tsunami response dec. 2005
SRI LANKA
To mark one year since the tsunami, a
series of five films were produced featuring
individuals who have overcome personal
tragedy and are now active in community
rehabilitation and struggles for justice. The
30 second films, were broadcast ten times a
day on two national TV stations between 22
and 30 December.
Hundreds of candles lit the big dome of the
Buddhist temple of Egoda Kelinaya, Colombo
on December 26 in memory of all those who
lost their lives one year ago. This multi-faith
event brought together students, parents, and
others from the area, including ActionAid staff.
After a silent ceremony, candles and flowers
were set afloat in the river. The event was
broadcast live on national radio.
A human chain was formed on December
26 in Galle area to demand that government
fulfills promises and provides clear
information on plans to re-house those who
lost their homes in the tsunami.
A major concern is the ‘buffer zone’ which is still
preventing people from rebuilding homes near the
coast. “There is a huge gulf between local authorities
and communities when it comes to information on land
and housing. Poor information leads to rumour and
speculation, fear and uncertainty.” explains Kala Pieris,
director of ActionAid partner the Siyath Foundation.
1
ACTIONAID • TSUNAMI RESPONSE • DECEMBER 2005
A half hour radio show, in Sinhala and
Tamil, broadcast interviews with tsunami
affected people and policy makers. The
programme, produced by ActionAid, focused
on critical issues one year after the tsunami.
As part of the global campaign to end violence against
women, street theatre proved a popular, powerful medium
to bring issues into the open and show where to get
information and help. Theatre was one of a range of
campaign activities, organised in the south of the country
with local partner WKMS. “Many people came to us to
say that these drama stories are really happening and
that they will help expose the problems women face”, said
Kisholi Perera, women’s rights team leader.
Jacobo Quintanilla from Ayuda en Accion
(ActionAid in Spain) joined the Sri Lanka
programme at the end of December as team leader for
communications. His timely arrival helped ActionAid meet
tsunami anniversary interview requests from six Spanish
radio stations.
CONTACT
YASSO (YASHODHA) PONNAMBALAM
[email protected]
INDIA
After the floods of recent months in Tamil
Nadu there was a flurry of activity to get
life back to normal. Work that was stopped
due to the rains picked up momentum.
Women and children activity centres were
completed in six villages and fish drying
platforms built in three costal areas to
serve the needs of local families.
Fishing families, farmers, tribal
groups, disabled people, academics,
students,
union
leaders
and
representatives from local and
international NGO’s met to voice their
views at a workshop on ‘Community
Accountability
and Transparency
in Humanitarian Aid’ organised by
ActionAid.
On December 26, a solidarity meeting of
the people’s caravan in Andhra Pradesh
reinforced the collective power of the
fishing communities and urged people to
stand up for their rights.
A well-woven package of debate,
presentations, plays and songs brought
forth ideas, suggestions and criticism
to help shape tsunami response in
2006-7. The event, held in Tami Nadu,
attracted more than 800 people and
generated extensive media coverage.
On World Aids Day (Dec 1), the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands team
joined a public rally to support a door-to-door government
awareness campaign aimed at building understanding of
HIV and AIDS.
THAILAND
To mark the first anniversary of the tsunami,
Moken villagers at Ban Tung Wa, planned three
days of singing, exhibitions and speeches raising
local concerns over land. It turned into a land
rights rally for communities all over the country.
ActionAid’s mobile education unit team organised
art and children’s activities to add to the colourful
demonstration.
2
ACTIONAID • TSUNAMI RESPONSE • DECEMBER 2005
December was an exceptionally hectic
month for the communication team with
media visits, interviews, press releases,
event management, writing annual
reports and a range of other work keeping
the team on its toes.
Community health programmes among Muslim
communities in Chennai helped raise awareness of
women’s health, contraception and sexually transmitted
diseases. Many women took part in the discussions.
On Lao island a ceremony
health cards and launch new
that will enable this Moken or
receive affordable healthcare
was held to hand over
boats and a health fund
sea gypsy community to
at the local hospital.
CONTACT
PREETI DAS
[email protected]
creative workshop was among the fundraising activities
by ActionAid partner the Foundation for Children.
Eighty six children from seven schools took part in the
second ‘Paint a Smile’ camp organised by ActionAid’s
mobile education unit. The BBC filmed camp activities
and interviewed staff.
Livelihood support grants were provided to 14 tsunamiaffected women by another partner the Foundation for
Women (FFW) and follow-up surveys undertaken to
evaluate the success of previous grants. FFW also held a
handwriting classes for 35 children from tsunami relief camp
Wat Samakkeetham and trained 21 community volunteers.
A sale of wood carving, clay molding and handmade
books and postcards produced by children during a
A press conference was held on International Human
Rights Day (10 Dec) to communicate concerns of
tsunami-affected people in Thailand. These included
land rights struggles as well as issues facing migrant
workers and small scale fishing families. The event,
organised by ActionAid partner the Save Andaman
Network, attracted around 60 participants – students,
academics and media.
MALDIVES
Dr. Ramani, one of the drivers of ActionAid’s
psychosocial work in India, held a training session in
the Maldives. The session, arranged by the international
tsunami response team, enabled Care Society staff to
explore methods that can be used with children, women,
youth, elderly and disabled people to help them deal
with stress and overcome trauma. Dr. Ramani also
visited Gaaf Alif atoll and gave recommendations on
how the programme can be strengthened. Young Asia
television documented the trip for a forthcoming film on
psychosocial care.
A safe play area on Fonadhoo island was officially
opened on 26 December with another completed on
Maabaidhoo island, also in Laamu atoll. Local experts
3
ACTIONAID • TSUNAMI RESPONSE • DECEMBER 2005
are being asked to bridge the gap in the governments
systems. ‘Blind spots’ are developing. This results in
some children and schools missing out on what they
are due. There needs to be far better coordination and
sharing of information.”
