Online edition of Sunday Observer

Foreign Minister (FM) Lakshman Kadirgamar led the Sri Lankan delegation to the special meeting of ASEAN Leaders held in Jakarta on 6th January on the Aftermath of the Earthquake and Tsunami. Finance and Planning Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama (behind FM), Secretary/Finance Dr. P. B. Jayasundera and Foreign Ministry Economic Affairs Director General Prasad Kariyawasam were the other members of the delegation.

Extracts from the address by Foreign Affairs Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar at the Special ASEAN Leaders' Meeting on Aftermath of Earthquake and Tsunami Jakarta Convention Centre, Indonesia, on January 06, 2005

Mr. President, the dead number 30,196. Mercifully they probably died instantly. The injured number 15,683. Those missing number 3,846. 88,022 houses were totally demolished and 25,731 partially. 212,223 families have been affected. 834,849 persons have been displaced. 789 camps have had to be opened to accommodate the displaced persons. The figures I give are valid as at midnight on 5th January 2005. But these figures are climbing.

When disaster struck Sri Lanka, the spontaneous warmth and generosity of Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and countless unknown friends across the globe proved to us that in moments of acute national distress one is never alone.

On the 26th itself, within hours of the tsunami attack, our immediate neighbour India, whose own eastern coast had been as badly ravaged as ours, sent 1,400 kilograms of emergency medical supplies with a team of medical officers followed on the 27th morning by 72 tons of relief supplies, a field hospital, ships and helicopters.

From the 27th onwards, according to the records of the Colombo Airport, we have received, up to yesterday, an immense range of vital supplies and cash donations from over 50 countries and organizations, which I can only describe as an avalanche.

They are, in alphabetical order, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bhutan, Canada, China, Cyprus, Denmark, Dubai, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sarjah, Singapore, Slovak, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

I would also refer to the United Nations itself and its agencies, the International Red Cross and national Red Cross and Red Crescent groups and other humanitarian groups that are listed in our records under the countries where they have their headquarters. I wish to mention the Asian Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank with whom the appropriate Sri Lankan authorities have commenced important discussions.

To all these governments and organizations, and indeed to the thousands of individuals spread throughout the world who, we understand, are collecting money for Sri Lanka, I wish to convey the profound appreciation and gratitude of the Government and people of Sri Lanka not only for the material goods which have come in time to ease the suffering of our people, but to all those foreign personnel who are working long hours, out in the field, under severe hardships, in unfamiliar territory.

The Government will in due course be writing to each donor to convey its appreciation in a more formal way.

The most urgent medical, food and shelter needs of the injured and displaced persons are being attended to. There is certainly no deprivation on those counts. However, sanitary facilities are inadequate for the vast numbers of displaced persons in camps. So far, the outbreak of waterborne diseases has been held at bay.

The purification of wells and the provision of clear drinking water are proceeding apace. A major looming problem is the treatment of trauma. A major trauma-counseling project will have to be launched.

New coordination systems are being established. Our highly skilled medical and nursing professions have responded magnificently to the crisis. They are working in the affected areas in large contingents. The Armed Forces are being deployed in thousands to carry out humanitarian field operations. Then we will have to address the major task of reconstruction that lies ahead of us.

President Kumaratunge has established with effect from yesterday, three Task Forces in the President's Office, each chaired by a senior official, with members drawn mainly from the business community and civil society. One Task Force is for Rescue and Relief, another for Rebuilding the Nation and the third for Logistics and Law and Order.

The rationale of the Task Forces is that since the human and material cost of the disaster is unparalleled, every effort must be urgently made to formulate and implement effectively a medium / long term strategy that will put in place a new infrastructure and systems that will meet international standards required for attracting international and local investment.

These plans will involve the small and medium term entrepreneur who has been affected significantly. It is important that notwithstanding the tsunami calamity, the implementation of the recently passed budget should not be impeded, since growth in those areas, which are largely affected by the disaster, is now even more vital to sustain the country in the next three to five years.

In the area of Rebuilding the Nation, President Kumaratunge has identified as terms of reference for the relevant Task Force the assessment of damage and the formulation of a detailed and comprehensive Development and Infrastructure Rebuilding Action Plan to be commenced on 15 January 2005 and completed within one year, giving priority to hospitals, schools, power, roads and bridges, railways, water supply and drainage, telecommunications, tourism, housing, urban development and environment, insurance and financing services and fisheries.

