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Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Update

 

May 11, 2005

 

Note: New content has been inserted in red, italicized, bold font.

 

 

Table of Contents:

 

Overview......................................page 2-6

Indonesia.....................................page 7-14

Sri Lanka.....................................page 15-22

Thailand.......................................page 23-27

Overview

 

 

·      The overall focus of attention is on relief, recovery, and rehabilitation for the December 26 earthquake and tsunami disaster. The death toll from tsunamis triggered by an undersea earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale off the west coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island has recently been revised to some 228,000 people along the coastal areas of 11 countries in the Indian Ocean, largely due to the Indonesian government revising its estimate for the number of people missing from 93,458 to 37,063, an approximate 60 percent cut. Reuters reports that the change in the missing reflects the identification of people who were listed as missing but were actually among those displaced after the disaster destroyed their homes.

 

·      Tsunami-related deaths were recorded in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Maldives, Bangladesh, Somalia, Tanzania and Kenya. The loss of life is particularly severe in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. Some 166,000 dead and missing are from Indonesia. The death toll in Sri Lanka climbed to 30,000 and is expected to go higher. In India, at least 10,672 died in Tamil Nadu State and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The death toll on Thailand’s west coast climbed to around 5,400, including some 1,953 foreigners from at least 36 countries. More than 400 combined deaths have been reported in the other countries.

 

·      Preliminary costs are: Indonesia – US$4.5 billion, Sri Lanka - US$3.5 billion, India - US$2 billion, Thailand - US$235 million and Maldives - US$1.3 billion. The world’s largest reinsurer, Munich Re, estimates the total cost of the disaster will exceed US$13.6 billion. On February 16, UN Assistant Secretary General Hafiz Pasha said rebuilding the affected areas would cost some US$10-12 billion dollars over the next three to five years. (Feb-16, AFP) In the four worst-affected countries, namely Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand, the economic impact is expected to be manageable. The GDP growth for India is expected to be unaffected. The 2005 projected GDP growth rate now stands at 5.4% for Indonesia; 4.2% for Sri Lanka; and 4.3% for Thailand. According to a joint assessment carried out by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and the World Bank (WB), reconstruction cost for areas affected by the disaster is likely to exceed well over preliminary estimates of US$7 billion. Former US Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush senior visited some tsunami-affected countries in February and said at the end of their tour, that some US$11.5 billion was needed for reconstruction.

 

·      Coordination: The UN announced on March 14 an agreement with accounting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers for 8,000 hours of pro bono work to monitor disbursement of its some US$977 million tsunami relief fund. A website is planned to be set up to allow people to track how the money is spent. (Mar-14, UN)

 

·       The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) will hold a regional lessons learned and best practices workshop on the disaster on June 13-14 in Jakarta, which will be preceded in May and June by country specific workshops in the Maldives, Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. (Apr-29, UNOCHA)

 

·       Logistics:

 

o      UNJLC has a detailed list of civilian/commercial transportation assets available on its website www.unjlc.org (Feb-3, UNJLC)

 

·      Food: Jan Egeland, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, estimates 2 million people are in need of food aid. FAO says overall food availability in the region is adequate to cover needs. The agency is working to rehabilitate fisheries and agriculture.

 

o      On March 25 the WFP said that the starvation and malnutrition crisis feared after the disaster has largely been averted. WFP says it has shipped more than 50,000 tons of food. (Mar-25, AFP) WFP says it is providing food to more than 1.9 million people. (Apr-26, Indonesia Relief)

 

o      The UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) warned that a build up of excessive fishing capacity must be avoided in tsunami-affected countries. (Feb-21, FAO) The FAO said that the tsunami cost the fishing industries of the 7 hardest hit countries some US$520 million in damages. (Feb-17, AP, UNNC)

 

·      Health/Medical: World Health Organization (WHO) officials estimated that up to five million people displaced and at risk, with some 750,000 estimated as displaced in Indonesia. WHO estimates 500,000 people were injured. There are scattered reports of diarrhea, malaria, dengue, measles, pneumonia, tetanus and skin infections, but no disease outbreaks.

 

o      The UN’s World Health Organization (WHO) said it and other humanitarian organizations must change the way they respond to natural disasters following the massive earthquake and tsunami disaster on December 26 which killed or left missing some 230,000 people.  The WHO’s assessment comes at the end of a three-day meeting on tsunami health relief which began on May 4.  Some 400 health experts from 130 countries, organizations and the military met in Phuket, Thailand.  The UN news center reports that a future agenda would focus more on health and psychological trauma, cut down on duplication of tasks and promote greater civilian-military coordination.  Reportedly at the top of the list of problems was how to deal with the chaos that surrounds offers of help in the first stage of the emergency.  Conference goers complained of the distraction generated by the huge numbers of offers of help.  Reuters reports that a controversial recommendation by the WHO was that future military cooperation should be governed by a set of agreements.  Under the recommendation, the UN would create a rapid assessment of what was required and then requisition military support agreed upon in advance.  Attendees said that mental health was an area requiring greater attention and said that body identification was an area that needed improvement.  Experts agreed that a reporting system for disease outbreaks and the use of mobile protection teams had helped prevent the spread of disease.  Officials at the WHO said that they set a six-month deadline to reform the way the health agency operates, as well as the priorities of the 192 health ministries the WHO works with. 

