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| Thursday, 13 January 2005 |
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Tsunami (meaning harbour waves in the Japanese language) was described by the survivors as a black-hooded monstrous serpent looming out of the sea and speeding towards the land to engulf, devastate and take back to the sea whatever object that stood in its path. The houses which had some resistance retained the walls only. A few feet of blackish mud which is oily and pungent, had settled inside the dilapidated houses and water wells. It is now a task for our explorative scientists to analyse the samples of mud. It could give a glimpse of the chemistry of the sea bed around the island as the mud was aroused by the tsunami waves on its nearing the continental shelf. It will be interesting to know the results of such analysis from various parts of the coast around the island. This is also the most opportune time for the Survey Department to do an aerial survey on two thirds of the coastal contours of Sri Lanka. It will enable the Department to assess the real damage caused to the coastal belt once compared with the maps drawn earlier. Maybe that the authorities have already attended to this requirement. They also could organize special teams to survey the devastated lands on a priority basis. These teams could liaise with the Land Registry if such need arises. The people will definitely search for their plots of land which is now without any boundaries. For the victims of tsunami, only the patch of land might remain as a worldly asset. Our country, no doubt, has a precise and a trustworthy database with its Department of Census and Statistics. Most other governmental and non-governmental organizations should be able to use this datebase even though the statistics will reflect the position as at year 2001. Along with the efforts at rehabilitation, resettlement and reconstruction, the Department of Census and Statistics now should swing into action. The Department should be bale to assess the fluctuation or the loss of population in the tsunami affected areas. The Department could organize special survey teams in the areas that suffered the catastrophe and also provide very vital information to the Registrar General's Department and Registration of Persons (N.I.C) Department. This is the crucial time for liaison among these important government departments to bring relief to the affected families. Even the issue of a Death Certificate could be accelerated by coordination which in turn could bring some solace to a destitute family in need of compensation arising from a demised family member. During the catastrophe and immediately afterwards, there were two groups of personnel to whom the Sri Lankan nation is indebted and need to be remembered and honoured. They are the members of the armed forces and medical doctors. The first foreign teams who rushed to the island comprised of rescue personnel and medical doctors. The survivors from the disaster had to be attended to immediately as otherwise they could be prone to death. Rescue and medicine go hand in hand. Sri Lankan nation should salute the armed forces for their valiant efforts to rescue as many as possible and for extricating the dead from debris so as to give them a place to be buried. The utter commitment shown by the medical officers is unparalleled as they were on duty day and night and even amid the torrents of water and in darkness. These two categories of officers exhibited the fact they outshine all others in humanity's hour of need and in the face of disaster and sorrow. They showed the potential magnanimity of their noble services which is aimed at protection for all irrespective of petty divides. This is the correct time for the authorities to assess their profiles and place them on salary scales totally personal to their services and not aligned to other grades in the public service. The medical officers should also realise that their battle is not with others, but with the pain, suffering and possible death of mankind. The people of Sri Lanka look up to them as demigods to save their lives. Doctors should rise above all other demands and should not use the people as the media for bargaining. The authorities concerned should realise the fact that the medical officers need to be honoured and not dragged into controversial situations regarding remuneration which cannot actually be quantified in a disaster situation like tsunami. |
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