Rebuilding cannot start until the massive amounts of ruble and debris which litter the coastline are removed. A Construction Battalion of the US Marine Corps has kindly undertaken to perform this task utilizing the sophisticated air lifting technology which the United States alone possesses.

Preliminary estimates indicate that these projects will require funds in the region of US dollars 1.2 to 1.5 billion. In addition, about US dollars 250 to 300 million will be required for immediate relief and rehabilitation work in the affected parts of the country which are predominantly poverty stricken areas where the per capita income is less than US dollars 400.

The announcement by Japan that it will make available a grant of US dollars 500 million for the region is most welcome. Sri Lanka could expect to receive a sizeable portion of this generous grant.

It will be an almost impossible task for Sri Lanka to embark upon a process of double recovery, on the one hand, from effects arising out of the ethnic conflict and, on the other, from the destruction caused by the tidal calamity.

Sri Lanka is at the lower end of the group of middle-income developing countries but not far above the least developing countries. However, many favourable market access provisions are not available to Sri Lanka despite being a small economy under stress. In addition, the incessantly increasing debt burden is a major drag on our economy.

The tragedy that has befallen Sri Lanka has again brought to the fore the vexed question of debt repayments and debt forgiveness. Therefore, it is my duty, to bring to the attention of this gathering two matters of special concern to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has consistently honoured its debt obligations. In the budget of 2005 U.S. dollars 500 million has been allocated for debt servicing. It now becomes an urgent imperative for the international community to consider debt forgiveness, which has hitherto never been requested by Sri Lanka.

In this regard, Sri Lanka welcomes the announcement by Canada, and strongly endorses the initiatives of Germany and the United Kingdom in the Paris Club and the proposal at the International Monetary Fund for debt relief measures. Last evening I received with pleasure the information given to me by the Prime Minister of China that China would forgive loans amounting to 35.64 million RMB Yuan to Sri Lanka.

The second special concern is market access. I was informed last night that the Germany has suggested that the broadest possible approach be taken in assisting the countries affected by the December 26 seaquake, and that measures in the field of trade policy should be included.

Germany has stated that in anticipation of the preferential treatment that Sri Lanka would probably be granted within the framework of the new Generalized System of Preferences, it would favour immediate duty-free and quota-free access to EU markets for Sri Lanka's relevant products. On behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, I wish to thank Germany for that generous initiative.

Another relevant concern after the recent disaster, but not one confined to Sri Lanka alone, is the establishment of early tsunami warning centres. There should be one situated in a South Asian country.

I wish to close this address by quoting an extract from President Kumaratunge's address to the nation on the December 28. The President said "It is my view that this immense tragedy has given us an ideal opportunity to take a fresh look at ourselves and our society. This is a moment of great humility for us all. We have been incredibly humbled by nature's great forces.

An ineluctable truth has been laid bare before us all. The mighty forces of nature have compelled us to learn a lesson that some of us refused for long to learn. We have to act together, if we are to emerge from the ashes of this destruction.

This disaster has not been selective in the destruction it has wrought. Tidal waves have treated all people alike. Nature does not differentiate in the treatment of peoples.

Loss of life, loss and destruction of property take place irrespective of whether it is in the North or South. It does not differentiate between the Sinhalese, Tamils or Muslims.

It knows no difference between religions or castes: the high and low in society or the rich and the poor. It is necessary that we reflect carefully upon this lesson nature has taught us.

It is not possible to deal with a massive natural calamity of this magnitude separately as Sinhalese, Tamils or Muslims. We must all stand together. It is not possible for any one community alone to rebuild this country. It is also a difficult task for political parties to provide solutions to this great challenge on their own.

Therefore, it is my earnest appeal that in the sacred task of rebuilding this country from this massive destruction, we all stand together as one country and one people, irrespective of all differences, transcending the boundaries that divide us.

In a country where every aspect of life has been politicized, the building of such a feeling of unity may not be an easy task. However, this is a good opportunity to achieve such an end, even though difficult. It is my belief that however great the tragedy we face today, we Sri Lankans possess the courage and strength to overcome it."

In pursuance of the President's policy essential supplies on a massive scale have been, and are being, sent to the North and East. Next month the ceasefire would have held for three years. The government apparatus for the distribution of supplies is in place and it is being used.

I am happy to be able to close with a reference to the speech of the leader of the Tamil National Alliance in Parliament when it re-opened for the New Year. He thanked all the Sinhalese who had helped the Tamils and explained how the Tamils had come forward to help the Sinhalese who had been caught in the disaster. Let us hope, Mr. President, that President Kumaratunge's wish will come true.