 

·      Security: Reports of continued violence in Sri Lanka’s east

 

o      The Indonesian government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) representatives wrapped up a third round of peace talks on April 16 in Helsinki, Finland one day earlier than scheduled.  The talks were described as “positive and constructive.” Both sides agreed to hold a fourth round of peace talks from May 26 to 31.  Despite the talks, sporadic clashes between TNI and GAM in Aceh also reported. Indonesia has ruled out foreign peacekeepers as part of any international monitoring of a possible peace deal with separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM). Indonesian military (TNI) says violence intensifying despite the recent peace talks; at least 20 GAM rebels killed in April, according to the TNI.

 

·       Shelter: On March 8 Aceh Governor Azwar Abubakar said that the GoI will stop building shelters in Aceh and instead focus on making sure existing ones have proper sanitation and clean water. He says that the decision was reached after many survivors indicated that they would rather stay with relatives than in temporary housing.

 

·       Political-Military:

 

o      Malaysia began crackdown on illegal workers in the country on March 1. UNHCR expressed concern that some asylum seekers and refugees from Aceh may be caught up in the crackdown. Over 4,000 illegal migrants, most of them Indonesians, have been detained in March. (Mar-30, Jakarta Post) Refugees International (RI) says that Aceh refugees in Malaysia are facing a triple threat: Families and lands were devastated by the tsunami; communities in Aceh continue to be in the crossfire as the conflict between the GAM and GoI continues; and they are subject to arrest and deportation in Malaysia as illegal immigrants. (Apr-12, RI)

 

·      International Assistance: The UN reported that humanitarian assistance to tsunami-affected countries totaled some US$6.28 billion. UN spokesperson says around US$2 billion of the money pledged is already in the pipeline. (Apr-25, UN) The multinational development banks, namely the World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), are also providing US$412 million, US$675 million and US$500 million respectively.

 

o      Thai officials have sent unidentified DNA samples from victims for testing at the International Commission on Missing Persons in Sarajevo. Nearly 5,400 people died in Thailand from the tsunami, but up to half who died remain unidentified. The World Health Organization says that thousands remain unidentified because of a lack of information from victims’ relatives. (May-5,7, AP, BBC)

 

·       International donors on Monday (April 25) established a multi-donor trust fund to manage some US$500 million in aid grants for rebuilding. In conjunction with the establishment of the fund, the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), in cooperation with the ADB, began a three-day international conference on promoting financial accountability in managing funds related to the tsunami and other disasters. A total of 20 donors are expected to participate in the trust fund. (Apr-26, Jakarta Post)

 

·       On April 13 UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan officially introduced former US President Bill Clinton as the UN special envoy to head UN operations for recovery and reconstruction. (Apr 13, 14, Indonesia-Relief, UNNS)

 

·    Jan Egeland, the UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said on April 6 that the initial response to the tsunami disaster was successful, but the problem now was to maintain the momentum of aid. Egeland says the UN was raising its initial appeal of US$970 million to US$1.08 billion. The UN says some 80 percent of the appeal had been raised or pledged. He says that the total international promise of aid totals nearly US$6 billion, although much of it could take years to materialize. (Apr-6, Reuters)

 

·    The Asian Development Bank (ADB) says that 2 million more Asians have joined the ranks of the poor even though the overall impact on the economies of the affected countries looks small. The bank warns that it could take the affected years to recover from poverty and also urged governments to ensure that funds are not lost through corruption. (Apr-6, AFP) ADB reported a US$4.22 billion shortfall in the US$7.76 billion estimate for required funds to help rebuild the four countries worst-affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster: India, Indonesia, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka.  To date, donor nations and agencies have committed US$3.54 billion.  At an ADB-organized conference in Manila on March 18, the ADB presented its data in a “Tsunami Recovery Tracking Matrix.”  An ADB spokesman acknowledged that while the matrix was not definitive, it was hoped to be used as a fundamental planning tool, to get a broad view of what is needed, where it is needed, and how much it will cost.  ADB on April 11 said that it approved a US$300 million grant for Indonesia, reportedly its largest grant ever, to rebuild areas hardest hit by the disaster. The money will be used for restoring essential public services, reviving economic activity and rebuilding infrastructure. (Apr-11, Reuters).

 

o   The FAO reported at a workshop in Bangkok on March 31-April 1 that soil salinity in affected areas was less severe than previously thought. The FAO says that of the 47,000 hectares (ha) (116,100 acres) of agricultural land damaged by the tsunami in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Maldives, India and Thailand, some 38,000 ha (93,900 acres) can be cultivated this year, while the remaining 9,000 ha (22,240 acres), mainly in Aceh have been overtaken by the sea or can no longer be used. (Apr-6, FAO)

