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| Thursday, 13 January 2005 |
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Give whom, when and where - prime posers of the day by Afreeha Jawad
"People generally like to know how their monies are put to use when they contribute to natural disaster victims' well-being. For instance, no one knows how such monies were used in the aftermath of the 2003 Ratnapura floods. It's yet to be seen whether houses were built for them with these monies." This was what Professor Jayanthi de Silva - head of the Colombo University's Geography Department had to say of transparency in contributions. Aid flooding into the country emanating from international goodwill in the wake of the tsunami holocaust was, to use a hackneyed word, 'unprecedented'. Historical occurrence Date Source region Visual Report run-up from height (m) 1500 BC Santorin eruption Crete 1 Nov. 1755 Eastern Atlantic 5-10 Lisbon, Portugal 21 Dec. 1812 Santa Barbara Several Santa Channel, Calif. metres Barbara, Cal. 7 Nov. 1837 Chile 5 Hilo, Hawaii 17 May 1841 Kamchatka 5 Hilo, Hawaii 2 April 1868 Hawaiian Islands 3 Hilo, Hawaii 13 Aug. 1868 Peru - Chile 10 Africa, Peru 10 May 1877 Peru - Chile 2-6 Japan 27 Aug. 1883 Krakatau eruption Java 15 June 1896 Honshu 24 Sanriku, Japan 3 Febr. 1923 Kamchatka About 5 Waiakea, Hawaii 2 March 1933 Honshu 20 Sanriku, Japan 1 April 1946 Aleutians 10 Wainaku,| Hawaii 4 Nov. 1952 Kamchatka 5 Hilo, Hawaii 9 March 1957 Aleutians 5 Hilo, Hawaii 23 May 1960 Chile 10 Waiakea, Hawaii 28 March 1964 Alaska 6 Crescent City, Cal. 17 August 1976 Mindanao 5 Philip pines She suggests setting up a monitoring committee, comprising representation from ethnic and political groups, academics, those from donor countries and also from the North-East, to avert misuse as well as to handle the LTTE allegation of unfair distribution. Besides, even donor countries and local well-wishers would be happy to note how it all worked out. This brought to the writer's mind Germany's inclination in joining the good Samaritans - of course in a special and unique way - a sort of foster parent scheme where she would undertake village rebuilding in tsunami affected areas. Here the recipient and donor know for certain the practical realisation of extended goodwill which invariably brings both parties much satisfaction. Relief monitoring should certainly get top priority in post-tsumani healing. Only in its absence that pilfering and allegations of aid non-receipt arises. "When even elections are monitored why not relief aid?" one may ask. Professor de Silva also suggests the whole exercise of rebuilding in three phases. Phase I - she describes as pre-disaster measures which unfortunately did not take place. Phase II - to be carried out in 2 stages a) Immediate measures like provision of water, food and shelter b) Consolidation measures i.e. sanitary facilities. Phase III - she describes as short-term and long-term measures such as temporary shelter, health and basic needs, infrastructure and schooling. The efficiency of all such depends on good planning and proper evaluation of whom to give, when and where. For instance, Moratuwa is not as badly affected as Ampara. Prioritisation of affected areas is a must, followed by relief distribution. Prof. de Silva also emphasised the need for human capital and other resources for relief distribution and debris clearing. This being the first experience of tsunami by the present population, she said there was so much to learn. She also recalled how historical records reveal numerous tsunamis. "It's nothing new and has made its presence felt in the past centuries and even in the 20th century in other parts of the world," she added. According to her, though the average wave height was 15 metres, in some places it was an all time high of 25-30 metres - the worst in recorded history which makes the recent tsunami unique and outstanding. She also noted tsunami's impact on bio-diversity. The coast line, noted for its sensitive eco or biological systems that prevent coast erosion, the damage is irreparable. These eco systems comprising coastal wetlands, lagoons, sea grass beds (particularly in Batticaloa, Koggala and Kokilai) and mangroves join sediments helping soil preservation. Bentota, Batticaloa and the southern coast, she emphasised, are known for sea grass beds. As a result of tsunami the salinity levels in these eco systems have also changed and cannot be rectified. If tsunami's hurt on man and the eco system is unbearable, still worse - indeed most nauseating - is man's hurt on both. |
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