Maumere conference calls for stronger services for disaster-affected residents

Maumere — Participants in the Konferensi Republik issued a final statement on 31 October 2026 calling for stronger public services and protection for communities affected by disasters, violence and long-term social problems.

Why it matters: The statement calls for clean water, health services, housing and local disaster-logistics authority for displaced residents and survivors in Flores and Lembata.

The conference, titled “Civil Society and the Republic’s Future”, was held at the Ledalero Institute of Philosophy and Creative Technology in Maumere from 30–31 October, according to Floresa and the institute’s event listing.

The statement, titled “The Republic Tested in This Land”, cited earthquake-displaced residents in Flores, survivors of the Lewotobi Laki-Laki eruption and people on Palue still waiting for housing. It also addressed women and children affected by violence, victims awaiting justice for decades and young people without jobs, Floresa reported.

Calls for services and accountability

Participants demanded clean water, health services and immediate housing for displaced people. They also called for accountability for preventable deaths and greater authority for local governments to make logistical decisions during disasters.

The statement said that more people died in evacuation centres after the Flores earthquake than were killed by collapsing buildings, but it did not provide a figure. It also cited an Ombudsman assessment that seven of 11 East Nusa Tenggara local governments had low-quality public services.

Other demands included village-level services for women and children, safe houses, professional staff and adequate funding. The conference also opposed the recentralisation of authority and military involvement in civilian affairs, while calling for development measures that reflect people’s lives rather than economic growth alone.

The event was organised by the Ledalero institute with a network of universities and civil-society groups. Its organisers said the forum was intended to produce policy recommendations and a joint communiqué.

The conference’s event information said discussions covered democracy, law and human rights, the economy, public administration, public services, culture, education, the church, ecology and development in East Nusa Tenggara.

Sources

• Floresa
• Institut Filsafat dan Teknologi Kreatif Ledalero