 

o         The International Oceanographic Commission said April 16 that donors have pledged US$5.5 million dollars in extra funds to set up an Indian Ocean early warning tsunami system. Officials estimate some US$20million-US$30 million would be needed for the system, officials announced at a three day meeting in Mauritius. (Apr-16, AFP) On Monday (April 18) UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) Director Salvano Briceno said that plans for the tsunami warning system is advancing well. (Apr-18, Irin) At a meeting in Paris, countries affected by the tsunami disaster and UN experts agreed on a timetable for an early warning system. The US and Japan will begin providing tsunami warning to countries around the Indian Ocean as a stopgap measure. Under the plan, both the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and Japan’s Meteorological Agency will give out alerts after analysis of quakes in the region. A second step will see tidal movement gauges upgraded, while gauges will be fitted near Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. In the last phase, estimated to be completed by the end of 2006, a regional warning center will be built, with links to a network of gauges and sensors across the region. (Mar-9, BBC)

 

o      Australia says it will fund a tsunami warning center which will upgrade the existing sea level gauge and seismic network. The Australian government will spend some US$53.3 million over the next four years to establish the system. “It will be one of the first Indian Ocean regional warning systems which collectively will form the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System,” the government said in a statement. (May-10, AFP)

 

·       International Development & Relief Organizations:

o      Oxfam International says that the tsunami disaster has left a gender imbalance in affected areas because in some places, the disaster claimed four times as many women as men. Oxfam says women were worst-hit because they were waiting on beaches for fishermen to return or were at home looking after their children. (Mar-26, BBC, AFP)

 

o      The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) on Monday (May 9) launched a US$653 million five-year plan to help some 10 Asian and African nations to rebuild. The project, which will last from 2005-2010, will be covered by funds already raised by its member bodies. (May-9, Reuters)

 

 

 

Indonesia

 

Organization

 

Overview …………………………………………………………page 7

 

Sectors……………………………………………………………page 10

Overview: The Associated Press reported on May 3 that according to the National Disaster Relief Coordinating Board, Indonesia’s confirmed death toll rose by 213 to 128,790. (May-3, AP) The number of missing remains at 37,063 according to the national disaster coordinating agency. (Apr-18, AFP) The Indonesian government (GoI) earlier in April revised its estimate for the number of people missing from 93,458 to 37,063, an approximate 60 percent cut, because of better data collection. Reuters reports that the change in the missing reflects the identification of people who were listed as missing but were actually among those displaced after the disaster destroyed their homes.

 

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) sponsored an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) workshop at Oxfam’s office in Banda Aceh on May 3^rd. UN agencies, NGOs and donors participated in the meeting. The workshop focused on the continued humanitarian needs of the disaster-affected IDPs, data collection, mapping, and preparation and dissemination of public information, UNOCHA reports. (May 6, UNOCHA)

 

The Indonesian government today (Wednesday, May 11) said that foreign aid workers can extend their visas for another month. Visas for foreign aid workers were set to expire but Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, head of the government’s rebuilding agency for Aceh said they could be extended. He says that the extension would allow his agency to assess the work of the aid organizations. “The agency appreciates the continued assistance of foreign aid organizations and requests your understanding as the agency conducts its information-gathering and review process,” Kuntoro said. (May-11, AP) On April 24 Jakarta extended visas for foreign aid workers in disaster-hit areas in Indonesia by 14 days.  Visas for foreign humanitarian workers in Aceh province, which was devastated by the December 26 earthquake and tsunami disaster, and those providing relief for Nias and surrounding islands affected by an 8.7-magnitude earthquake on March 28, were set to expire on April 27.  The government has required foreign aid groups to give detailed reports of their activities so the government could decide whether the visas will be extended.  In March, the government said that only groups working on reconstruction projects could remain after March 26, however, the government later extended the deadline by a month, saying it needed time to review the work of aid groups.  Some observers say some nationalist politicians and the military are suspicious of foreign groups and may fear the presence of aid groups might increase international sympathy for the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels in Aceh province. 

 

The Indonesian government said on Monday (May 2) that foreign aid groups that want to continue working in earthquake- and tsunami-devastated Aceh province will have to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that they will not “interfere in the country’s domestic affairs” or support the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist movement.  “The MOU contains the procedures and conditions that must be fulfilled by the Non Governmental Organizations, such as not interfering in domestic affairs and not working for separatist interests,” said Komet Mangiri, adviser to Welfare Minister Alwi Shihab, who is in charge of the aid effort.  Observers say the Indonesian military (TNI) fears that the presence of aid groups in the province could lead to international sympathy for the GAM. 

 

The head of the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Body for the Areas of Aceh Province and Nias Island, Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, says that a civilian emergency law imposed on Aceh province last year would be lifted this month.  According to Reuters, Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, said that “it will not be extended.”  Kuntoro reportedly gave no extra details.  Indonesia had launched a major military operation against the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels in May 2003, after peace talks between the two sides fell through.  Martial law was also declared in the province for a year, and then Jakarta downgraded the status to a state of civil emergency in May 2004 for an additional 6 months, citing improved security in the province.  In November, the state of civil emergency was extended for another 6 months.  Under civil emergency status, civilian officials governing Aceh could enforce security measures such as curfews and house searches.  Observers say the announcement might indicate Jakarta’s willingness to come to a peace agreement with the rebels.  A fourth round of peace talks between the GAM and government are expected to be held in Helsinki from May 26-31. Previous rounds of talks have reportedly made some progress, however, no major breakthroughs have been made.

