Letters to the Editor

Little relief inspite of flood of aid
The tenuous connection between politicians, (especially those in the government) and the victims of the tsunami is unbelievable. In every single place we visited on the south and east coast, especially, where the people most affected are trying to exist in markeshift tents and refugee camps, there was one common binding fact.... they all complained about the indifference of the government to their immediate and urgent needs.

If it weren't for the generous outpouring of aid from ordinary Sri Lankans, their plight would have been even more horrendous. However, it is now almost one and a half months after the tsunami struck and it is high time the government got its act together and found ways to distribute the avalanche of assistance, material and financial, that has poured in from foreign countries and international agencies, to where it is most required.

The initial organisation of the relief effort was apparently hijacked as three and then two centralised committees were appointed to oversee the relief effort. They were far removed from the ground situation and the practicalities that confronted the people who were affected. The affected people only needed comparatively small but essential things for their well being. For instance the children needed school uniforms, shoes, socks, exercise books, pens, pencils, schoolbags etc if they were to reach some degree of normalcy and resume their education.

To get back to near normalcy, the women needed basic utensils and facilities for cooking, washing, bathing etc. They also lacked proper clothes, underwear, footwear and even sanitary towels. A good proportion of them had been engaged in various types of employment and re-activating this aspect of their lives was necessary for their mental as well as economic well-being.

Men, who are generally the main income earners in the tsunami-devastated areas needed to get back to their employment as soon as possible, again as much for financial reasons as for maintaining their sanity. Hence, whatever the tools of their trades, whether they were for fishing, carpentry, masonry, or other business operations, it is imperative to have them replaced, as quickly as possible, so that they can get on with their lives.

They all needed to have even a semi-permanent place to live in as soon as possible, for the period they could tolerate living in tents, refugee camps or temporary accommodation had long elapsed. On analysis, all the needs detailed are basic and most of them are economically affordable especially in view of the unprecedented aid that kept and continues to keep flowing in for the tsunami relief effort. Regarding the donors of this aid, apart from funds sent by foreign countries and international agencies, the generous givers who really should touch our heart strings are the almost uncountable numbers of ordinary people who contributed. In England some children broke their piggy banks or donated the money they received as Christmas presents or the pocket money.

Widowed pensioners sacrificed their meagre pensions and there were countless others who prioritised tsunami relief and gave so much, astonishing even hard-boiled newspapermen with their generosity, as they kept on contributing to their swelling relief funds.

These gestures were repeated in most countries. They all had one aim... to help the victims of the tsunami in their hour of distress... not to build grandiose cities, roads, and museums or prop up a government trying to sort out priorities in the uneasy peace of a long drawn-out civil war.

The Bishop was right
This refers to Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole's letter on Bishops and Vice Chancellors published on January 30. There is no question that foreign troops must leave on completion of their mission. No patriot will tolerate them remaining to interfere in local affairs. The Bishop was perfectly right.

The Vice-Chancellor acted in good faith. I hope fellow university teachers are large hearted enough to get together and make up Prof. Hoole's deduction so that the VC can return his money.

Wasting money on pomp and pageantry
On December 26, Sri Lanka faced the worst national disaster recorded in her history. Thousands died, others lost their livelihoods, houses and property amounting to billions of rupees.
The whole world bemoaned Sri Lanka's loss and poured in massive amounts of aid by way of food, clothing, equipment and material. If this aid is properly co-ordinated, planned and supervised with adequate transparency, the surplus can be used to rebuild infrastructure and other facilities even in unaffected areas.
In the face of this catastrophe were we not foolish to have celebrated Independence Day with pomp and pageantry spending millions, forgetting so easily the suffering of people and causing inconvenience to the public by closing roads, and disrupting work in offices? This type of lavish ceremonies in times of disaster could make donor countries think twice before giving aid. Although we are trumpeting about the amount of aid received from donor countries, 80 % of the affected people are still crying in desperation.
It only shows that the people at the helm of relief operations should be on the field and not plan out strategies, from air-conditioned offices in Colombo. I am aware, that we need more aid but that will come only if the donors see tangible results in the form of work being completed stage by stage.

Arise and rebuild
O' where, o' where
Is the Galle Esplanade
That historical ground
Where we marched
On that historical day
On the eve of gaining 'Independence'
From British domination?
It was a grand celebration
A colourful rare occasion
With school flags and lion flags
Waving for a bright future,

Jubilant crowds filled every inch
Of the Esplanade and ramparts,
Behind the green flag, I marched
As a student of seventh grade
As kids proud and overjoyed
As the first occasion in our green tie!
"Much water has flowed under the bridge"
Now on passing the 57th anniversary

There's no Esplanade of glory
Only a battered and shattered site
Bringing tears to our eyes;
Let us pay tribute
To our tsunami victims, the unsung heroes
Who sacrificed their lives!
Let us wake up from the ruins
With a strong determination
To unite and build a Unitary Lanka
Our blessed Motherland!
Live Lanka, thou will never fall!

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