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Early Warning

Published on 31/12/2007 in Ideas, Money Matters, press coverage, Security & Safety and services. 0 Comments

Radio messages to warn of natural disasters

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by Nilma Dole

Three years after the tsunami, a natural disaster satellite alert system is now ready to help warn last-mile rural villages on natural disaster emergencies. The Addressable Radio for Emergency Alert (AREA) is a digital satellite device that uses simple radio technology, delivering messages to save lives.

LIRNEasia (Learning Initiatives on Reforms for Network Economics) is a research-based organization that has collaborated with World-Space USA. They have field-tested the AREA device in Brahamawatte – Balapitiya (Galle District) and villages, like Panama in Ampara. “We have concluded eight different configurations that we can communicate to the rural villages and communities” said, Executive Director, LIRNEasia Professor Rohan Samarajiva.

The device is a palm-top radio which can be used to listen to news and music under normal circumstances.

However in the state of an emergency, the normal channel is automatically diverted to another channel which gives updates about an emergency. For different rural villages and communities, different messages can be broadcast on different channels.

From 2006, Sarvodaya has been working with LIRNEasia to help train communities to be more informed about disasters and to think about proper evacuation methods. “For example, flash floods cannot be pre-determined but if the Kelaniya river overflows, villages downstream can be warned that in x number of hours, y inches of the water level will rise”, said Professor Samarajiva.

Sarvodaya stations are located at their regional centres in 32 villages, broadcasting emergency messages managed by their team of experts. Even though LIRNEasia has given many AREA devices to rural villages, there are still more communities who are in need of them. “The government’s assistance is needed to fund the AREA radios for all rural communities with an authoritative person in charge to transfer the emergency message”. said Professor Samarajiva.
source:
http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2007/12/30/new17.asp Rumalaya online shoes

Tsunami billions still at sea

Published on 23/12/2007 in Money Matters and press coverage. 0 Comments

Thousands of Victims still stranded 3 years after catastrophe
By Madhushala Senaratne

As Sri Lanka marks the third anniversary of the catastrophic 2004 tsunami, it has come to light that only US$ 1.7 billion of the US$ 3.1 billion pledged by foreign donors has been received. As a result of the shortage of funds and other reasons, thousands are still living in makeshift camps while rehabilitation work has been delayed.

According to Nation Building Ministry figures, there was a shortfall of US dollars 1.4 billion as against the money pledged for tsunami rehabilitation and related projects. Some of the agencies and governments had disbursed almost all the funds they pledged or were on the verge of keeping to their commitments, but others were lagging far behind. The money was pledged from more than 480 organisations.

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An abandoned house at a tsunami housing scheme in the south.

Of its total commitment of US$ 150 million, the World Bank had disbursed US$ 142 million while the UNICEF had dispersed its full commitment of US$ 42. 3 million. The USAID which had committed $ 115 million had disbursed $ 68 million. NORAD which pledged $ 1.2 million had disbursed $ 607,992.

At least 19,791 housing units still remain to be completed for those hit by the tsunami while in some cases there were people who received more than two houses due to uncoordinated distribution. A?a??A?Of the estimated 117,483 houses required, 85% of the work has been completed while the remaining would be completed by end of June next year,A?a??A? the ministryA?a??a??s tsunami housing projects director, Ramesh Selliah said.

Although 100% of the work has been completed in the Southern province, about 88% has been completed in the East, Mr. Selliah said. He said thousands were still living in temporary camps and were reluctant to move. He said the construction of houses in the northern and eastern areas was slower mainly due to the fighting in the areas.

BatticaloaA?a??a??s Additional District Secretary K. Mahesan, said reconstruction work in areas such as Vakarai was put on hold due to heavy fighting in the region and the subsequent displacement of thousands of civilians worsened the situation. A?a??A?However, over 90% of the required houses in the Batticaloa district have been completedA?a??A?, he said. In addition, much of the work in Ampara has also been completed.

However, maintaining an estimate cost for a house is becoming increasingly difficult with the rise in prices of materials such as cement, according to Sritharan Sylvester, Director of Caritas which handles human and economic development issues in the East. Limited funds, donors moving out of the East and the rainy season were adding to their woes, he said. In President Mahinda RajapaksaA?a??a??s homebase of Hambantota a total of 6,391 houses have been rebuilt and families resettled. This is in excess of the 3193 houses that were directly affected or damaged. A?a??A?The houses built in excess are now occupied by the indirectly affected people such as renters, sub families and extended families,A?a??A? Hambantota District Secretariat tsunami work chief Mahinda Manawadu, said.

But, some of the housing projects have been completed halfway and abandoned. The construction of 200 houses in Ichallampattu in Trincomalee undertaken by World Vision Lanka was stopped due to the conflict in the area. However, its National Director Yu Hwa Li said that they would resume work once stability is restored in the area.Meanwhile, a senior official of the Tsunami Education Rehabilitation Monitor (TERM) said that of the 183 schools identified as directly damaged, 100 have been rebuild so far. Work on the rebuilding of some 40 schools in the Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Trincomalee and Batticaloa has been put on hold due to security reasons while the work on the remaining 40 schools is to be finished next year, he said.

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Certain projects implemented by the Japanese government in the East had also been delayed due to the prevailing security conditions. A?a??A?Although much of the work has been completed, including the reconstruction of Japan-Sri Lanka friendship villages in Trincomalee and Ampara, we faced many difficulties especially with regard to transportation of goods and equipment,A?a??A?, the Japanese embassyA?a??a??s second secretary Yasuhiro Watanabe said.
source:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/071223/News/news0001.html

Return to Arugambay

Published on 20/12/2007 in Blogs, Money Matters and the bay. 0 Comments

By Dr Kavan RatnatungaThe consequences of Great Tsunami of 26th December still influence events in Lanka. I had visited the east coast of Lanka 5 days after the Tsunami and it was just over 5 months, when I got the opportunity to return to Arugambay to see how the population directly affected by the Tsunami have recovered. They have little time to ponder the larger issues of sovereignty which is currently dominating the media and tearing apart the government and it’s politicians bickering on how to safeguard Lanka and divide the billion$ of Foreign Aid promised for Tsunami relief.