 

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has appointed members to an agency which will oversee the reconstruction of Aceh province, called the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR-Badan Rehabilitasi dan Rekonstruksi) for Aceh and Nias.  According to an Indonesian government statement, “the Agency’s mission is to restore livelihoods and strengthen communities in Aceh and Nias by designing and overseeing a coordinated, community-driven reconstruction and development program implemented according to the highest professional standards.” The BRR will have a full time staff and two oversight boards.  The BRR will be based in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, with a branch office in Nias and a representative office in Jakarta and will operate for a period of four years.  The agency will be headed by former mines and energy minister Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, who will manage the some US$4.84 billion fund for reconstructing Aceh and Nias.  Mangkusubroto served in the administrations of former president Suharto and B.J. Habibie and once headed the state-owned electricity firm. Chief Security Minister, Widodo Adi Sucipto was also appointed to the agency, which has some 40 members.  National Development Planning Minister Sri Mulyani says the agency should work according to a reconstruction blueprint adopted on April 15 as the master plan for reconstruction. Mangkusubroto says that the new agency will be completely transparent to prevent corruption.  “This fund must be accountable and transparent so that the flow of money can be followed and people can access activities’ reports,” he said at his inauguration. In comments earlier this week, Kuntoro said that he was “shocked” at how little reconstruction has occurred in tsunami-devastated Aceh, some five months after the disaster. He says that while some work had been done, it was “close to zero.” He says part of the problem was that foreign governments were waiting for his agency to become active before handing out the funds that had been pledged. Kuntoro says that the funds had to come through the bureaucracy and be approved by parliament and he said that he did not expect it to be available until September. (May-9, Reuters, BBC)

 

The agency will manage some US$5 billion in reconstruction funds over the next 5 years as well as award tenders to the private sector for reconstruction work, the Jakarta Post reports.  According to the Jakarta Post, the government would appoint the Supreme Audit Agency, the State Development Comptroller and private accounting firms to audit financial reports from the agency to ensure accountability of the money spent. The body will be directly accountable to the president and financially accountable to the Ministry of Finance. 

 

The GoI has collaborated with NGOs and donor to initiate the construction of e-Aceh, “a unitary information sharing portal on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Aceh and Nias,” in response to the need for transparency and coordination of reconstruction, according to a press release by the GoI.

 

Violence continues in Aceh, despite recent peace dialogue between Indonesian government representatives and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatists in Helsinki, Finland in April, with a fourth round of peace talks scheduled for the end of May.  Earlier this week, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the tsunami had led to a reduction in violence in the province, however according to an Indonesian military (TNI) spokesman, government troops killed some 20 suspected GAM separatists in the month of April in response to an increase in GAM attacks.  The Indonesian military says it has killed more than 260 suspected rebels since the tsunami in December 2004 and recently announced the planned deployment of 3,000 troops to the province.  Meanwhile, a report released by Minority Rights Group International (MRG) claims that Indonesian military troops are actively engaged in extortion, demanding money from aid agencies to use roads and from business owners for "protection payments."  MRG thus recommended a concerted action to prevent TNI troops from retreating to corrupt behaviors, calling on the Indonesian government to conduct an investigation into these matters and take necessary measures to curb them.

 

The Indonesian government reported April 8 that the country would need some US$326.4 million (Rp 3.1 trillion) to rebuild areas damaged by the March 28 8.7-magnitude earthquake.  The money is needed to rebuild damaged roads, bridges, and buildings that are mainly on the island of Nias, The epicenter of the March 28 earthquake was around 100 miles (160 km) southeast of the epicenter of the massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake on December 26. The epicenter was located at a depth of some 18.6 miles (30 km) and was some 880 miles (1410 km) northwest of the capital Jakarta, according to the USGS. The quake was reportedly centered on the same fault line where the December 26 earthquake generated the devastating tsunami. Residents of Sumatra’s west coast are particularly nervous in light of the three and a half months of aftershocks and rumors spread rapidly.

 

GOI put the December tsunami/earthquake losses at US$4.5 billion. The Consultative Group on Indonesia, made up of 30 international lenders, pledged US$1.7 billion in tsunami aid for 2005, consisting of US$1.2 billion in grants and US$500 million in soft loans. The aid is in addition to US$3.4 billion donors pledged that will mostly go towards reducing the national deficit. During the international ministerial tsunami meeting in Geneva on January 11, several countries pledged US$900 million for a six-month period to Indonesia. Asian Development Bank (ADB) allocates US$800 million, in addition to tsunami relief. World Bank will provide US$300 million in initial support for Indonesia. (Jan-14, AlertNet) The GoI has so far announced a series of checks and balances to assuage fears of graft. Information Minister Sofyan Djalil says the GOI will set up a “credible” oversight scheme for international aid. American accounting firm of Ernst &Young will audit the aid. Welfare Minister Shihab says the government would make official monthly announcements of the amount of aid received and spent. State Minister for Development Planning, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, said March 14 that the GoI will accept the offer of a debt moratorium from the Paris Club. The total debt on which repayment will be delayed is US$2.6 billion. (Mar-14, Tempo Interactive) Indonesia has some US$48 billion in foreign debt to donor countries under the Paris Club. (Mar-14, Xinhua)

 

