Houses for tsunami victims... they gave even though they didn’t know you

E. WEERAPPERUMA

COLOMBO: Funds to purchase the land to construct the Caritas Village at Orange Hill, Walpola, Ragama was mainly received from the Colombo Diocese Tsunami Fund, Colombo Archbishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis said.

“While the funds to purchase the land came from the Colombo Diocesan Tsunami Fund, funds to construct the houses were received through Sedec. Sedec received funds from the Italian Bishops’ Conference through the good office of Archbishop Rt. Rev. Malcolm Ranjith, from Caritas Scotland and Caritas International,” he said at a ceremony at the Caritas Village Walpola, Ragama on Thursday.

The ceremony was held to hand over the keys of 140 houses built at a cost of Rs. 165 million for the 2004 tsunami victims selected from three Missions of Mutwal and Panadura.

Rev. Fr. Jude Raj Fernando, Director, Caritas Colombo, Seth Sarana welcomed the invitees and house recipients.

The Archbishop thanked overseas Catholic and Christian benefactors and Sri Lankans who contributed to the funds.

“Our overseas contributors specially had manifested their love and care to people in a far away country, they have never seen. The generous contribution at times come from them foregoing a meal or from their savings. They set an example for us to follow. Our benefactors will be happy when they learn that we have used their money to provide your houses and other needs,” he said.

Lashing out at critics who blamed the Church alleging no contribution had been made by the Catholic Church for tsunami victims, the Archbishop pointed out that the Church has met 11.4 per cent from the houses needed by tsunami victims.

“We don’t like to speak of the work we have done. But with utmost reluctance I venture to give an account of what the Sri Lanka Church has done for the benefit of our brethren. This I do, to respond to the allegations against the Church and to enlighten them to see the truth”.

“According to statistics, up to now we have constructed 5,780 new houses and 2,550 new houses are being constructed for the benefit of tsunami victims. We have also constructed 6,676 temporary shelters.

Thus from the number of houses needed, the Church has constructed 11.4 per cent. Seth Sarana alone has constructed 1,794 houses within the Western Province,” he said.

“From Colombo alone, we have provided Rs. 645 million and Rs. one lakh to support victims to stand on their own feet once more, to provide scholarships to children of victimised families.

From the Archdiocese tsunami funds, we have provided Rs. 156 million and Rs. three and a half lakhs to purchase land for the affected families,” Archbishop Gomis said.

The Archbishop while stating that the Church did not expect publicity for the work done, said no one had highlighted what had been done.

“But what we have received was blame and baseless allegations.”

Archbishop Gomis said some disliked to see the Church involved in helping tsunami victims, “possibly because they did not like these people to settle in their areas.

“We had to face such protests. They could be thinking the people we wanted to settle, were a set of uncultured from a foreign land. But there would never be opposition if hotels were built to get the foreign easy-going people to come and throw dollars. But remember the displaced are our brothers and sisters,” he said.

Papal Nuncio Archbishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Mario Senari, said Pope Benedict XVI has commended the work. He requested the people to keep the village clean and also try to cultivate and maintain the climate of solidarity, peace and reconciliation.

National Director of SEDEC Rev. Fr. Damian Fernando invited the recipients to live in peace and harmony.

He also thanked national and international donors.