DISASTER AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Abstract

The majority of studies which associates conflict and natural disasters reveals that there is a strong correlation between natural disasters and conflict. Natural disasters are believed to be a catalyst for peacemaking, although they are not the only determining factors that influence conflict and peace. On one hand, disasters can reduce conflict escalation and bringpeace, while on the other hand, they tend to escalate and exacerbate conflict conflicts from previous conditions. This can be seen in the case of Aceh in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, regions that are both experiencing intra-state conflicts, which have different experiences after the disaster. This article attempts to provide a conceptual framework to explain the conditions of conflict escalation and de-escalation after natural disasters. Through a study of various literatures, this paper discovered that there are at least four variables, namely natural resource variables, poverty rates, state regulations, and negotiations that affect conflict tendencies in disaster areas.