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on April 20 said that it plans to lend some US$519 million to Indonesia in 2005. The ADB said it already approved US$64.7 million in loans and US$16.5 million in grants this year to help some 1,500 communities in rural Indonesia that were affected by the disaster. Five more projects amounting to US$454 million are proposed for the rest of the year. Earlier this month, the ADB approved a US$300 million emergency assistance grant, reportedly its largest ever. (Apr-20, ADB) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday (April 6) reported that damage to the agriculture and fisheries sector in Aceh and North Sumatra provinces had increased the number of poor by more than a million, raising the national head count ratio for the poor by half a percentage point to 18.7 percent. (Apr-6, AFP)

 

International donors on Monday (April 25) established a multi-donor trust fund to manage some US$500 million in aid grants for rebuilding. In conjunction with the establishment of the fund, the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), in cooperation with the ADB, began a three-day international conference on promoting financial accountability in managing funds related to the tsunami and other disasters. A total of 20 donors are expected to participate in the trust fund. (Apr-26, Jakarta Post)

 

The World Bank reported yesterday (Tuesday, May 10) that at the inaugural meeting of the Steering Committee of the Multi-Donor Trust Fund for Aceh and North Sumatra, some US$250 million in grant financing was approved for projects to provide housing, land rights and community facilities for Aceh and Nias. The Multi-Donor Trust Fund is a pool of some US$500 million in grant resources provided by donor countries to support reconstruction. The fund is managed by the World Bank and guided by a committee consisting of the GoI, donors, and civil society representatives. The UN and international NGOs also participate. (May-10, World Bank)

 

Under recommendations by the Indonesian Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) at a three-day conference in late April, the international community has agreed that audits on tsunami aid for Indonesia be conducted on a regular basis to ensure accountability. International state audit institutions would help the BPK in coordinating and carrying out the auditing. (Apr-29, Xinhua)

 

US Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick visited Aceh over the weekend and confirmed a US pledge of some US$245 million to build a road that will run from Banda Aceh to Meulaboh. Additionally, the US also promised an aid package worth more than US$750 million. During his visit, Indonesian officials assured the US that they will not allow funds pledged for relief to be squandered by corruption. (May-8, 9, BBC, AP)

 

Banda Aceh vicinity: City returning to some semblance of normalcy. UNJLC reports that there are somewhere between 150-200 NGOs in Banda Aceh, of which only some 50 are registered with OCHA and reporting activities on a regular basis. (Feb-23, UNJLC)

 

West Coast of Aceh Province/Western Islands: The Indonesian military (TNI) reopened the road from Banda Aceh to Meulaboh on March 25. Soldiers have built some 64 temporary bridges and more than 80 kilometers of roads from scratch. Road surface remains rough and local government will be responsible for pouring asphalt. It takes approximately 8 hours to make the trip. (Mar-25, Reuters) A January UN, GOI and US military report says the tsunami destroyed virtually every village, town and roads and bridges along a 170-kilometer (105-mile) stretch of coast that was not more than 10 meters (33 feet) above sea level. An assessment of the western islands off the coast of Sumatra found considerable damage to housing and livelihoods. UNICEF assessment found that at least 80 percent of education facilities on Simuelue have been destroyed. (Mar-10, Jakarta Post) A recent UNICEF assessment following the March 28 quake revealed that virtually all remaining education facilities were destroyed. The west coast of Aceh had a population of about one million in its six regencies, with about 500,000 in the heavily damaged northern three and 500,000 in the southern three.

 

Sri Lanka

 

 

Overview…………………………………………………..page 16

 

Sectors…………………………………………………….page 18

 

Overview: Sri Lanka reportedly now has combined the figures for its dead and missing into one figure for dead and presumed dead and missing. The combined total stands at 38,916. (Apr-8, Reuters) Of the total, approximately 5,000 have been declared missing. (May-3, DPA) The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is using a final toll of around 40,000 for planning purposes in its recovery plan. Justice Minister John Senevirathne says that the current period of one year before a missing person can be declared dead would be reduced to one month for people who were last seen or heard from on December 26, 2004. (Feb-23, AFP)

 

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says that some 518,698 people remain displaced with most living with relatives and friends, some in “collective accommodation centers” or in camps. UNICEF says that according to the GoSL, 800,000 people were initially displaced. UNICEF says it has carried out a rapid assessment to collect information on what the IDPs think of their situation and options available to them. The agency says that along with the UNHCR, they have undertaken a survey of some 226 families in Ampara, Jaffna, and Galle as well as 76 host families. (Apr-19, UNICEF) UNJLC had reported in mid-February that 141,985 IDPs are in “welfare centers” and 411,302 are with relatives or friends. (Feb.16, UNJLC)

 

The GoSL said on April 28 that around 50,000 people in Sri Lanka made homeless by the tsunami are still in tents and relief centers. The GoSL and aid groups have built temporary housing for some 77,000 people but obtaining land for further houses was a problem, because the GoSL had banned construction within 100 meters (330 feet) of the coastline, making land difficult to obtain, Mano Tittawella, chair of the Presidential Task Force for Relief and Rebuilding the Nation (TAFREN) says. (Apr-28, AP) However, Tittawella said that the GoSL finished demarcating land for up to 34,000 permanent houses outside of the buffer zone. He says that the bulk of the project will start in May and June and 80 to 90 percent of the housing units are expected to be completed by the last quarter of the year. The Daily News reports that some 194 donors have made pledges to construct around 97,000 permanent houses. GoSL has also decided to continue the family allowance of some Rp5,000 (US$50) up to June 30. (Apr-29, Daily News)

