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| Sunday, 9 January 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Where the need is greatest by Dhanapala Weerasekera The events of the last few days, the devastation, the horror, the grief, the social, economic and environmental fallout from the greatest tragedy that has befallen our nation are almost impossible to describe or measure.
And the aftermath, which we have to expect and be prepared for, especially in a country where even at a time of national crisis leaders seem unable to unite, makes the future outlook rather gloomy. Though there have been occasions when I had joined the critics of the media for being partisan among several other shortcomings, we must all pay our compliments to all sections of the media and deeply appreciate the manner in which all of them from the highest who own and control the media to the lowest in the service, for the great example they have set by being in the forefront of relief services. Even more, their organised and planned effort to rally our people together to serve at this time when the need for service is greatest. Nation's plight A brief summary of the actual situation created by this tragedy should be frankly and truthfully placed before our people. They should not be bluffed into a belief that the usual rhetoric of politicians and leaders and words of encouragement are all meaningful and thereby lull our people into the usual weakness of soon forgetting today's events and expecting "everything in the garden to be rosy" in the near future. First and foremost, we must accept the truth that there is so much to do to reduce the suffering of the people and so little has been done. It is important that our leaders should first accept the enormity of the problems and accept the fact that much more can be done by uniting all political and social leaders and forces together rather than by working as separate entities. The authority should be politically strong enough to take the people into full confidence and place the facts before them. From the early reactions of our leaders, we see that even at a time of such a horrendous calamity they find it hard to select words to describe the events. It is clear to place the interests of the nation and it's people before political or economic interests, that our leaders seem unable to get together, plan together and act together to add more strength to our efforts to recover from all this. To the affected people and to others who are intelligent enough to make a true assessment of the situation, it is not important as to which party, which race, which religious group comes to their aid. It is unfortunate that we already have seen some overt or covert attempts to gain advantage over one another in the services they project. It is an added tragedy that even at this stage from which there is actually no hope of a complete recovery for several decades, our leaders cannot at least learn from the experiences of other countries which have faced similar problems. Take the example of Britain during the last World War when both the leading parties got together and worked in the interests of the nation. Whenever our leaders of both main parties go abroad officially, they are always careful to discuss not only with the ruling leaders but with the main opposition leaders as well. But here at home, the two main parties have to safeguard their own party interests by grouping into separate committees and groups with their separate agendas for relief and thereby continuing to divide and separately group the affected people. We cannot take it for granted even a semblance of a central joint co-ordinating committee to face this national disaster unless and until the government changes its present course and invites to the main committee, the leaders of the opposition representing the affected people in need of relief and reconstruction. Challenge In the absence of a fully representative body as suggested above, it is not possible to direct those organisations involved in massive relief work, seeking and obtaining goods, services and funds and continuing well organised support and service where the needs are greatest to use only a central state account or state co-ordinated action plan. I am aware that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse started with some high level discussions at Temple Trees keeping in touch with the President who was abroad and initiating some sort of joint coordination. Apparently it stopped at some point and inevitably leaders of parties outside the government and probably some inside the government made their own programs and commenced work. It does not matter where assistance is required and can be obtained. At the present stage even the LTTE, if they are ready to join the co-ordinated effort should be involved as a part of our country virtually in their control. It is also very important to list and assess the priorities and where the needs are greatest. It is clear that neither the manpower nor the availability of funds and material is even a fraction of what is actually required to meet just the immediate first stage relief activities. And from information received, we find that at least some well intentioned relief workers and relief organisations "Serve where it is convenient for them to serve" rather than to "Serve where the Need is Greatest". Aid distribution There are some who satisfy their own conscience by collecting goods and driving down to areas more easily accessible and distribute whatever they have donated or collected. But as these easier accessible areas are noted by many such service minded people, these areas get enough and more and fairly higher level of contributions while the more remote areas get nothing. NGOs There are powerful highly publicised NGOs which instead of summoning emergency joint operation meetings are still unheard of in the relief sector. There are individual branches and some groups together doing some good work but when such a massive operation is required, organisations which in the past were in the forefront are still working on individual plans tied to benefit of recognition or points in their annual contests. As things are, let us accept the fact that our country has suffered its worst calamity ever and is faced with a crisis situation, the end of which and recovery can only be hoped, prayed for but remains uncertain unless even at this stage all leaders who love the country and its people more than their position or power, get together and stand together in an effort to at least minimise the problems of the future, not of their parties or their leaders but of the masses because the final toll of this calamity will affect not only those hit directly by the terrible events but all the people of this country and specially the posterity. The writer is a former Member of Parliament |
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