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By
I Wickramasinghe December 26, 2004 - a day seared in the minds of millions ranging the globe, when the normally placid ocean waves which lap the Southeast Asian beaches suddenly reared and charged over its shores in a fit of unsuspected ferocity leaving within minutes scenes of colossal devastation - coasts ravaged, corpses scattered, and populations bereft and bereaved. Man has been humbled to realize that nature with an impatient flick of a finger can unleash forces to wipe out in an instant, years and years of man's triumphant march often with no respect to Nature's cherished preserves and in defiance of its restraining dictates. Considering the awesome ordeal undergone, it may not be amiss to pay a little more heed to how we tread the path again. The nature's distemper in this instance and its violent career is now too well known to be recounted here. In the immediacy of the event, the manner in which countless volunteers, government functionaries, the kith and kin of the victims, and the very survivors themselves, hampered as they were by piles of debris, torn up roads, disrupted transport strained to reach the victims, feed, cloth shelter and care for them, was nothing short of inspirational. The numbers they snatched from death, starvation and disease were the measure of their devotion and perseverance. Amongst the many countries which hurried to our aid, neighbouring India, rising from its own share of the calamity in a shining example of self-reliance and sympathy, was at our side, and to our great discomfiture, we were in no condition to extend a similar gesture to any of our fellow sufferers. The giant tsunami has now come and gone. The debris of destruction has been swept under the surface. So are many many corpses unknown and unsung. The magnitude of the disaster was such that it was impossible to arrive at an accurate assessment of loss to the population or damage to property and material. In respect of life and limb, available figures indicated over 30,900 dead, 21,000 injured, 5,400 missing and 552,000 displaced. A preliminary damage and needs assessment released by the ADB for recovery and reconstruction comprehending the housing stock, fishery harbours, anchorages, boats, fishing gear, railway network, road network, hospitals, schools and the endless catalogue, would require approximately 1.5 billion US Dollars. Beyond that, the damage to the heart and soul of the survivors and those near and dear to them, is well nigh incalculable. What calamity next, is the question pondered in our contemplative moods. More realistically, we may ask how do we tend our wounds, get on our feet and mend our ways. Between then and now, the initiatives launches by governmental and non-governmental organizations to put the tragedy behind and move forward are of the highest possible order. Within hours of the disaster a Special Operations Unit was opened in the Presidential Secretariat representing the Service Chiefs, Ministries of Social Services, Public Security and related organizations to strategize access to disaster sites by all means, be it by land, by sea or air to enable rescue teams to reach the victims, and rush emergency supplies. Scores and scores of foreign voluntary groups began arriving thick and fast and a frenzy of activity ensued in rationalizing, coordinating and channeling, all forms of aid and essential services in the most meaningful manner practicable. However, extraordinary circumstances called for extraordinary measures, and on a Presidential directive, no time was lost in setting up the Centre for National Operations - CNO - an apex organization to cope with the urgent imperatives of relief work. CNO was conceived as a provisional organization to be complimentary to the usual government apparatus, and to reinforce by high authority, the effectiveness of the relief effort. It was designed to coordinate the relief activities from all sources. It put together and fielded a highly competent and dynamic build up composed of manpower and resources drawn from a multiplicity of organizations to work as a team and a think tank, no less to streamline the known strategies as to introduce new ones for disaster management, and ensure speedy execution. Its purpose being exhausted as the emergency abated its force, its functions were transferred to another apex organization, the TAFOR, entrusted with short term emergency relief measures. The CNO dispersed, not without a sense of fulfilment in having shared in an exalted collective endeavour in the service of fellow men. Many who anxiously paced the floors, sat behind their desks, at the telephones or the computers, not withstanding the distance separating them from the disaster zone, must have felt they were by the side of those at the sites sharing their agonies when lining up rows and rows of human carcasses, or when they detached dying infants from mothers' inert breasts, or some rare joy when they felt the warmth of a quivering body deep under a pile. It is not gainsaid that in any part of the world, in any community, there are dregs of humanity who wallow in the misfortunes of others to make their own fortunes, and discover their abilities in the disabilities of the defenceless. They are normally the idlers of society who seem to reserve all their energy and ingenuity for occasions of that sort. In the prevailing state of affairs, they had unlimited opportunities for the exercise of their brand of skill. Such elements were making their presence felt here and there. But the few sordid episodes were prevented from escalating by the vigilance of the law enforcement authorities and the community groups whose benefits were at risk. Having regard to such propensities and the general dislocation of normal safeguards in wide areas affected by the tsunami, a second task force (TAFLOL) was set up to deal with the logistics, law and order. The worst part of the ordeal is now over. So are the splendid spectacles of relief convoys set in motion by the media and civic groups, and the ceaseless traffic conveying foodstuffs and essentials to the victims. So, also, is the avalanche of spontaneous humanitarian aid from all sources, solicited and unsolicited, that kept officials working night and day in arranging for its unfettered movement whilst not shifting the unobtrusive eye on security concerns. For some fleeting days, the generous impulses of humanity had the impersonal market mechanism on hold to transfer much wealth from affluent to deprived areas. Regrettably, the wonderful atmosphere of amity and compassion that pervaded the disastrous times is now yielding to squabbles and bickering over how to share or how to use the liberal aid packages granted by the donors. If anyone thought it would be cash-in-a-flash to be squandered away, they had to adjust their focus to the more sober needs and discipline of long-term reconstruction. The silent and unceasing industry on the part of the Government to procure aid from donor agencies had drawn a massive response. The total pledges from multilateral, bilateral, NGO and domestic private sectors as at end of March was in the region of US$ 2 billion, of which approximately US$ 1,200 million has been committed. The debt