As on the previous trip I joined Lt. Col. Anil Amerasekara. Wing Cmdr. Ranjit Ratnapala was also traveling with us to continue his quest to help the region in the name of his son Chinthaka, who had in June 1997 made the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of Lanka. We were joined in Kandy by Nisanka and Ira Madiwaka who had collected funds in UK to rebuild Tsunami affected houses in the east coast.

On Friday we visited three small computer centers near Ampara organized by the Thawalama organization and housed in Buddhist Temples. A computer technician Manjula came with us to fix problems and maintain the 5 computers in each center. A local teacher is hired to educate 5 batches of about 10 students each in English and Computer literacy. After the 6 months course they sit for an exam. We held such an exam on Sunday in one of the centers before returning to Colombo. The exam is set and marked in collaboration with Where to buy tamoxifen online IDM who awards certificates to those that pass (about 30%) and scholarships to those that do very well (about 1%). This program had been active now for about 2 years in eight centers in the North-East provinces of Lanka.

The Potuvil to Arugambay bridge, part of which had washed away in the Tsunami had reopened with the aid of the Engineering regiments of the Indian Army Task Force. An Indian Flag was hung on the side in gratitude, I wonder how long this temporary repair which allowed a single vehicle to be on the bridge at one time, will need to serve the community.


The entrance to temporarily reconstructed Arugambay Bridge
It was about 10 O’clock when we drove into Arugambay on our way to stay overnight at the Guest House in Kudakalli 2 km further south. A ghost town after the Tsunami just five months previously, Arugambay was alive at this late hour. Many Tourists had returned to this surfing paradise and were on the streets walking from their hotels to patronize the Cybercafe and many Bars and restaurants which had reopened. A street performance was entertaining a large audience near a newly constructed Buddhist shrine in the town center.


The infamous Tsunami Hotel sign, repainted with URL
The Tsunami Beach hotel sign had been revised and put back up proudly stating that they had open since 1999. The owners cashing in on on all the media publicity after the Tsunami had even registered in March 2005 an Internet domain tsunamihotel.com. It like the Hotel had still not activated.

Arriving at Daya Fernando’s guest house we surprised the caretakers since they had not got the message of our arrival. However dinner was soon ready and the mosquito nets put up for us to retire to sleep from a long drive. Since I had not slept overnight near the east coast for almost 30 years, I got up an hour before sunrise and walked out with disturbing the others. Daya’s 3 dogs were ready to protect me and show me the way. The surf was up but fairly calm. Starlight and a crescent moon illuminated the many shells that had washed ashore on to the beach. A couple were beach combing a rich bounty. I too picked up some beautiful large shells and coral. I was amazed to see the many striations of black sand on the beach. Considering that region of the beach needs to have been rebuilt after the Tsunami, black sand probably settles only at particular tide characteristics. I was disappointed by the clouds which covered the horizon at sunrise. The others were up and ready for breakfast by the time I walked back to the guest house.

Our next visit was to Panama. A small Sinhala community 10 km south of Arugambay. We went to the residence of Chandrasena who was the secretary to the local Pradesh Saba (community council). He is I was told a (s)pot-less politician. It was he who had compiled the list of 17 houses which had been badly damaged in Panama by the Tsunami and had sent out the appeal with photographs for funding. He told us that all off them had already been rebuilt by Thawalama using funding from Sri Lanka Tsunami Appeal Committee of Western Australia. I also witnessed the handing over of ten carts with pneumatic tires to cultivators affected by the Tsunami from this same committee.

The cultivators of Panama also lost over 350 acres of paddy land, when areas such as Halawa, close to the sea was flooded by Tsunami water. These Paddy fields will remain barren for many years till the salt washes away. Though they have been promised alternate land under the Meeyangoda tank, which is to be restored with funding from the Rotary Club of Kandy, the cultivators now fear that this too is another promise that will never materialize. Most NGO’s who have visited the village of Panama have requested the villagers to fill application forms, but have failed to provide the promised assistance.

In the reality that some promises of help for reasons beyond the control of the well-wishers get delayed or unfulfilled, construction starts when the first group comes with the hard cash. There have been some reported cases when more than one group have known to have paid for the same reconstruction.

That was clearly not going to happen here. The UK funding would need to be used for other housing project in Panama or elsewhere on the East coast. We visited some homes which although had only been slightly damaged by tsunami, the residents who had lost their livelihood to the Tsunami and their ability to complete a partial house construction. The decisions were hard to make with so many valid requests for help.

Nearly all of the help to reconstruct and revitalize the community has come from private organizations which have raised the required funds in Lanka and abroad. The government represented by the Task Force for Rebuilding the Nation (TAFREN) had still not made any positive impact on reconstruction the community. All that the residents have seen are the numerous reports and advertisements in the media of what is being planned, Those affected were wondering where all the claimed foreign aid had got tied up.

Just south of Arugambay, the village of Ulla, within the 200 meter buffer zone was totally destroyed by the tsunami. TAFREN has thus far failed to provide the affected families with alternate property outside the buffer zone, for them to commence rebuilding their houses. The NGO’s who want to help these unfortunate people to rebuild their houses are being discouraged as a result.

TAFREN unlike most NGOs allocates the task signs a MoU and waits. For example the Sinhapura Sinhala Vidyalaya in Ulla near Arugambay was totally destroyed by the tsunami, even though it is beyond the 200 meter buffer zone. The Italian Civil Protection Mission has signed a MoU to complete construction work in six months. It is now six months since the tsunami and they have yet to commence work on reconstruction. The Thawalama Development Foundation that wrote to the President in this connection, requesting her to reallocate this school to them, as they are in a position to find the necessary funds for the purpose, have been informed by TAFREN that this is not possible.

