Friends in need

OVER 350,000 people have been affected by the serious floods and landslides that swept through the country over the last four days – an unprecedented situation that has called for all people to join together to help their fellow Sri Lankans in their hour of need.

As thousands of people seek shelter at camps in temples and schools, those who are more fortunate are trying to find ways to help. Aside from the hundreds of armed forces personnel working on rescue and relief operations, many others have provided shelter, food and clothes to those caught in the floods. Many private organisations have already come forward to collect dry rations, medicines and other items to distribute to people.

Sri Lankans are well known for their generosity and ability to come together in times of crisis. This is another such instance when they must do what needs to be done. On a day when most attention would be focused on the Remembrance Day activities, many people preferred to help their fellow countrymen in need. This is precisely the sort of gesture of caring that Sri Lanka needs to heal and come together as one people.

The war took away from all communities. Just as the floods affected all people irrespective of their race or religion, the violence that overshadowed the nation for nearly three decades came to an end with great cost. As with the floods, much rebuilding needs to be done but it has to be approached with the same sense of justice and magnanimity as the relief and rescue operations.

Rehabilitating people whether from war or floods requires a sympathetic State. The Government has already promised 50,000 houses for low income people living in the hill country but is struggling to finance it. Despite the strong housing policies followed by most governments, it is time for the private sector to also step in and work with the public sector to provide lands and other resources so more tragic loss of life can be avoided. Systematic relocation of vulnerable areas will be massively challenging, especially since plantation workers already face significant socioeconomic problems. But they are a vital component of the economy and deserve to be treated as such. 

Housing for the north is also an ongoing concern. Even though the Government is in negotiations for a 65,000 house deal with an Indian multinational, the criticisms have been many. Other measures of reconciliation such as a permanent office for the missing are being ironed out but accountability remains the biggest challenge going forward. 

The silver lining demonstrated in the relief efforts shows that Sri Lankans are capable of caring for each other and it is this quality we must cling to as a nation to rebuild and, ultimately, heal.