 

Some 120 foreign representatives representing donor countries and agencies are expected to participate in the Sri Lanka Development Forum which will be held in Kandy on Monday (May 16). The meeting will reportedly focus on “post tsunami and post conflict rehabilitation and reconstruction.” The chair of the Task Force for Rebuilding the Nation (TAFREN), Mano Tittawella, will present the needs assessment and the reconstruction strategy of the government. The meeting is expected to last for two days. (May 11, Daily News)

 

The World Bank said today (Wednesday, May 11) that it was not sure if Sri Lanka would get the some US$2 billion pledged for reconstruction. “Although the levels of commitment are substantial, there remains some uncertainty regarding the timing and magnitude of actual assistance,” the World Bank said. Sri Lanka has already spent some US$300 million of government money and has received some US$130 million dollars in private donations. (May-11, AFP)

 

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court on Tuesday (May 3) approved laws enabling survivors to obtain relief, including claiming the property of relatives killed in the tsunami or declared missing. The Court informed the parliament that the draft laws were consistent with the constitution and lawmakers could proceed with their implementation, Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA) reported. The laws would allow the government to issue death certificates for those declared missing. (May-3, DPA)

 

Aid was reportedly piling up at the country’s main port after tax and port duties on aid imports were reintroduced last week. Social Services Ministry spokesperson W.M.S. Wijekoon said on May 3 that “aid coming in now is subject to normal taxes, but if it is given to us for distribution, we can take over the responsibility of paying the necessary customs and port charges.” However, Wijekoon says that most of the aid was just old clothes and expired bottled water.

 

The People’s Liberation Front, or Marxist JVP held a mass rally in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo against government plans to form a so-called “joint mechanism” with Tamil Tiger rebels on the distribution of tsunami aid.  President Chandrika Kumaratunga supports plans to form the joint mechanism deal which is internationally backed. The Marxist People’s Liberation Front (JVP) has threatened to pull out of the coalition government if the joint mechanism is formed, saying that the LTTE will use it to achieve their ultimate goal of a separate homeland.  The JVP has warned that it would quit the coalition, which would leave Kumaratunga’s government with less than a majority in parliament.  However, last week, Kumaratuga said that she would risk her government to go ahead with plans for the joint deal even if it meant losing her government.  Kumaratunga told religious leaders last week that the mechanism, with limited administrative powers, would function for a year and any extensions would be determined on how well it performed, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).  The LTTE controls Tamil-dominated areas in the north and east, which were some of the hardest-hit areas from the December 26 tsunami.  Some US$2 billion in aid has been pledged by the international community to help rebuild Sri Lanka, however, the aid has been on hold while the joint mechanism deal was being debated.  After allegations by the LTTE that the government was discriminating against Tamils in tsunami-affected areas, the international community urged the so-called joint mechanism idea.  The joint mechanism would also allow some governments to give funds to LTTE-dominated areas, as most are hesitant to give directly to the group, which is listed as a terrorist organization by countries such as the US and India.  Aid agencies and the international community have pushed for a resolution before a mid-May donor review meeting. Many see the joint mechanism as a step towards achieving lasting peace in the country which has seen some 64,000 people killed since the LTTE began fighting for a separate homeland in 1983.

 

SP Thamilselvan, chief of the political wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), said that a February 2002 ceasefire between the LTTE and government is in “jeopardy.”  Thamilselvan says the truce has failed to restore normalcy and prominent Tamils are getting killed in ongoing violence.  “All that the ceasefire agreement (CFA) announced to the Tamil people as regards normalcy, throwing the whole thing to the winds and carrying on assassinations of Tamil academics, journalists, tends to make us think the CFA and the peace process at large is in jeopardy,” Thamilselvan said.  Reuters reports that the political leader also said that Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga was dragging her feet on the sharing of some US$2 billion in aid pledged by international donors for the reconstruction of areas of the country affected by the December 26 tsunami disaster.  However, last week Kumaratunga said that she would be willing to come to an agreement with the LTTE on the distribution of aid even if it meant risking her coalition government.   One ally, the Marxist People’s Liberation Front (JVP), has threatened to pull out of the coalition government if the joint mechanism is formed, saying that the LTTE will use it to achieve their ultimate goal of a separate homeland.  Thamilselvan says that more than US$1 billion was needed to rebuild Tamil areas ruined in the disaster.  It is the first time that the LTTE has put a number to damage inflicted in LTTE-controlled areas.

