities that can be advised to support psychologically to disabled victims based on their disability. Disaster can produces a wide variety of disability. Some people may be lose their arm, leg, visual, or even psychological function. These different levels of impairment produce different type of social and psychological experience. (Eiesland: 1994). The dissimilar experiences of disabled victims should be accommodated as a reference for humanitarian worker who provides psychological help to disabled victims. In addition, should be assumed that each person has different characteristic. So, each of them may need different treatment in helping to encourage psychologically to be included in the community.

Generally, the first aid which is necessary given to disabled victims is minimizing the physical barriers by providing special facilities. However, suffering from physical barrier indirectly influence psychologically to the person. As example, before getting disabled he or she was able to taking care his or her self and now after become disabled the person is only waiting for help from the others. This condition results on the feeling invaluable and inferior of the person. Adjusting to a new condition for disabled victims is time needed and minimizing physical barrier for them also lead to minimizing psychological suffer. Providing psychological support can be the second assistance to encourage disabled victims. The changed psychological condition which is experienced by disabled victims need to be minimized so that it doesn’t lead to the serious psychological disorder. It may be difficult to provide psychological counseling center in the refugee camp. The alternative solution that can be rational is provisioning to humanitarian workers regarding disabled victims awareness. Due to the psychological condition of disabled victims is more sensitive than the other personals feeling, therefore in this situation humanitarian workers play an important role in supporting them. Empathic individuals are aware and sensitive to others’ difficulties (Davis:1996). As mediators, introspectiveness and empathy must be correlated with our outcomes, but existing literature provides little direct evidence on that matter. Theory and some related research, however, offer grounds for expecting associations among introspectiveness, empathy, and our outcomes. Self theory suggests that socio emotional exchanges and appraisals shape the self-concept (Rosenberg, 1992). Presenting to be friend of and pay attention to disabled victims is required for humanitarian field workers in order to encourage self- confidence of disabled victims. By encouraging their self confidence, expectantly the disabled victims can participate fully in the social activities after the disaster.

VI. Conclusion

Indian Tsunami disaster has created the most sorrow in the world, especially Aceh which is the nearest area to epicenter. Thousands of people dead and hundred thousand of survivors are living in refugee camp. The disaster also has resulted on a number of disabled victims who injured during the time of struggle to save their life. The disabled victims face a different experience among the other survivor as they suffer from such psychological condition which is a consequence of their disability. The negative social perception on disability in traditional societies is responsible in creating a psychological affliction of disabled victims. Therefore, the special treatments to them are recommended to decrease their suffering. The humanitarian agents should aware with the disabled victims’ condition and set up a specific program to encourage them.[cak fu @2005]

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