A commendable achievement

SRI LANKA is still grappling with the enormous challenges foisted on it by the massive December 26 tsunami which practically decimated most of the coastline. More than 31,000 people perished in the disaster, which left nearly one million people homeless.

A large number of houses were completely destroyed in the onslaught of tidal waves while some were partially damaged. Resettlement has become one of the biggest issues in the post-tsunami period. This is by no means an easy task, given the scale of the displacement.

Contrary to some reports appearing in various sections of the media, the reconstruction effort is not in a state of abeyance.

In fact, the Government reassured on Wednesday that 80 per cent of the required permanent housing units for the tsunami displaced will be completed before end of this year.

The Government is required to complete at least 60,000 permanent houses for the tsunami displaced to resettle the 234,000 families of which the majority now in transitional houses and others in tents.

It is heartening to note that the housing reconstruction programme is well and truly on track to meet the target, six months after the tsunami. This news will be warmly welcomed by the families still living in transitional accommodation units and the public in general.

After all, the process of rehabilitating tsunami victims will not be complete until they can live in their own homes again.

However, the housing programme has to be viewed in the context of the overall reconstruction drive, for which the international community recently pledged a staggering US$ 3 billion, mostly in the form of grants.

Infrastructure such as roads, hospitals, schools, communications and power supply were severely damaged in the tsunami. Conservative estimates put the reconstruction bill at US$ 1.5 billion.

Taken as a whole, this virtually calls for rebuilding the coastal areas from scratch. Such an approach is evident in the plans drawn up for a number of Southern townships, planned well away from the 100 metre buffer zone.

In a way, this has given the authorities a golden opportunity to design fully integrated townships with all facilities while rectifying the mistakes done in the past vis-a-vis infrastructure projects.

It is also essential to incorporate infrastructure relating to a 'tsunami early warning system' in the reconstruction drive.

Several countries including Sri Lanka are actively working towards this end. Once it comes online, it will be necessary to 'broadbase' it, so that the warnings can be passed onto coastal residents as quickly as possible.

The reconstruction drive must be a united endeavour of all sections of society and the political spectrum in all areas of the country.

The protracted debate on the buffer zone and the Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) will only delay much needed rehabilitation and reconstruction work.

Extremist elements in the South who oppose P-TOMS must realise that the victims living in LTTE-controlled areas are our own brethren who need a new lease of life.

Denying them Government and international assistance will only drive them closer to the LTTE.

It will take several more years for Sri Lanka to fully recover from this unprecedented calamity, but the steady progress on the reconstruction front augurs well for the country's future.