 

 

The GoSL says that it has received donor pledges amounting to some US$2 billion as tsunami assistance following the disaster, however, only US$750 million has been made available for disbursement. (Apr-11, GoSL) On April 7, the GoSL had said that a national reconstruction plan could finally get under way because donors had firmly committed some US$1.5 billion worth of tsunami aid. Donors pledged US$2 billion, but around US$500 million is yet to be signed and firmly committed. A few weeks ago, the GoSL had complained that rebuilding had been delayed because aid was only trickling in. (Apr-7, Reuters) The GoSL plan involves building some 62 townships, 75 miles (120 km) of electric railway, improving 55 miles (89 km) of highway and granting assistance to affected families to rebuild housing. Chair of the GoSL Taskforce for Rebuilding the Nation, Mano Tittawella, estimates that it will take 6-9 months to build houses, 1-3 years to build roads and a modern water supply system, and another 1-3 years to build new railway lines. (Mar-23, Reuters)

 

UNOCHA reports that an FAO salinity expert says that some 10,400 acres of farm land have been destroyed by the tsunami, which includes some 8,000 acres of paddy land. Additionally, a total of 27,000 home gardens were destroyed. The Sri Lankan Minister of Agriculture says that direct damage to the farmers of the tsunami was some US$3.5 million. An FAO Agriculture Advisor says that around 148,000 chickens, 7,600 cattle, 4,900 buffalo, 14,200 goats and 118 pigs were killed in the tsunami. He adds that some 273 tons of paddy seed with just over 1,000 tons of fertilizer and funds for vegetable production and other field crops are needed in the four districts of Amapara, Hambantota, Matara, and Galle for the Yala season. FAO is focusing on restoring the poultry sector as soon as possible. Forty percent of the damaged land should be ready for cultivation this Yala season and 70 percent for the Maha season.

 

The UN’s Food and Agriculture (FAO) organization reports that poor farmers face losing a whole season’s worth of crops unless they are helped immediately. The first growing season since the disaster struck is due when monsoon rains begin later in April. FAO estimates around 40 percent of affected lands are ready for cultivation. The agency says there is an immediate need to rebuild fences, repair pumps and agro-wells, and supply farmers with tools, seeds and fertilizer. (Apr-1, FAO)

 

Sri Lanka’s central bank said on February 16 that reconstruction work and foreign aid will more than offset the economic losses suffered during the disaster. The bank revised economic growth for 2005 upwards to around 5.5 percent, which is higher than the 4.0 percent forecast by the International Monetary Fund. The bank says that fisheries and tourism had already begun a recovery. (Feb-18, AFP)

 

World Bank doubled its commitment to relief in Sri Lanka from US$75 million to US$150 million in emergency credits and grants. Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced that it would reallocate US$7 million from Rural Financial Sector Development Program to an emergency micro-credit program. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board earlier this week approved some US$157.5 million for Sri Lanka. (Mar-9, IMF)

 

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced on April 14 that it has approved a US$197 million assistance package for two projects that will rebuild areas in Sri Lanka. The package includes a US$150 million grant and a US$7 million loan for the Tsunami-affected Areas Rebuilding Project (TAARP) to restore basic social infrastructure, community and public services, and livelihood, the ADB said in a statement. A US$14 million grant and a US$26 million loan will be for the North East Community Restoration and Development Project II (NECORD II) to continue the government’s rehabilitation program in conflict-affected areas in the north and east of the country. (Apr-14, AFP)

 

The ADB reported that the disaster led to significant job losses in Sri Lanka’s fishing communities and small-scale traders, increasing the number of poor by 287,000 people and the national poverty level by 1.4 percentage points to 26.6 percent. ADB also said economic growth is expected to slow this year with GDP falling from 5.5 percent in 2004 to a forecast rate of 5.2 percent this year. The bank says the biggest risk for the economy was the lack of progress in the peace process with the LTTE. Additionally, the ADB reports that the tsunami cost an estimated 400,000 jobs for 200,000 families. (Apr-6, AFP, Mar-18, ADB)

 

Following confirmation from the Paris Club of 19 creditor nations that it would freeze payments from tsunami-affected nations this year, Sri Lanka said that it would lobby for a freeze of its payments until the end of 2006 or 2007.  Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister, Sarath Amunugama, said that reconstruction in Sri Lanka would take from three to five years.  The Paris Club has agreed to allow the deferred payments to be repaid over five years, with a one-year grace period.  Sri Lanka reportedly owes the Paris Club some US$4.6 billion in debt stock and interest.

 

Information on many NGO activities can be obtained from the following link: http://www.humanitarian-srilanka.org/ (under Tsunami 2004 Information Center)

 

