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| Sunday, 30 January 2005 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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A first hand experience The date was December 26, 2004; it was the Unduvap full moon poya day. The sun had come out and was bathing everything with its rays like on any other day. Most Buddhists were gathered at temples to conduct religious activities. I went to the Maggona town with my father to buy the Sunday Observer and Silumina. It was around 9.15 a.m. We were in the shop and my father was chatting to the shopkeeper. Suddenly people along the coastal line started running, shouting loudly: "The sea is coming inland. Run away, run away!" I couldn't believe this as I had never heard such a thing before. But my father picked me up and ran with the others towards Munhena. Meanwhile, a large wave crashed onto the town and washed away the vehicles on Galle Road, people and everything else in the vicinity. Then the sea receded by about two miles. When the sea went back, everyone rushed to the beach to see what had happened. There were fish lying on the sand and people started collecting them. Suddenly, a mighty wave came again. Although some managed to run away, most couldn't and were washed away with the waves. Houses and other buildings, vehicles and large buses filled with people, all disappeared in the water. They were taken away by the waves. Within 10 minutes, the whole town had been destroyed. I couldn't recognise the Maggona town and I was in shock for a while. However, these damages were not much when considered with areas further south and the North-East, where the destruction was total. The death toll has now passed 40,000. According to scientists, these huge waves known as 'tsunamis' were caused by an underwater earthquake. Whatever the name maybe, the tsunami has destroyed many lives and left many nations in shock. Thousands have been left destitute and are living as refugees in camps. Although thousands have joined the relief efforts, for how long can this be sustained? The victims have nothing left. Although we can supply their needs to some extent, we cannot repair their broken spirit. I believe that the tsunami was a warning from Mother Nature. Humans have destroyed Nature. They have been ungrateful for what Nature has given them and Nature has shown us her displeasure through the tsunami. Sent by H. D. Anisha Shiromala,Grade 11A, K/Gnanodaya M. V. Kalutara South. ########## Repair and reconstruction of tsunami-affected schools The repair and reconstruction of schools affected by the tsunami is expected to get underway shortly. The Ministry of Education has finalised the list of schools damaged by the tsunami (176 schools have sustained damages) and identified the private sector-led donors who will initiate the reconstruction drive. The agreement between the Ministry and the donors regarding this project was to be signed last week.Accordingly 28 private sector and individual donors, and 5 international NGOs will undertake school reconstruction according to the specifications and plans drawn up by the Education Ministry's Engineering team. Construction was to begin on January 26 (a month after the disaster) and will be closely monitored by the special School Reconstruction Unit set up at the Ministry. Uniforms for students The Ministry has also made arrangements in co-ordination with its task force handling post-tsunami school activities, to provide all schoolchildren in tsunami-affected areas with uniforms and other requirements to attend school. UNICEF will help the Ministry in providing these facilities for the children. The first term for the new year commenced in most schools on January 10. Some children in tsunami-affected areas attended school without uniforms. The Ministry said that schools occupied by displaced people are being made available for academic activities. The Centre for National Operations has made arrangements for displaced people currently residing in schools, to be relocated and also to encourage and help them to restart their livelihoods. Two hundred and sixty four such schools will be readied with the help of provincial authorities and other agencies working with the Ministry. ########## UNESCO helps to restore damaged libraries The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has pledged to provide US$ 100,000 to restore all libraries damaged by the tsunami in the Asian region. This is part of the funds UNESCO has allocated to the tsunami-affected countries at the beginning of this year; more funds will be allocated soon, a representative for UNESCO said recently. Sri Lanka being the second most affected country in the region, more funds will be allocated to the country to re-build libraries and develop a modern library network. The National Archives Department is presently providing consultation and technology services to preserve books, magazines and other documents destroyed in the tsunami. The Cultural Affairs and National Heritage Ministry will soon submit a complete report on the damage, to UNESCO. Several libraries including 177 school libraries, 68 libraries attached to religious institutions, and 53 public libraries have been damaged in the tsunami. Assessments will be done shortly on the damage to children's libraries, community libraries and private libraries. ######### Priority for nutritional needs The Centre for National Operations (CNO), which was set up to deal with the post-tsunami situation, has given the highest priority to meeting the nutritional requirements of affected persons. The role of the CNO has been to study the total food requirements of the affected population and to coordinate all arrangements between the government, donor agencies, NGOs and individuals to meet this need. While they have considered meeting the basic calorie and protein requirements of these people as the first priority, the second has been to add quality to the diet by looking at dietary differences and to cater to those with special nutritional needs. The CNO is including vegetables and fruits, cereal such as wheat and rice and animal protein in the proposed diet for affected persons, to increase variety. The World Food Programme (WFP) is donating 2,600 metric tonnes of fortified blended food to expectant and nursing mothers and children between six months and 10 years to satisfy the nutritional needs of these special groups. This supplementary feeding programme will be administered by the provincial health sector, and will be given to affected people living in and outside camps. In planning its strategy for the next six months, the CNO is using the numbers affected as one million persons requiring 84,000 tons of food. Out of this, the WFP will donate 64,000 metric tonnes under its emergency operations. A few other donors have also offered large quantities of cereal. |
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