Unlike state aid, private aid has in many cases been made on racial and religious divisions. A Tamil resident from Jaffna I spoke to said that although many who didn’t have any fishing boats have received a one, but he who had lost seven boats in the Tsunami has still to get any replacement.

That evening we visited the “Mudu Maha Vihara”. We were surprised to find that the archaeological dept. sign that pointed the way for pilgrims and tourists had been removed and replaced with a large Mosque sign which at bottom mentioned an unnamed archaeological site. An interesting report that circulated soon after the Tsunami was that a reclining Buddha statue had been seen few hundred meters from the coast when the sea receded near the Vihara. The Monk who was in residence on the fateful day, said that no such statue had been seen. The story had been made up to say that the 34 acres of land allocated in the 1960’s to the Vihara as an archaeological reserve is from the sea, and not the 30 acres of archaeological land illegally encroached by the local Muslim community.


Buddhist Monk explains the history of MuduMahaVihara next to statue identified as that of King KavanTissa.
This great Buddhist temple near the sea dates back to the 2nd century B.C. and has ruins and many sculpture from that era. It is stated in the ancient chronicle the “Rajavaliya” that in the second century BC after Kelaniya was submerged by the sea (Tsunami), Devi daughter of King was cast to sea in a Golden Vessel to appease the gods, and washed ashore near a Vihara to became queen to king KavanTissa under the name Viharamahadevi. Kirinda which is a lot further south and this site each claim to be the “true” landing site. Local folklore relate place names Komari to “Ko Kumari” (where is Princess) and Arugambay to reply “Ara gamme” (In that village)

Early next morning observing that the sky was still too cloudy to see sunrise, I went on a bicycle to photograph Arugambay and the reconstructed Bridge at dawn. The village was as empty as when we had walked that way five months previously. All of the rubble had been cleared. However various Political forces with wildly different agendas were preventing the start of the urgent Reconstruction.

After breakfast, packed and on our way out of Arugambay, we distributed baby T-shirts sent by the Senahasa Trust of UK. Although we had sent a message the day before through a local contact that we would be distributing free T-shirts to Tsunami affected families, no one had come when we arrived a bit early. I guess they had probably been disappointed before. A reasonable crowed of mothers with babies gathered after we arrived when word spread in village. We were glad we realized before trying to distribute them that the sealed T-shirts marked 6-12 was months not years as we had first assumed. Although all of the T-shirts were for babies under 2 years, we found some small built 9-years olds who fitted into them comfortably. To ensure that the T-shirts went to kids and not the local store, we insisted that the babies be present despite some legitimate comments from some mothers who didn’t want to bring their babies in the hot sun just to get a T-shirt.


Has the charm Arugambay Hillton to be demolished for the 5* Original
Talking with the villages at that time I was told that TAFREN with the Ceylon Tourist Board is trying to acquire a 17-mile long strip of the best sea coast on the pretext of a Tsunami 200 meter buffer zone, for development of a upscale resort of with five-star hotels, displacing the residents and small business who have occupied this land for generations. This amazing outrage is in detail by John Lancaster in a Washington post Proventil inhaler over the counter article of 6th June. The people of Arugambay must surely be feeling like they say in Sinhala “Like a man fallen from a tree, getting butted by a bull”

An edited version of this article Slow relief but surfers are back By Kavan Ratnatunga appeared in the SundayTimes of Sri Lanka on 2005 June 26th. The printed copy of Newspaper included Photographs shown above and not included in online edition. Access to the Online edition of the SundayTimes of Sri Lanka requires a paid annual subscription.source:
http://lakdiva.org/tsunami/arugambay/

Solid Houses

Published on 19/12/2007 in front page, Ideas, Money Matters and the bay. 11 Comments

Order yougaramdewababa On the event of re-advertised vacancy of project manager (see Comment below), this post is hereby re-published:
Still, there is not one real good development at Arugambay to report.
But, at nearby PottuVille, the Dutch Solid House Foundation is getting on very well with their Tropical Iglu project.
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Build to a high standard, mainly for Tamils in a Tamil area, and above all also popular with the locals:
Here we have, at last! a project to be proud of.
Arugam.info regrets that no such brilliant progress has ever been made in the Bay itself – after all How much does prograf cost Arugam is “The hardest hit Community in the whole of Sri Lanka”

2007 Capture Competition

Published on 16/12/2007 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, front page, Ideas, Money Matters and the bay. 10 Comments

The grand Arugam Bay Order zenegra photo Competition price of 2007 remains unclaimed!
Even a regular visitor to the Bay, having won 2 weeks Free B&B for two in an a/c suite, did not visit the Bay this year. It has never been as quiet as this before!
Order lisinopril hydrochlorothiazide AbHa has decided to extent the offer to redeem for one further year, hoping to welcome brilliant photographer Mr. Philip sometime in 2008.

How about a capture contest?
Below are a few amateur shots, all taken around the same location.
During the past 3 years.

AbHa, trying hard to attract tourists thinks the few photos sum up the “progress” of the past three years rather well, without many words. And show the conflict of interests in the Bay these days.
The winner of the most apt, funny or fitting capture will win a chance to run up and down Arugam Bay beach (just 2km) and try to match the amount of vessels with the slogans painted upon them.
At our expense.
Simply click “Comments” and let us hear your suggestion.

2004 View to Beach

December 2004; a Natural Event

Clean Arugam Bay April 2005

April, 2005. A fine balance is still in place

Outlook 2005

2005: Is this what tourists come to the Bay for?

Outlook Dec. 2007: After NGO

YOUR Suggestions Please!