Did aid reach tsunami-affected children? This
question was the focus of a public debate organised by
ActionAid with presentations from government, schools,
NGOs, parents, community leaders. The findings form
part of ongoing research with Chulalongkon University
to determine how effectively the aid effort is supporting
tsunami-affected children in Thailand. The report is
expected in April 2006.
Thai government officials visited Laem Pom village on
Christmas day where residents are fighting against a major
land developer to remain in their homes. In preparation, the
local community of Buddhists, Muslims, Thai, and Moken
prepared a declaration on land rights and marked a huge
banner with the hand and finger prints of all those affected
by current injustices. ActionAid has helped bring the Laem
Pom case to international attention by introducing villagers
to journalists from around the world.
Speaking about the research to date, ActionAid’s
Jan Boontinand said “we are seeing shortcomings in
the way information is being made available to schools,
teachers, children and parents. Schools and teachers
CONTACT
JUI (WIMALA) SUTHEEADISAI
[email protected]
from a play-based learning scheme by the Educational
Learning Centre worked with islanders to build some of
the equipment while the rest was bought and installed.
Plans for renovation of four pre-schools moved
ahead as two community organisations agreed to
coordinate the work on Villinigili and Maamendhoo
in Gaaf Alif atoll. Tiles will be replaced, ventilation
improved and toilets constructed to make the preschools a conducive environment for children to
study.
Classifications of food, its functions, vitamin
and vegetable enriched foods, food taboos, food
preservation, vegetative propagation and making
compost were covered in the agricultural training
programme this month. The workshops on 12 islands
in Baa, Gaaf Alif and Laamu atolls, were aimed at
farmers and school children.
Nursery construction materials have been delivered to
Nilandhoo, Gaaf Alif for the establishment of Community
Nursery and Learning Centre to support agriculture on
the island. But construction can only commence with
participation from the island community and at the
moment this is lacking. A Care Society team is visiting
Nilandhoo to hear community concerns.
A management audit of community organisations we
work with was conducted on five islands in Laamu atoll
and four in Gaaf Alif. This helped to identify community
organisations we will work with in 2006-7 as well as
checking that financial records are being properly
maintained and other administrative procedures followed.
Financial management training was also provided.
CONTACT
AIMAN RASHEED
[email protected]
SOMALIA
To document the impact of the tsunami on women
in Somalia and develop strategies to further women’s
rights, Supriya from the international tsunami response
team and Amina from ActionAid Somaliland visited
tsunami affected areas. Their findings include:
Malnutrition has increased, especially among
women and children. The long-running civil war had
already forced the closure of government hospitals
and schools leaving many families without a secure
income. The tsunami compounded this situation by
destroying the local fishing economy and small shops
and businesses.
INTERNATIONAL
While demand for NGO spokespeople was lower than
expected, the team was well prepared for managing media
interest over the tsunami anniversary period and secured
coverage in local, national and international media.
Advance trips media trips paid off with quality coverage
of key issues of concern to tsunami-affected communities
and ActionAid’s response. Spanish television, radio and
press ran stories related to our work in India and CNN
filmed with ActionAid in the Andamans for their ‘stories of
hope’ package.
Overcoming grief and trauma was the subject of BBC
programmes and UK press articles following the visit of
UK-based psychologist Dr Raj Persaud to India.
ActionAid’s emergency advisor for Asia, Dr Unni
Krishnan, did the media rounds from Al Jazeera and
Associated Press to AsiaNet, AFP and the BBC.
4
ACTIONAID • TSUNAMI RESPONSE • DECEMBER 2005
As families can’t afford to buy
charcoal for cooking, women and
girls have taken on the additional
domestic burden of searching for
firewood. Economic problems have
also fuelled violence against women
and girls and led to an increase in
divorce leaving women supporting
families on their own. Supriya and
Amina’s report is helping to shape
our tsunami response so we are
better able to support women and
girls in addressing their needs.
CONTACT
OMER SULAIMAN
[email protected]
Quick work by the Brussels office during a visit
by Gareth Thomas from the UK’s Department for
International Development, resulted in questions being
raised over the Maldives’ ‘Safe Island’ scheme. This
‘voluntary’ relocation programme is set to receive 14
millions euros in EC funding in 2005-6.
Online information centres in Spanish and English
received a record numbers of visitors. The international
web site featured stories of land rights protests in
Thailand, memorial events in Sri Lanka and a ‘year in
pictures’ of ActionAid’s tsunami response.
In Thailand, project visits and extensive briefings
for journalists helped to propel key issues into the
international media including land rights, a community
memorial service, and tsunami aid and children.
Comms officers in Sri Lanka and India had particular
success in securing national coverage. This included
heartwarming stories from a trip organised by ActionAid for
daughters of bonded labourers, rag pickers and vegetable
sellers. The school girls, all from the disaster prone state
of Uttar Pradesh, had clubbed together to raise funds for
tsunami response in the Andaman Islands. The trip enabled
them to see the difference their money has made and share
lessons with local people on preparing for disasters.
The Maldives, usually neglected by international
media, was the subject of a BBC World programme
broadcast six times over the New Year period. The film on
reconstruction included a distinct message from ActionAid
partner Care Society on the need to involve communities
in the recovery effort. Head of emergencies Roger Yates
added a political edge by emphasising that disasters can
help bring about social and political change.
ActionAid’s long-awaited report on human rights posttsunami will be launched on February 1 . The study covering
more than 50,000 people, across five countries shows how
some of the most vulnerable survivors have been driven from
land or denied food, clean water and a secure home.
CONTACT
ALICE WYNNE WILLSON
[email protected]