24 full moons after tsunami it’s still a dark night for them

By Gamini Mahadura

Even though 24 moons have elapsed since the dreadful tsunami of December 2004, those rendered homeless most of them are yet languishing in refugee camps as the authorities have not yet been able to provide them with permanent shelter.

Of the 128 families from Ahangama and Kathaluwa villages in the Galle district, 23 are yet undergoing hardships living in temporary houses built for them by the relief work force of the JVP, while the rest are living in rented houses or in homes belonging to friends or relatives.

An NGO named Kuria Aids Austria had undertaken to finance the construction of 128 houses on a 13 acre block of land at SK Estate.

However, it is reported that the houses built by a company supposed to be a pioneer in building construction did not conform to established standards. The NGO had ordered the demolition of the 128 houses and rebuilding of them. This has resulted in a loss of Rs. 50 million, according to its project director Max Santner.

The new houses are being constructed now and it is hoped work would be completed before the National New Year, Minister Amarasiri Dodangoda’s co-ordinating secretary Amarasinghe Kuruwage said. It is estimated that Rs. 150 million would be required to complete the houses and provide infrastructure facilities to them.

G.H.Karunawathie, living in a temporary house, had this to say;

“Our house was about 15 metres from the beach in Kathaluwa. I lost my only daughter in the tsunami when the house was washed away. It was with difficulty that my husband, two sons and I saved our lives. I was hospitalised due to an injury suffered when a wall fell on me. We were the worst affected yet we are without a house and it was with difficulty that this house was obtained by us. We suffer when it rains as the roof leaks while the sun shining on the zinc roof makes living unbearable inside the house during the day.”

D.P.Aruna Udaya had a similar story.

“I lost my fishing gear and received nothing during the last two years. Those who never handled a boat received one from some NGOs while other received two and three. The President had ordered that everyone should receive a house by December 26, 2006. If I receive one at least before the Sinhala New Year it would be a great help”, he said.

B.Karunawathie said this: “I have two daughters to feed. One NGO was to gift us houses where we had lived but since the place was within the 100 metre prohibited zone, the Habaraduwa PS refused permission to build houses there. We did not get the aid of Rs. 250,000 that others received and it is doubtful when we would receive a house”.