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Private resort in Marawila attacked

Published on 06/12/2007 in front page, Money Matters, press coverage and Security & Safety. 4 Comments

A private sports resort in Marawila was set on fire by an unknown gang early last morning, the management told the Daily Mirror yesterday claiming that it was the second such attack within the past one week forcing it to shut down operations.

Aquarius Sports Resort chairman Dr. Dietmar Doering said that around 15 -20 men stormed the premises on Tuesday at the time a few German and American guests were inside, damaged property and set fire to the place.

A?a??A?On Poya day, just one week ago four rooms of our hotel, which has been leased to a local party, were smashed by the same or a related gang. A driver of a Government Minister from the area had refused to pay a bill and a subsequent fight resulted in the destruction of four of our hotel rooms and two shops in Marawila. Vehicles too were smashed. The total damage was around 15 million rupees. A settlement subsequently resolved the dispute while none of the parties claimed damages from the other party,A?a??A? Mr Doering said.

He said he had now decided to wind up his operations in the country as his life and that of his guests were under threat owing to frequent attacks on his resort.

A?a??A?Law and order is no longer in the hands or in the control of the authorities here. We are in the process of issuing warning notices to European travel trade organisations based on the incidents which happened here last night,A?a??A? he said.

When contacted by the Daily Mirror the Marawila police confirmed that an incident had taken place but refused to divulge further details.

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A long lost article has resurfaced

Published on 28/11/2007 in Money Matters, people, press coverage, services and the bay. 0 Comments

Sunday Times – Sri Lanka 2005 January 9th – Plus – Page 5

Once Sri Lanka’s surf paradise,
Arugam Bay offers only rubble and mass graves after the tsunami

     

Lost to the sea

By Kavan Ratnatunga
Arugam Bay on the south-east coast of Lanka is surf paradise. Many travel there directly from the airport ignoring the country?smany other attractions. In the aftermath of the tsunami, on December 30, I joined Lt.Col. Anil Amerasekara, Daya Fernando who had a beach house in Arugam Bay and Lalith Karunaratna who is an engineer from Sony in Dubai to deliver relief aid from the Thawalama organisation to Pottuvil and Arugam Bay.

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Driving south to Lahugala, we passed many aid trucks on the road each with a large white banner in front proclaiming the name of the organization. An idea probably started by aid sent by one TV station and copied by many. I was glad our vehicle had no banner, there was no need for self-publicity at this time. Lahugala near the STF camp was crammed with trucks. There were far more items than could be stored for distribution to the victims. All possible rooms which had any storage space were piled to the ceiling. One needed to “know someone” to get any aid stored under cover. Dry rations unloaded next to the road were soaking in the rain for lack of covered space.

We dropped off all of the relief supplies at the local administration office at Lahugala which agreed to distribute them to the tsunami victims when needed over the next few weeks.

Driving east to Pottuvil, we passed beautiful green paddy-fields and then saw the Pottuvil to Arugam Bay bridge in the distant horizon. Half of the bridge had been washed away and the other half stood ending in midair. The surroundings abruptly changed to a barren land washed away by the tsunami.The town was a huge mess, though in the process of being cleaned. Earth moving plows were hard at work. All of the shops near the coast had been washed away leaving empty shells. The dead had been buried in mass graves. We were told that some of the foreigners had been photographed before burial and sites recorded, but I suspect this was not done systematically.

It was amazing to see the Buddha statue next to the bridge absolutely undamaged. Even the plate glass in front of it and the Bodhi tree near it were unscathed, even though there was much destruction to the Pottuvil village behind it and the distant half of the large bridge was completely destroyed and washed away.
arugambay_dog.jpg


 We went by boat under the bridge and across the causeway, to get to Arugam Bay. Walking onto devastated land was an eerie feeling. The residents had all left leaving a ghost town behind. A stray dog was looking for lunch. Items that had floated in had landed in unexpected places. There were beds from guest-houses next to smashed up cars and boats.

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 Suddenly we came up to a large sign which read “Tsunami Beach Hotel Restaurant” below a painted tidal wave. We had clearly reached surf paradise, but sadly it had been an untimely death for many from surfing a tsunami.
 

The Bank of Ceylon next to the Pizzeria, Bier Garten and Internet Cafe were reminders of the rich international culture in Arugam Bay. A laptop could be seen open on the ground where the receding wave had left it. An album of photographs showed glimpses of a happier past.

arugambay_cafe.jpg
After about a two km walk in the light rain through the devastated land we reached Daya’s partly destroyed beach house. The front door and half the kitchen had been washed away. The first wave had struck about 9 a.m. and the second which was much stronger soon after. It had gone over the electricity posts which are probably around 25 feet high. The two caretakers had luckily lived through the ordeal with the tourists who had been in residence. They were able to swim as a small group and ride out the wave.

They told the story of the night before the tsunami when a wild elephant had come to the back of the hotel and refused to go away, even when chased. The caretakers are now convinced the elephant was trying to warn them of the tsunami.


Piles and Piles:Donations in abundance

See also Unawatuna – Fallen and Reclaimed by Nature

Author is Seretary of LAcNet a US Non-profit organization registered in 1991 which is collecting funds for Tsunami relief in Lanka as highlighted in LAcNet web page http://www.theacademic.org/tsunami/This text is a copy of Lost to the sea By Kavan Ratnatunga which appeared in the SundayTimes of Sri Lanka on 2005 Junuary 9th. The eEdition online doesn’t have the illustrations of the printed copy. I have also added above a few more illustrations to middle of article which seems to have been cut out to make room for a large advertisment.In my original more candid Blog I wrote for distribution among friends I did comment about the Buddha Statue as a Physicist: Many such selective observations from many parts of Lanka hit by the Tsunami are being explained not by Statistical Physics of Turbulent Motion, but the laws of Karma. I guess the editors of the SundayTimes wanted to save me from any bad Karma.

