The Boxing Day Tsunami in Sri Lanka: Natural Disaster
or Political Disaster?
The December 26, 2004 tsunami was the greatest ever natural disaster
that befell Sri Lanka in its recorded history. It claimed about
30,000 lives, destroyed 50,000 dwellings and seriously damaged another
40,000, made about 500,000 homeless, damaged 24,000 boats (70% of
the fleet), 11,000 businesses and the coastal infrastructure in
nine districts. Tens of thousands lost their livelihoods especially
in fishing and tourism. Overall 5% of the land area and about 1.0m
(5% of the population) were directly affected. The estimated total
economic damage varied between $1.0b and $3.0b depending on the
method of calculation.
A nation that had been bitterly divided and ravaged by a twenty
year old ethnic war rose to the occasion as one nation to provide
relief to the victims. The initial relief response has been hailed
as a model in self-help by a people of a poor country. Soon money
poured in from donors for reconstruction. Unfortunately the allocation
of funds was not equitable and harmonious says Dr. Randall Kuhn
of Denver University, USA who has researched the reconstruction
effort in the southern and eastern provinces. Calling it a “political
disaster” he mainly faults the decision makers for this situation.
Dr. Kuhn presented his controversial views to a GV audience in
Kandy when he visited Sri Lanka recently. The Executive Director
of Global Vision Dr.
Ananda Jayawardane separately interviewed Dr. Kuhn on his research
findings.
