Disaster Risk Management and the Role of the Armed Forces: Critical Analysis of Reactive Disaster Management in India

Nepal Government’s Emergency Response to the 2015 Earthquake: A Case Study

“…Likewise, Garge et al (2015) stated that the Government of India, in its numerous initiatives to respond to natural disasters, is often slow and inadequate in its operations. Therefore, the armed forces are frequently requested to assist the civil administration in relief-driven disaster management processes (Shivananda and Gautam 2005 as cited by Garge et al 2015). Their study revealed that the Indian armed forces personnel are always the first choice of any state civil authority in disasters due to their high-quality training and effective execution of command, control and communication.…”

Armed Forces and Disaster Risk Reduction: A Theoretical Approach

“…Basing on the definition of a disaster, it is expected that floods, earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes and other kinds of disaster triggers may exceed local coping capacities� In such cases, a need to use armed forces is noticed� Especially that a role of armed forces in assisting civil authorities is often a constitutional obligation and an instrument of last resort (Raj, 2008)� However, problematic aspects of use of armed forces in disaster conditions mostly focus on its operational dimension (Garge, Ha, & Khoo, 2015)� This seems to be justified by disaster response practice but does not correspond to international strategy on disaster risk reduction� The strategy is a core issue of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (UNDRR, 2015) and indicates directions which can be used also by armed forces to rationalise their efforts in a line of international standards and concepts� It is important from theoretical viewpoint because many states and international alliances consider armed forces in disaster risk reduction in specific ways and express their significant role in the analysed context� For example, French Livre blanc sur la défense et la sécurité nationale enumerates several kinds of disaster triggers which are in a scope of armed forces interest in order to ensure national security (Livre Blanc, 2013)� US federal regulations state directly that in the event of a disaster, military troops are obligated to provide assistance for civilian authorities� However, the national assistance is regulated in detail in legal acts (especially in the Posse Comitatus Act and the Stafford Act) to limit derivative risks related to illegal use of the army (Elsea & Mason, 2012)� A special attention is put on involvement of the National Guard which seems to be relatively close to civilians and local communities (Onlinewilder, 2021)� The country that has very long experience in international disaster relief is Japan� "Since the enactment of the Law Concerning the Dispatch of the Japan Disaster Relief Team (Japan Disaster Relief Team Law) in 1987, Japan has engaged in international disaster relief activities in response to requests from the governments of affected countries and international organizations" (JDF, 2020)� Relevant operational potential may be used nationally as well� The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (BLG) makes local armed forces a significant source of support in disaster conditions but mostly in terms of ensuring public security (BLG, 2022)� Disaster risk may be reduced in a more complex way by military alliances� It is especially noticeable in NATO disaster assistance (NATO, 2001)� Also, NATO 2022 Strategic Concept states that not only the Alliance forces need to operate in more extreme climate conditions but the forces are more frequently involved as an assistance for civilians (NATO, 2022)� Summarising, there are many sources of legal information on the army use when a disaster occurs� But they focus mostly on a response phase� Disaster risk reduction comprises in all relevant phases, including also prevention, preparation and reconstruction, and indicating potentially valuable directions for the army use� These issues justify the need to make an order in theoretical foundations of a use of armed forces for disaster risk reduction to do it in a complex way, rationally, effectively, and respecting international disaster risk reduction strategy�…”