Eastern Water

Published on 24/11/2007 in Money Matters, press coverage and services. 0 Comments

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Green Lung of Asia

Published on 22/11/2007 in From our own Correspondent, front page, Ideas, Money Matters, people, press coverage, the bay and tuk tuk. 0 Comments

The responsible world begins to take global warming serious.
And Sri Lanka is planning to point out its unique ecological position.
The island Nation, it is said, has NO Co2 emission at all.
Indeed, our green Island produces more Oxygen than its own emission of harmful gasses.
Arugam.info is informed that if this claim is proven to be correct, it will form the back bone of the entire future strategy of the Tourist Board.

In Arugam Bay we are blessed with no sea pollution at all.
That’s obvious, as we clearly have no industry or sewage which could ever spoil the quality of our blue waters.

Due to foreseeable energy shortages a few fossil fuel power stations are under construction in places like Trincomalee. The government might be forgiven to seek quick fix solutions; Ministers are busy with more pressing tasks.

Arugam.info however feels that wise and western NGO’s should have played a better role in using their huge financial muscle to influence policy and educate our small developing Nation.
Starting by giving a good example, for example?
In the case of Arugam Bay the exact opposite has happened!
Still, there is not a single solar panel around, there still are no windmills on any of our windswept beaches or hills, no renewable energy sources qualified for funding, there hasn’t even been a single low energy bulb donated (or used in NGO’s offices!!).
Instead, guys like Mercy Corps donated:
1.) Two stroke Mopeds (instead of electric ones, available for the same price)
2.) Compressor fridges and freezers (instead of LPG or inverter or heat pump systems)
3.) Two stoke 3-wheelers (outlawed in most Nations, the 4 Stroke BajajA?A? was available)
4.) Electric water heaters are said to be donated and installed in small restaurants
5.) Noise & beach polluting boats and Suzuki Kerosine engines
6.) Obscure Las Vegas Style light chains for visiting TV stunts like O.W. “Lights of Hope”
…….and many more energy consuming gimmicks were dished out in true US style, just to obtain a good photo for the distant donors and for the flash M/C newsletter.
Buy tadacip from india Arugam.info at the time tried to help organizations such as Mercy Corps and The Angel Network to see the light of the future and use chances a remote enclave like the Bay offered to them and their long-term plans.
Our help was refused – and our own bed sheet poster, at the time: “No light – No hope” was of course totally ignored. Although much more appropriate, as NONE of the great Mercy Corpse funded ‘projects’ survived the first year of ‘operation.
Indeed, some dismissed and jobless staff had to be drafted in for the follow-on Oprah show to state “how much the US guys have changed our lives” and so on.
Five minutes after the TV guys left – the local girls of the tailor shopA?A? were without any job again, until this very day…A great deception some would call it.

It is with regret and great sadness that with all the huge sums collected, and the wisdom the rest of the world possesses regarding the future of our GREEN planet that we seem unable to begin to make realistic changes in a greenfield micro location such as Arugam Bay.
We (the NGO’s) had the cash, we had the knowledge and wisdom – and still the end effect has been totally negative.
We even damaged our own environment more than before 2004.
We had a great chance to build a better place, but it was totally missed.
At least ever since the arrival of ‘expert’ men and women from overseas.
Online prescription for cymbalta And thanks to Mercy Corps to change lives in Arugam Bay!
(Closing words of Ms. Whinfrey in her show on Arugam Bay)

Arugam Bay hits the top as a A?a??E?Best DestinationA?a??a??

Published on 21/11/2007 in Blogs, Money Matters, press coverage and the bay. 0 Comments

Arugam Bay

At a packed hall of enthusiastic tourism crowds, the World Travel Market Responsible Tourism Awards Ceremony took place at Excel in Docklands London on the 14th November 2007 and Arugam Bay in Sri Lanka was awarded the A?a??E?Highly Commended Best DestinationA?a??a?? award. This recognition no doubt is a tremendous boost and an instrument for the revival and development of tourism in Arugam Bay and also adds a high profile for Sri LankaA?a??a??s tourism. There will no doubt be immeasurable publicity generated reaching the tourism industry and consumer media worldwide and this will certainly contribute towards image building of Sri Lanka as a responsible and sustainable tourism destination.

The World Travel Market (WTM) is the premier trade fair in the travel and tourism industry and draws a huge number of top executives, service providers, buyers and government tourism officials every year in November to London. Approximately 5,500 buyers and suppliers representing 202 countries and territories attend the WTM. The World Travel MarketA?a??a??s World Responsible Tourism Day was sponsored by the Virgin Holidays and held in association with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Fiona Jeffrey, Chairperson of the World Travel Market at the opening ceremony said A?a??A?WTM World Responsible Tourism Day on 14th November is the day that the aimless talking had to stop and the action began. For the first time ever we will bring the entire planet and the travel and tourism industry together in a way that has never been previously done.A?a??A?

Responsible Tourism Partnership, also a WTM World Responsible Tourism Day accredited logo user for the work its doing in the Responsible Tourism sector, says that it is delighted to have been able to assist Arugam Bay to receive this very important international tourism accolade and also recognize the work of several NGOs and organizations such as Sewalanka Foundation , Arugam Bay Tourism Association and ICEI in Arugam Bay who have been actively working rebuilding livelihoods promoting community tourism efforts. There is tremendous international interest currently in green and responsible tourism, this is strongly seen not only from the consumer side but also from the travel and tourism industry side and this international award for Arugam Bay will open the eyes of the tourism policy makers and the tourism industry to advance in sustainable tourism development.

Arugam Bay is classed among the top ten surf destinations in the world and there is so much more. The village itself is a delightful experience, there are no big hotel chains there and the community has developed tourism with their own hard work and imagination. Three star establishments rub shoulders with low-key stilt cabins and coconut palm leaf cabanas, and tourists share the beach with local fishermen. The wild and rugged scenery, elephants browsing at the edge of the village, abundant birdlife, and mysterious archaeological sites have made this a long time favourite destination for travellers.