relief for the current year amounted to over US$ 328 million. The magnanimity and flexibility displayed by the donors placed a corresponding obligation on the Government to ensure that the funds are applied in the spirit they were pledged and for the purpose envisaged. Conscious of its grave responsibility the Government continuously engaged its personnel and resources at high pressure to respond creatively and flexibly to the needs of the hour as well as the challenges of recovery and reconstruction. A high level State agency, TAFREN was set up for steering the recovery and reconstruction programme. Working ceaselessly with commitment, professional skill and modesty at the appointed tasks, it has charted the course and the details of the reconstruction perspective. It has been devised with scrupulous regard to human frailties and well conceived compassion for a segment of our people, some of whom had lost all their worldly possessions, and some, loved ones as well. It is no occasion for frivolities. Criticisms proceeding from all quarters, be they constructive or perverse, misguided or salutary, mischievous or well meaning, all have been accorded their due weight and made contributory to final decisions at every stage. No doubt, however, extreme care had to be exercised not to be goaded by numerous amateur strategists into ill conceived programmes and actions or imbecilities held out as measures of benevolence on grounds of keyed up urgency or accusations of tardiness on the part of those doing their jobs. Provision of housing to the displaced has become one of the most vexatious issues. There is much bickering going on about the citing of new settlements. When the tsunami hit our shores, there were thousands living by the sea in substandard dwellings with poor sanitation and in severe hardships. In regard to the enforcement of the buffer zone, some people for various reasons may have reservations about their being relocated away from an accustomed neighbourhood and communal contact. But these disinclinations must necessarily give way for policy considerations of a much higher order relating to the well-being of the community and the country as a whole. In these enlightened times, can we acquit ourselves by taking the line of least resistance and recreating old conditions somewhat dressed up perhaps to catch the eye, or are we going to take pains to be more ambitious by our people and persevere in our concern to build a more secure habitat and more durable state of well-being? Very properly, the Government has chosen the latter course. All evidence is it is looking beyond rebuilding on the ruins of old. It aims at creating a vastly improved and supportive environment for those who had been knocked of their feet, to rise and live as a self-reliant industrious people with self respect and respect for others. It is a lofty concept, perhaps unexciting to small minds, backed by a firm resolve to turn into a reality. It is also a painstaking and time consuming process involving difficulties not encountered in the big housing programs of the past, whether under colonisation schemes or the poverty alleviation drive. in the former case, the relocation of people in distant parts was as much for the sake of land as for the people. In the latter, it was for the sake of people dispersed on all locations and the availability of land was no constraint. But in the instant case it is neither practicable nor desirable that they should be too far from where they had been. Their occupations require it, and the country require it, and the country requires them to be vigorously at their occupations. All affected households within the buffer zone will be provided with a house on land allocated by the State closest to the affected villages. The community relationships and susceptibilities will be observed. These households will not be required to establish ownership to their lands. Nor will the Government appropriate their lands. These new houses will be in conformity with guidelines issued by the UDA and will have an area of 500 sq ft with free electricity, sanitation and drainage. The proposed houses in urban and rural settlements will have facilities such as road systems, recreation etc. Affected households outside the buffer zone where ownership to land could be demonstrated would be entitled to a grant varying from Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 250,000 depending on damage assessment. Additionally, households that have successfully utilized the grant would be eligible to apply for a concessionary loan of Rs. 500,000 under a loan scheme operated through the Bank of Ceylon and the People's Bank. The programme also provides for grievance resolution machinery in the matter of beneficiary selection and damage assessment. Elaborate arrangements have been designed with a view to providing all possible latitude to the beneficiaries whilst minimizing abuse or misuse of donor funds. To look at a few major theatres of government activity, the progress made so far indicate a high level of professionalism and commitment on the part of those responsible for promoting rehabilitation and reconstruction work. In the housing and urban development programme, the progress would indicate temporary shelters for over 95,000 persons in 263 camps and transitional housing for 15,475 families. 3,700 households have been given Rs. 50,000 each as first instalment to rebuild houses. Land required for new settlements had been identified. 159 MoUs signed with 71 donors for 34,000 houses. Construction work has commenced on 2,325 permanent houses. Townships have been designed to modernize Matara, Galle and Hambantota and to construct 15 new commercial cities. In respect of livehood, 234,000 households are receiving Rs. 5,000 per month temporary relief and 881,000 persons are getting Rs. 375 per week as temporary relief. Under the Rs Five billion Susahana Loan Scheme for micro, small and medium industries, Rs. 585m has been disbursed. 10 out of 12 fishery harbours have been restored. Boat and engine repair centres have been set up and 7,300 boats repaired free of charge. New nets are issued by the Government and NGOs. Government has taken steps to provide a fuel subsidy varying from Rs. 50,000 to Rs.300,000 for affected boat owners. Ten fishery harbours have been already rehabilitated. Damaged highway and railways had been restored. MoUs have been signed to reconstruct 163 schools. To revive the tourist industry, provisions have made for hotel refurbishment, loan facilities and replacement of tourism vehicles in addition to overall zoning plans and reconstruction of 15 towns. MoUs have been signed to build 125 community based houses. Tourism Marketing Recovery Programme has been initiated with a US$ 5.3m budget. By all resonings, we are on the right track out of the ordeal, towards security and stability. We can rely on the Government, the donors and others who made our predicament their concern to maintain a watchful eye as we proceed. For our part, we may do well to stay on course, and to remember that in the long run, the only firm and unerring path is the path of self reliance. *
The writer is a former officer of the Ceylon Administrative Service
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