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| Wednesday, 26 January 2005 |
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Tsunami aftermath - priorities At the moment our priories should be to avoid a disease epidemic from emanating from the camps. We should concentrate on the need of toilets, disinfectants and drilling wells for drinking water. If private individuals need guidelines these should be so instead of duplicating food and clothing with which the camps are at the moment well stocked. Sending items such as Sanitary Towels and Pampers creates a big health hazard in disposing of these objects as there are not enough pits to bury them and the smell it emanate brings in flies. The garbage disposal system of these camps were not very hygienic. Therefore it would be well advised for those keen to donate similar items to think of what the normal villager is used to and give them yards of white cloth - so they can make their own sanitary towels and hygienically wash them - as there is no problem in obtaining water for laundry. It is also advised for the organisations who distribute items such as mobile toilets to instruct the camps how to install them - as little use could be gained by stockpiles lying in the camp store rooms - unused. We could use every ounce of manpower to clean up and dispose of the stockpiles of garbage lying around - that includes 80% of the refugees who have not received any major injuries, mainly hit by floating driftwood and other objects. As the country is becoming resilient to the situation with each passing day, we should begin to realise that the Central Government will find it difficult to handle every sphere of this destruction without the support of other political parties, religious leaders and the NGOs. Coordination is of main importance - as no project could be expedited without proper plan and direction. A fund could be started to reconstruct the houses that were partly damaged and ease the burden from the camps as soon as possible. The Red Cross for instance has formulated a plan of collecting the data and sending off on the web, the number of displaced persons, the size of each family, the professions of those who survived and the size of their families, the number of those orphaned, and those who need be sponsored to be sent to orphanages, so people abroad and here can think explicitly before acting and decide how they should channel their donations wisely to the benefit of those displaced, by giving them homes and refurbishing or sponsoring a child or helping to further a vocation by sending equipment to the victims. If we all strive together as a nation, with sincerity and dedication and not as a divided collage, the aim to rebuild our country would be no great a task. Ayoma Wijesundere Accelerate housing development Except for the former Housing Minister Mangala Samaraweera's efforts to remove illegally constructed structures in urban areas, there never was any political will to provide a better urban environment except the 'Gamudawa' program. Mr. Samaraweera was a senior Minister in the PA Government and his action stands out. Today a good strategy is urgently needed. The politicians, local government authorities and State institutions looked the other way when thousands of structures were illegally built on State property specially in urban areas. Most of those houses and business premises were washed away by the Tsunami. At least now, all new constructions should conform to UDA regulations. Law and order is necessary in the environment too. SUNIL J. PEIRIS, Catastrophes affecting Lankans Catastrophes have happened to Lankans, since prehistory. A study of the classic Ramayana shows that some 10,000 years ago, where Hanuman set fire to a great part of this land with rags tied to his tail. Since then over a dozen catastrophes have occurred, ever more devastating and killing than the second Tsunami of December 26, 2004 9.0R. (The first Tsunami was in 1883, probably following the Krakatoa eruption) For instance, The Malaria epidemic (accompanied by Cholera and Typhoid epidemics) of the 1930s killed more people than the present Tsunami. Sri Lankans are a flexible, stolid, hardy stoic, forgetful race with many mixed DNA genes. We will survive. tolerance and acceptance sauced by laziness is our nation's motto. To rehabilitate our society now, may I suggest: (1) Abolition of excessive public holidays. (2) Extending of the workday by at least one hour daily. (3) Private medical practitioners, private hospitals to treat indigent Tsunami victims, free of charge. (4) Convicted criminals, junkees, political prisnors and other offenders be freed to carry out Shramadana building work as a pay off in lieu of their punishment. (5) Excessively obese, fat people to be taxed. (6) Cigars, Cigarettes and alcohol to be further taxed to rebuild the country and people's health. On the spot fines for betel chewing and public spitting. (7) A moratorium on all trade union demands, including salaries, perks and strikes (especially doctors' rabid strikes). (8) The qualifications for suitability to adopt an orphan is the donation of a suitable dwelling house to a Tsunami affected family. (9) Registration of all foreign qualified doctors to work in devastated areas to carry out treatment. (10) Temporary registration should be given to all decertified doctors to work in honorary capacity. All this will help to unify all the peoples of this country and rebuild it. Reportedly, there is enough foreign money pledged by donors to rebuild this devastated country after even a dozen Tsunamis. Anton Katugaha, It is unimaginable how some can descend to the level of a 'beast' and take advantage of another's misery, when all around there have been 'golden hearts' helping out in all possible ways to at least ease the burden of those on whom the Tsunami wreaked havoc. Delay in taking necessary and effective action against the culprits now will have severe repercussions on society in general and the up and coming younger generation in the future. Let not lawlessness replace law and order in the not so distant future. VERNON , Animals are the blessed ones to escape the destruction caused by tsunami. Not only animals in our National parks and others roaming in the wild areas bordering the coastline, even domestic pets, cattle, buffaloes, including ornamental fishes, appeared to be greatly disturbed hours before the tragedy struck. Scientists world over have closely studied about the animal behaviour pattern, which is attributed to the in-built sense they have inherited, enabling them to sense danger before such calamity occurs. As findings of research and observations of these natural warning systems will be dependable, everybody look forward to read much on these topics in the media. NAHEER TAIP, To achieve the above, the attitudes of people, specially those of politicians should be changed to think and act alike. Politicians of all parties could play a major role in achieving same by uniting themselves first, thereafter uniting the people as well. All the assistance the world gives us as our neighbours, would not help us achieve the above if the politicians remain unchanged. Let's hope that we learn this from the tsunami, and make this disaster a blessing in disguise. TOMMY WANIGESINGHE, |
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