The three ethnic groups ( Buy tadacip from india Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims) work and live in harmony. The population is 3,000 families and tourism establishments consist mostly of small family managed hotels/guesthouses and restaurants.

The community wants community-based tourism and feel that what makes Arugam Bay attractive is the community involvement and it should not be made a mass tourism destination. In Arugam Bay, tourism not only brings money, but it also creates a vehicle for peace for three ethnic groups to work and live in harmony. Community wants to link with government and protect the lifeline to the community and create a different model for Sri Lanka Tourism. The community is not against development but demands that it should benefit the community and not keep them away and only involve outsiders. The success will be when the experiences achieved by the community are used for future development.

http://lankapage.wordpress.com/2007/11/21/sri-lanka%E2%80%99s-arugam-bay-hits-the
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Walker Construction

Published on 20/11/2007 in Money Matters and press coverage. 0 Comments

By Feizal Sameth

Colombo, Nov 20 (Bernama) — A top Malaysian conglomerate involved in construction and infrastructure development which has taken a majority stake in a Sri Lankan company is stepping up work on road development and housing projects here.

MTD Capital Bhd recently bought out Kapila Heavy Equipment Plc and last week renamed the Colombo firm as MTD Walkers Plc.

It is the company’s third subsidiary in Sri Lanka, after MTD CML Construction Ltd and MTD Construction Ceylon Pvt Ltd which handle housing and road development. MTD Walkers will tackle engineering tasks.

MTD group managing director Datuk Azmil Khalid told shareholders of MTD Walkers at an extraordinary general meeting here last week that it has submitted bids under the guidance of the Malaysian government to undertake construction of the Colombo-Kandy Alternate Highway and the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway.

Both are proposed major arteries running out of Colombo to key cities as well as the international airport complex.

He said construction of 25,000 housing units is being carried out by MTD CML at an investment cost of over 2.7 billion rupees (RM81.6 million).

In addition, MTD Walkers is marketing automated tea rollers locally and abroad in India, Africa and elsewhere. These are technically advanced machines optimising efficiency and enhancing greater profitability with minimum labour costs, he said.

MTD Capital acquired 90 percent of Kapila Heavy and also took over its management in June this year and is restructuring it.

Plans are underway to rebuild the group’s new head office in Colombo while improving the working environment of its workshops and branches at Ratnapura, Bandarawela and Galle, all outside Colombo, Azmil said.

The former Kapila Heavy has prime property in Colombo worth millions of rupees, the biggest asset of the company.

H. Channa Caldera, director of the renamed company, said it is actively pursuing infrastructure projects such as the petroleum oil storage tank for the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation as well as projects for the Sri Jayawardanepura-Kotte Municipal Council, Sri Lanka Telecom and the Dialog Telekom head office expansion.

He added that the group is also involved in local infrastructure and other development work for the Ministry of Irrigation and the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka as well as the construction of a steel bridge at Arugam Bay in the Eastern Province Femcare shipping .

Walkers was one of the well-known British companies in Sri Lanka. It was sold to an Indian company, Bolts, and Hapila Heavy bought it 15 years ago.

Azmil told the meeting that the company had incurred heavy losses and the new management is in the process of cleaning the balance sheet and generating business.

— BERNAMA

source:
http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_business.php?id=297317

AbaY Eco – Guides at WTM

Published on 11/11/2007 in Money Matters, press coverage and the bay. 0 Comments

A three member delegation from the ‘Community Based Eco-Guide Association’ (CEGA) of Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka will be in London to participate at this year’s World Travel Market to be held at ExCel from November 12 to 17. They will be joining the Sri Lanka delegation under the theme of ‘sustainable tourism in Sri Lanka’, which is a part of the current theme of WTM. ‘Green Globe’ is the main theme of WTM this year.

The launch of ‘Community Based Eco-Guide Association’ (CEGA) ,CEGA website and their marketing programmes was held in Colombo recently under the giudence of Sri Lanka Tourism Authority and Chairman Renton de Alwis. The launching ceremony was held at the Sri Lanka Tourist Board, Hotel School.

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The launching of CEGA, its web site and marketing programmes are a turning point of Arugam Bay Tourism history, as CEGA is the pioneer model Community Based Tourism Project to be developed and launch in Arugam Bay in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. The CEGA has been formed in to 13 Eco-Guide Members and 15 other community based organizations and cooperatives based in Pottuvil, during a Community-Based Ecotourism Project implemented by the Institute for International Economic Cooperation (ICEI) in partnership with Sewa Lanka Foundation and funded by Italian Cooperation and Regione Lombardia. Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation is responsible in training of CEGA guides and promoting marketing in CEGA tourism projects based in Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka.

Welcoming the Special Guests to the occasion, Giuseppe Busalacchi, Project Leader, ICEI, stated that the Vision of ICEI is to promote income-generating activities related to community-based tourism for the sustainable development of local communities through environmental conservation and the enhancement of cultural heritage. He further said, the specific Objectives of ICEI of the Arugam Bay Community Based Ecotourism Project is to promote a community based eco-tourism, in a participatory approach, able to value community local culture, to ensure environmental sustainability and to generate and distribute benefit fairly among the community members, in Arugam Bay-Pottuvil Division-of Ampara District.

Addressing the event, the Chief Guest, Renton de Alwis, Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourist Board, remarked, ‘I must thank SLEF, Sewalanka Foundation and ICEI for developing a model Community Based Ecotourism Project in Arugam Bay, the eastern province of Sri Lanka, which some of us failed to do that on our own. It is important to note that not the community can benefit from tourism but how tourism could benefit from community. It’s really a philosophy. In any sense, good tourism must be sustainable, what ever we do in tourism, it should be sustainable. He noted the promoters of the CEGA Project have given the nets for the community but not the fish. He noted the programme for the tourism promotion in the east is two fold. Apart from the hotel property promotions in the east the Sri Lanka Tourist Board is very much interested in promoting ‘home stays’ that perfectly fit with the community based tourism concepts.’