Sector Status
Affected Population	Over 516,000 people remain displaced; over 100,000 still in camps or shelters, over 400,000 now living with relatives or friends. (Mar-24, Reuters) WFP foresees the number of beneficiaries for February to be 845,000, and increase from its January figure of 750,000. This figure is likely to fall to about 650,000 in March. Nearly 72,000 children and 2,700 teachers affected. More than 1,000 children were orphaned and at least 3,600 lost one parent. (Mar-9, DPA)
Coordination	On February 4th the Centre for National Operations (CNO) handed over responsibilities of continuing its main functions of collating and analyzing data, coordinating and facilitating relief measures connected to healthcare, education, foreign donor assistance and food relief. The Task Force for Relief (TAFOR) will directly assume these responsibilities. TAFOR will be based and managed from the Ministry of Defense. Another task force, Task Force for the Reconstruction of the Nation (TAFREN), has been given responsibility of spearheading reconstruction, assessing the damages, and coming up with a master plan to rebuild infrastructure. Food relief will be channeled through the Ministry for Relief, Rehabilitation, and Reconciliation (RRR) together with CGES. Responsibilities connected to IDPs, Transit Camps, and liaison with the District Secretaries will be the task of the CGES. (Feb-9, UNJLC)   The OCHA field office in Batticaloa district is establishing a database of non-food items that have been distributed over the past four months in tsunami-affected areas of the district. Database will be maintained for distributions in the future as well. (Apr-26, UNOCHA)   UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team established an operations center at the Ministry of Public Security, Law, and Order and is working to coordinate emergency assessments and reports. UN-agencies (WFP, UNHCR, IOM and UNICEF) have to set up regional offices in Galle. Logistic Operations Centers (LOCs) has been set up in Batticaloa and Kilinochchi.   Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC) is posting on its website the weekly meeting schedules of UN agencies, NGOs, and government agencies in Colombo and Batticaloa districts. (Mar-1, UNOCHA)   For information on IDP camps, injured, mission, deaths, and, schools, hospitals, houses and roads and bridges damaged, as well as spreadsheets with the amounts and sorts of relief goods that have been distributed, check the CNO website at http://www.cnosrilanka.org/ The Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation, and Reconciliation’s website, www.mrrr.lk contains additional information.
Logistics	According to the UNJLC, on April 26, relief consignments of UN agencies at the Colombo port and airport will no longer be exempt from taxes and duties when new clearance procedures are to be introduced. NGOs can only acquire tax and duty concessions by handling the consignments through the Department of Social Services for distribution or having the department supervise the distribution. UNOCHA reports that most UN agencies and NGOs are trying to clear as much cargo as possible before the deadline. (Apr-19, OCHA)   Train operations on the coastal railway line were reportedly fully restored on April 11, after the Pinwatte bridge, which was damaged by the tsunami, was repaired. Reportedly over 70,000 people travel on the coastal railway line. (Apr-11, DailyNews)   GoSL has reportedly issued a series of measures to accelerate customs clearances of relief goods (Mar-9, UNJLC)   UNJLC report, “Comprehensive Road Network Assessment of the Tsunami Struck Areas in Sri Lanka” completed and available at www.unjlc.org. (Feb-23, UNJLC)   There is a UN On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC) and UN Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC) presence in Colombo. The UNJLC also runs the Logistics Operations Center (LOC) which has been tasked to coordinate logistics operations of UN agencies and assists humanitarian relief agencies and NGOs in acquiring transport for the movement of humanitarian relief cargo out of Colombo.
Food	FAO has initiated the delivery of some US$1.74 million worth of seeds and fertilizer to farmers in southern Sri Lanka. (Apr-29, FAO)   FAO’s Senior Advisor for Fisheries, with the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, says that the total number of traditional craft (canoes) destroyed by the tsunamis is 9,975. Some 741 boats have been provided to recipients thus far, and a total of 11,217 are to be constructed. The east coast was the hardest hit, with total losses of some 4,340 canoes. (Apr-19, OCHA)   WFP says it is providing food aid to some 709,000 people. WFP says that from April, WFP will begin giving 120,000 children a nutritious snack at school. (Mar-30, AFP)   WFP says it will start a school feeding program in April for some 120,000 children, in addition to the 165,000 children who were already enrolled. (Mar-9, Dailynews)   WFP will begin distribution of corn-soya blended food to 200,000 vulnerable people and to 112,000 mothers and infants. (Mar-9, Dailynews)   WFP reports that more than 90 percent of beneficiaries have now been issued coupon cards by the GoSL that enable them to receive allotments of food and cash. (Mar-1, UNOCHA)
Water and Sanitation	Americares has launched a US$1,000,000 water purification program to improve water quality and provide permanent sources of clean water for more than 46,000 survivors. (Apr-18, Americares)   Japan donated 9 gully suckers (sewage cleaning trucks) and 30 water tanks to GoSL in late March. (Mar-31, DailyNews)
Public Health and Medical	IOM, working with the Sri Lankan Department of Health and the College of Opthamologist,s has launched a project in Hambantota to provide ophthalmic care for some 6,500 survivors. Up to 77,000 others may benefit from the program which could become nationwide over the year. (Apr-19, IOM)   Canadian Red Cross and ICRC will train health workers to provide psychosocial support along with first aid and hygiene awareness to people in IDP camps. (Apr-26, IFRC)   According to Save the Children, some 29 cases of Dengue fever have been reported in March in Matara. (Apr-19, UNOCHA)   UNICEF says it distributed almost 80,000 mosquito nets, issued leaflets promoting breastfeeding and issued emergency health kits. (Apr-5, AFP)   Doctors in Sri Lanka say there are small outbreaks of illnesses such as chicken pox, diarrhea and fever in refugee camps in the Kinniya area near the northeastern town of Trincomalee. There are some 4,000 refugees in the area. (Mar-30, BBC)   Sri Lanka Ministry of Health has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Sri Lankan Red Cross Society (SLRCS) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to rebuild and rehabilitate 34 health facilities. (Mar-18, IFRC)   UNICEF says some 5 to 10 percent of child survivors remain traumatized. (Mar-7, DPA)   WHO is the lead agency in facilitating health sector coordination issues through the Ministry of Health and Nutrition (MOH)