UNDP & Tsunami Recovery

Tsunami survivors voice concerns on reconstruction as dialogue begins

Colombo, 2 August 2005 —For tsunami survivors feeling left out of the reconstruction process, UNDP has initiated peoples’ consultations that will take place in more than 1,000 villagers, giving people a chance to voice their concerns and needs on recovery projects in the tsunami-affected districts of the island.

Much of the reconstruction and rehabilitation work that has take place since the last December’s tsunami, the survivors say, has been carried-out with minimal consultations with the affected communities.

“No one knows our needs because no one asked us what we wanted. They just brought the same things over and over again,” said Achala Lakmali of Beruwela who lost all her possessions to the giant waves. She and her husband now share a house with eight other relatives in the suburbs of Beruwela.

Lakmali said that the failure to listen to the affected people has led to a disconnect between assistance and needs on the ground.

“We got a lot of cooking utensils, but no one has given us assistance to build a house because we live with relatives. We pay a rent and have been asked to leave but we have no place to go. It is good that someone is finally asking us what we want,” Achala said.

The consultations, which have so far taken place in Kalutara, Beruwela Panadura and Galle districts in the south, are scheduled to begin in Jaffna, Matara and Hambantota next week. Altogether, there will be consultations in more than 1,100 villages in 11 tsunami-affected districts in the country through 460 focus-group discussions.

UNDP official say the purpose of the consultations is to help determine the needs of the people on recovery issues, such as resettlement and livelihoods development, to help people better understand the recovery process, and to share information from these consultations with relevant government agencies, such as the Task Force for Rebuilding the Nation (TAFREN) and the ministry of finance and planning.

“It is important to listen to and give voice to the communities throughout the recovery process” said Dilrukshi Fonseka, a UNDP project liaison officer. A failure to listen, she said, would isolate the communities and feed into their existing feelings of victimization and resentment.

The project is being carried out by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Colombo University, who will in turn collaborate with regional universities in the south, north, east and the south-east.

“The Peoples’ consultations are timely because they will help the Government and others understand the needs on the ground and formulate policies and projects accordingly,” Professor Lakshman Dissanayake, director of the Colombo University Community Extension Centre, which is coordinating and conducting the consultations.

He also pointed out that these consultations would enable the Government to adopt a bottom-up approach to tsunami recovery in the country. The findings from these consultations are being compiled to be shared with all relevant stakeholders.