Presenting the CEGA Marketing Programme, Palitha Gurusinghe, President, Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation (SLEF) and the Coordinator, Advisory Panel of the Community Based Tourism appointed by the Ministry of Tourism said ‘ Today, Community Based Tourism is one of the well debated topics. The Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation which pioneered this concept in its real perspective, promoted the same as the main component of ecotourism since 1998. We are happy to note that SLEF has gone so far to date, in promoting and developing not only the concept but ‘real’ community based ecotourism enterprises’ (CBEs) in Sri Lanka. He further observed ‘I am very happy to note the Minister of Tourism has appointed an ‘Advisory Panel to look in to the CBO projects in Sri Lanka, which are on going and future potential projects as well’.

He noted that ‘ICEI-Sewalanka-SLEF Project in Purchase tenormin online Arugam Bay is very productive for Sri Lanka Tourism and thanked ICEI and Sewalanka Foundation headed by Harsha Kumara Nawaratne, the Chairman, Sewalanka Foundation, for their great contribution in moving the project ahead. Jagath Harshana, Coordinator, Tourism Division, Sewalanka Foundation proposed the Vote of Thanks.

source:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/071111/TV/tv-times000017.html

Jessica Leas Vision

Published on 11/11/2007 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, Money Matters and people. 1 Comment

Filming Mangroves

Used static caravans for sale yorkshire dales Gayani, Dr. Lionel and I went east with Peter from Diokonie and Monfrie and Elke, filmmakers that Diokonie commissioned to do a short (very short, 5-10 minutes) documentary on the mangrove project in Panama. Click here to see an example of their previous work.

Donors crack me up. Originally they were going to go with us in a Sewalanka vehicle. It is actually good for me that they chose to take their own vehicle, otherwise there would not have been room for me (or that is the story I would have been told, but you will see that this would not have actually been true). The reason for taking a separate vehicle is that Sewalanka’s vehicles were determined too uncomfortable. Sewalanka does actually have some very nice vehicles in their fleet, but only certain people have the pleasure of using those vehicles. Now the vehicle we used would have actually been slightly uncomfortable if everyone was in it as there are only air conditioning vents in the front and the only windows that open are at the front two rows of seats (it has four rows). Thus, those of us relegated to the back would be quite hot.

So it was actually reasonable that Diokonie wanted to use their own, fancy, white SUV. Unfortunately, these SUV’s not only suck up quite a bit of fuel, but are also very particular about their fuel. About half way to Arugambay they needed more petrol and apparently did not receive 100%. Thus, their vehicle could only go for 20 minutes and then it needed to rest for 30 minutes while the particles in the petrol settled. Well, Argumabay is very far away and it was decided this just wasn’t going to work, so everyone loaded up into the Sewalanka vehicle to finish out the trip. Magically I did not get left on the roadside for space considerations. I was (as implied above) relegated to the very back seat, by myself, with a pile of luggage. I don’t want to sound like a whiny foreigner, but I will anyway. I do have this torn disk in my neck so it is really starting to irritate me that I always end up in the back seat. This means I get the brunt of the bouncing and these roads are not smooth by any stretch of the imagination. So my neck really, really hurt all week long (it is better today, so maybe I didn’t do any permanent damage).

Anyway, we made it to Arugambay and Ranga had some string hoppers waiting for us (Ranga runs the Beach Hut, which is basically where all NGO and INGO staff stay when in Arugambay as he is the best cook around). This made me happy even though it had taken us 14 hours to get to Arugambay. I’m regularly told it takes seven, but I have never made it in seven. I knew it would take a little longer due to the increased security and we added some time with the SUV issues, but still, twice as long!

The film crew had very specific ideas of what they wanted to capture, which is good because otherwise we would have wasted a lot of time seeing little pet projects of Dr. Lionel. Anyway, first order of business was to get to Panama, where the project takes place. This is the village next to Arugambay, so not a major feat, except the lagoon had flooded due to the recent rains and the road was washed out. Flooded to the exact height of the wheel of our Sewalanka vehicle, which unlike the fancy INGO white SUVs does not have the plastic tubbing on the tailpipe so that you can drive through water. Thus, we put the car in neutral and pushed it about half a kilometer to the other side of the lagoon. When I say we, I mean our driver (Pyas — in picture testing depth of water) Peter, the film crew and myself. Yep, Dr. Lionel did not help. I wasn’t so surprised that Gayani didn’t as women in Sri Lanka [warning: enormous generalization about to be written] tend to go the frail route, but Dr. Lionel is not so old that he couldn’t try to be some assistance. Afterwards, and yes I am terribly offended by this statement, Dr. Lionel said he now knows what help I can provide on trips to the east — I can push the car. I have to say I’ve just about had it with this man!

Anyway, we got to Panama and looked in on the nursery. There were two boats to take us to see the mangroves being replanted on the lagoon. We loaded up film equipment and people and headed out. The film crew were rather funny because they were clearly getting exasperated with people not following directions. I find this funny because it isn’t that people are trying to be irritating, but understanding English with thick German accents when English is your second or in some cases third language, is difficult. Anyway, they got what they wanted on the boats and we went to see the ladies planting.

In Panama the planting is done mostly by women. In the other village we went to (without film crew), the men do the planting. The difference — Panama is Sinhala and the other village is Tamil. Anyway, they filmed the ladies planting and interviewed them.

