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| Sunday, 23 January 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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'Unity, commitment secret of CNO success' by Lionel Yodhasinghe
No magic-wand was waved to ensure the success of the Operation Tsumani Relief. Unity and commitment powered by humanity that rallied into a human force to provide flash relief to the thousands affected after the monstrous waves washed away over 35,000 lives and property of coastal Sri Lanka on December 26. The operation is a complete success despite minor shortcomings. The disaster is huge and relief wanted urgently. The Centre for National Operation (CNO) was set up soon to attend to these urgencies, said CNO head Dr. Tara de Mel. Speaking to the 'Sunday Observer' Dr. De Mel said that unity and commitment of those who contributed in numerous ways in the hour of need during the last three weeks should be commended. CNO was a mechanism that represented all essential Government institutions, private sector, international agencies especially UN agencies and NGOs able to coordinate work fast and provide immediate relief to thousands of victims. As a result, the country was able to prevent any post calamity damages such as epidemics or death, Dr. De Mel said. Over 100 volunteers committed themselves towards this effort and serving sans any personal gains is commendable, she said. During the last three weeks, CNO was responsible in sending relief to the affected areas in the South, North and East well in time, and some volunteers worked for 18 to 20 hours a day even without a break, she said. The damage is heavy and the number of persons to be attended is also large and the duty befallen on CNO is also heavy. However, CNO as it has competent representatives from all sectors is able to handle the job successfully by getting all parties concerned into the task. She said the Presidential Secretariat facilitated the CNO in its inception. Several UN Agencies and NGOs supported to work out the logistics and obtaining essentials especially computers, vehicles and so on to enable the CNO to do an efficient job during a short period. The number of displaced persons' camps was reduced to 362 by Thursday as some victims have returned to their own houses or to live with their relatives. However, CNO is presently maintaining these 362 camps thereby ensuring relief to every needy person, Dr. De Mel said. She said that CNO is also in the process of shifting the inmates of transhipment camps to resettlement camps as they have better facilities in the latter. Several donors including local and foreign organisations are willing to provide resettlement tents for this purpose. The tents were made according to international standards ensuring better facilities and these camps are set up under the supervision of UNHCR officials those who have experience in setting up such tents, Dr. De Mel said. "We have informed the donors of our needs that the tents should suit to brave sun and rain as we expect the North-East monsoon shortly", she said. Providing public amenities, health facilities and even setting up sewage and systematic garbage disposal system, in the area are secured as CNO always takes precautionary measure to prevent epidemics in the camps, Dr. De Mel said. Over 84,000 displaced families will be placed in these resettlement camps within the next two weeks. They will be provided dry rations and a monthly dole of Rs. 5,000 until they are provided decent housing in the ongoing housing schemes, she said. Thus CNO takes steps to vacate families from 200 schools where they are currently to enable these schools to restart the new term. Another 176 schools which were destroyed in the tsunami needed rehabilitation. Private sector and several philanthropists have already undertaken the restoration job and the CNO will coordinate necessary work as the Education Ministry wants to reopen these schools as soon as possible. She said all possible support and relief would be given to the needy through the District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries to enable them to return to normal life. Within the next two weeks all displaced persons will be settled in intermediatory camps which comprise good amenities including bedding. This would provide them privacy to help prevent any possible social problems in camp sites, she said. Explaining certain reports that CNO is run by a set of heads those who do not know the pulse of the common man, Dr. De Mel said that success of the CNO is enough to decry such allegation. Since the inception of the CNO which was also an urgent need to deal with the victims, we were exposed to the tragedy. Any human being can feel the grief and agony and the CNO did every possible thing to give relief to the needy, she said. That's why all of us in CNO committed ourselves and worked even 20 hours a day. CNO provided them with a cup of tea and a packet of lunch. Their commitment is for nothing other than humanity, can they do so if they do not know the other's grief, sorrow and feelings, she asked. Dr. De Mel said that a special committee comprising several paediatricians has been appointed to look into the welfare of about 800 children who lost both parents now living in an institution or with an extended family. Legal provisions will be sought in the future to give them to foster parents, for adoption or to their close relatives. If close relatives are willing to take the child, the new law will allow them to take care of the child as adoption by a close relative is most suitable manner in the interest of the child. The destiny of those who have no such relatives is to be considered seriously, she said. However CNO with UNICEF would look after the welfare of them until they are taken care of by some person or institution. When asked about the transparency of huge donations and aid coming to the country for reconstruction of the devastated areas, Dr. De Mel said that all donations were credited to the special account maintained by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the Finance Ministry was responsible for such funds. "The Treasury will maintain accounts in this regard as donors too need the transparency of their funds and whether such funds are utilised effectively passing on the benefits to the target groups", Dr. De Mel said. She expected the Central Bank and the Treasury to update their websites and other information and data bases in this regard exposing the good work done on tsunami reconstruction. Dr. De Mel said that the task of the CNO would come to an end by the next few weeks as Task Force for Reconstruction (TAFREN), the Government legal body to implement reconstruction in the affected areas takes over the job. She said that CNO expects to roll down its performance during the tragedy into a publication which would go into the history of national urgencies in this country. Denying certain newspaper reports that CNO failed to deliver the goods as it was centralised in Colombo Dr. De Mel said although the Centre is geographically located in Colombo, it was a virtually decentralised body as CNO operated through all Government agencies, private sector bodies and NGOs to enable the victims to obtain relief in the South, North and East. "I admit that there could be certain shortcomings as CNO is called to do a task of a vast scope of operation unexpectedly. But we took speedy measures by consolidating all required forces into action thereby despatching relief through our provincial agents," Dr. De Mel said. |
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