Monsoon Season
The monsoon season is underway, with its heavy winds and long rain showers. It has made life more miserable for tsunami victims who haven't been able to find homes of their own and are living in Weligama's temporary camps.
For Chathura, the rain isn't the only problem. The Sri Lankan army stopped guarding the camp he lives in two weeks ago, and security has deteriorated.
The camp was built by the Ministry of Fisheries in the Pelena neighborhood. Chathura and his father moved in about a month after December's tsunami destroyed their home, and considered it a step up from the camp where they had been living near Weligama's school.
The Pelena camp's temporary homes have a gap between their corrugated metal walls and sheet metal ceilings. When the rains started, camp residents tried to keep dry by sealing the gap with mats, plastic sheeting and even bed sheets. It has not been very effective.
When it isn't raining, the days are humid and very, very hot -- around 40 degrees centigrade (104 degrees fahrenheit). Fans aren't much help, so some residents have placed coconut leaves on top of the galvanized roofs. That has brought the temperature down a few degrees, but it is still very unpleasant.
A more serious problem is the Sri Lankan army's recent decision to stop guarding the camp, according to Chathura and his father.
The guards had generally kept order in the camp, forbidding the use of alcohol and not permitting people to enter or leave after 10 p.m. Since the army pulled out, drunks in the camp have become a nuisance and sometimes start fights. Chathura and his father go inside their small room when there are fights and lock the door. "We don't want to be a part of that kind of activity," says Chathura's father, a tractor driver.
There is also less water available for washing in the camp, because nonresidents have begun to take water that the guards had reserved for residents. "They just come in early in the morning and take it," said Chahura's father. "We don't have enough water to shower. At my own home I could shower whenever I wanted. Here, there isn't even enough water."
Chathura's father says that the government promised to rebuild his home after the tsunami, but has not delivered.
-- Sascha Gerbracht
By washingtonpost.com |
May 19, 2005; 5:00 AM ET
| Category:
Chathura Madhushanka
,
Sascha Gerbracht
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Posted by: Dhammika Dewasurendra | May 24, 2005 02:38 PM
May God rest in peace those souls who have been lost in tsunami catastrophe.
Posted by: ahmad suliman | May 25, 2005 08:03 AM
May GOD rest their soul who had died in the tsunami.My prayer will always with them.God bless.
Posted by: andrade wijaya | May 25, 2005 08:48 AM
Hi how are you just wanted to say that my wife and I are heading to Welligama on the 11th of June to help our friend re-build his house just wondering on what materials are up for donation to re-build or do we have to buy all ,we plan to stay a month and also was wondering on the higene there at this point of time ,to me it looks like it is ok at the moment so just a couple of questions sorry for all .
Posted by: Warren | May 26, 2005 06:30 AM
To Michael Dobbs,
I lived in Galle. Now I live in Windsor Ontario Canada. I went to Mahinda College Galle. It was built by an American Henry Steel Olcot. There are more than seven thousand students in that school now. Being a American it is not a surprise what you have done.It bought tears to my eyes the work you and your brother had done in SL, for tsunami victims. We are building seven houses in Hikkaduwa.
Nimal Tissera
Posted by: Nimal Tissera | June 20, 2005 02:58 PM
Many thanks for keeping us informed in the U.S. Please post again the places to send aid money to help rebuild the people's lives, homes, fishing boats, buy nets, etc.
Posted by: Mary | June 26, 2005 02:13 AM
Many thanks for keeping us informed in the U.S. Please post again the places to send aid money to help rebuild the people's lives, homes, fishing boats, buy nets, etc.
Posted by: Mary | June 26, 2005 02:14 AM
Please visit www.sunshinecharity.org. We are a relatively new Sri Lankan charity and have been conducting efforts to bring back hope and motivation to the children of both the tsuanmi-affected areas and the war-torn regions. We depend on donations in order to carry on our work in helping to bring relief and normality to the lives of these children, many of whom have been neglected by relief agencies due to them living in areas still politically-unstable. Thank you for your kindness.
Posted by: IDS | July 2, 2005 01:02 AM
Please visit www.sunshinecharity.org. We are a relatively new Sri Lankan charity and have been conducting efforts to bring back hope and motivation to the children of both the tsuanmi-affected areas and the war-torn regions. We depend on donations in order to carry on our work in helping to bring relief and normality to the lives of these children, many of whom have been neglected by relief agencies due to them living in areas still politically-unstable. Thank you for your kindness.
Posted by: IDS | July 2, 2005 01:05 AM
Please visit www.sunshinecharity.org. We are a relatively new Sri Lankan charity and have been conducting efforts to bring back hope and motivation to the children of both the tsuanmi-affected areas and the war-torn regions. We depend on donations in order to carry on our work in helping to bring relief and normality to the lives of these children, many of whom have been neglected by relief agencies due to them living in areas still politically-unstable. Thank you for your kindness.
Posted by: IDS | July 2, 2005 01:06 AM
The resilience of the people should be highly commended here.
Thanks for the video clip, and the news.
Posted by: Sumeera | August 11, 2005 07:15 AM
The comments to this entry are closed.
To Michael Dobbs
I was born and raised in Weligama now live in Canton, MI. I lost my mother to the Tsunami. I just wanted to let you know that how much I appreciate your work over there. I will go there in June and plan to help anyway I can.