20 February 2007
More than two years after the Tsunami tragedy, thousands of Indonesians are still listed as missing because their bodies have not been able to be accurately identified.
Monash University has joined forces with the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine and governments of Australia, Singapore and Indonesia to develop a new practical program to deal with the process of disaster victim identification. Together, they've created a specific plan to train Indonesian emergency services personnel and communities.
Professor Stephen Cordner, Director of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine and Head of Monash University's Department of Forensic Medicine, and Senior Lecturer of the Monash Indonesian Studies Program, Basoeki Koesasi have played a key role in establishing the program.
"I was in Aceh after the Tsunami and it was total devastation where local communities were forced to bury thousands of bodies which, sadly, were not identified," Mr Koesasi said.
Mr Koesasi has liaised directly with the local people and said disaster victim identification skills were vital in Indonesia, where natural disasters are a relatively frequent occurrence.
"One of the biggest issues facing Indonesia's emergency services is working out how to properly identify those who have died," Mr Koesasi said.
"It means a lot to families, loved ones and the culture of a community, to ensure their people are buried with dignity - and that means a formal identification."
The Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine houses its own Centre for Human Identification.
"Until now, the Indonesian people have tried to cope as best they could with the slow process of recovery following these enormous disasters, but their expertise has been very limited and their practices are quite basic," Professor Stephen Cordner said.
"Through this program, we have tried to educate professional and community leaders about procedures, which can help to identify victims more quickly - and time is often critical in trying to achieve a positive identification.
"We've introduced more advanced training, including pathology testing; processes as simple as taking a photograph of the victim as soon as possible after the fatal event; identifying their location; personal markings; labelling their belongings and, in some instances taking account of the possibility of DNA testing. In identifying the dead following a disaster, preparation is the key. Systems cannot be created after the event." Professor Cordner said.
For more information please contact Ms Samantha Blair, Media and Communications Office on +61 3 9905 9315.
| 