I am a little worried I somehow irritated the filmmakers. Once we hit land we were standing around and they were setting up so I was taking photos. When they were done setting up I walked away from the group and just stood there, trying to stay out of the way. Anyway, Elke was telling everyone to be quiet for the filming and then she singled me out and said, “Jessica, no photos.” Not in a mean way (although Germans do have a hard time sounding nice), but I still felt like I missed something. Every time on the boat when they began filming I stayed quiet and I sat on their boat just so their film wouldn’t have me in it. I mean I was working very hard at staying behind the scenes and not getting in the way. There is the possibility that she mentioned me by name because she could remember my name and it was clear she was having problems with the Sinhala names (I totally understand as I’m awful with names too).

Anyway, they got their interviews and film and we went down to another planting location and filmed another group of women.

Then they wanted to climb this rock to get a nice overview of the scene. This took an extraordinary amount of time, but I assume it was successful. We went back into the village for lunch (it was around 4 p.m. by this point so we were starving) and they set up a little community meeting to be filmed. I sat inside the house to stay out of the shot, so I can’t provide specifics of the meeting, but it sounded from inside like they were really discussing things (although it was technically a fake meeting, just organized for the filming).

The village kindly offered a tractor to pull us back across the lagoon. The following day the village broke through the lagoon wall that separates the lagoon from the ocean and let the extra water flow out to sea. Elke and Monfrie told us that night that once the water was released they counted eight crocodiles sitting in the lagoon. The lagoon we walked through the day before pushing a car!

On Wednesday the filmmakers wanted to go back to Panama and film in the village, but Dr. Lionel really wanted Peter to see the other village. So we broke up — I went with Peter and Dr. Lionel. Gayani did not drink enough the day before (hydrate or die people!) and thus was in bed all day with a headache. This was a problem as she was sort of the star of the film the day before, explaining things, translating, etc. and without her this meant a hole in the film. Anyway, apparently the dealt with it o.k. and it all worked out on their end.

In the Tamil village the mangrove plants in the nursery were much healthier and way taller. No one could explain why this was (Peter asked a couple of times and people acted as if they did not understand him). The fishermen prepared two small boats for us and we rowed down the lagoon in the rain. I don’t think Pieter really felt this was necessary, and as these were boats fashioned after traditional boats — read extremely small, it was not the most comfortable ride. I enjoyed it because without a motor we were able to see many birds. Of course, it was raining, so no photos were taken.

When we got back to shore there was a traditional wooden boat sitting on the ground and all the fishermen told us how much better that type of boat was compared with the fiberglass boats they all use now that were given to them by various INGOs (names stamped on the side just so we know who gave what). So I asked, how they used to acquire their boats and they answered that they made them. I don’t understand this. It has been almost three years since the tsunami — if they don’t like the boats they were given, why haven’t they replaced them with the type they used to make for themselves anyway. Not to mention that the shoreline is littered with these old wooden boats and some of them are still seaworthy. The real problem is that the tsunami relief process has created a serious problem in Sri Lanka — now everyone just expects whatever they want to be handed to them. It really is a huge problem. I don’t even work for an INGO, yet every time I go to Arugambay someone asks me for something. Generally it is not a necessity and usually the person asking is absolutely not in need (I imagine some of the hoteliers most likely make more money than me).

O.k. end of tirade (for now). Gayani and I were supposed to return to Colombo on Wed., but because filming was not completed on Tuesday, we stayed an extra day. We got back to Arugambay early Wednesday afternoon and Peter thought he’d get to write a few e-mails, but Dr. Lionel would not stop talking to him. Luckily, cell phones were turned back on at some point and this kept Dr. Lionel busy for a bit, so hopefully Peter got some work done.

Yep, in response to the attack in Yala the government turned off all cell phone coverage in the east. Because I’m sure cell phones are the Tigers only means of communication. Phone service was disabled for two weeks, but if you ask anyone in the east they will say they had no phones for one to two months, depending on the person. I found the lack of coverage blissful, but I guess if I had to deal with it for the full two weeks I would not have been as happy.

Thursday we drove back to Colombo. For some reason, Dr. Lionel felt we should all travel together until the turn off to Andurandapuran. Dr. Lionel decided he would accompany the Germans to see another project they are funding. We were all invited, but there wasn’t space in their vehicle for another person and Gayani wasn’t interested in going, so I didn’t go either. I’m not sure why, but Dr. Lionel rode with us until the turn-off. I think it was just to not allow me the front seat in the car as long as possible. Clearly I have issues.

Purchase xalatan generic name Around 2 p.m., long after deserting the Germans, we started to look for food. My thoughts on food while you travel here are that you eat what you can find. Gayani wanted rice and curry and you would think this wouldn’t be a problem, yet it was. Many places only had fried rice and this, apparently, was unacceptable. So we didn’t eat until 3 when we found some rice and curry for Gayani. I have to say that Gayani isn’t the easiest person to travel with what with the preventable sickness and the picky eating habits.

And now I’m back in Boralesgamuwa. Today was basically uneventful. Harshana finally got his visa to England (he was supposed to leave Sunday, but has now rescheduled to Tuesday). I am really happy for him, but a little sad because if he hadn’t received the visa we would be using the grant money to go to Bali to study community based tourism there. Since England is so expensive the grant that was for two will only be used for one and I’m left in the cold. At least in this case I agree as Harshana did have far more to do on the Arugambay project than I and thus should reap the rewards. He promised to bring me a jar of lemon curd so I’ll be happy with that.

source:
http://expatwithelephants.blogspot.com/2007/11/filming-mangroves.html

Building Hotels in the East ..

Published on 08/11/2007 in Money Matters, press coverage and Security & Safety. 0 Comments

By Paul Tighe
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Nov. 8 (Bloomberg) — Sri Lanka’s army and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam fought near the northern city of Jaffna as President Mahinda Rajapaksa vowed in his annual budget speech to “eradicate” terrorism in the South Asian island nation.

At least 52 LTTE fighters were killed when the army stopped an advance at Muhamalai, the Defense Ministry said on its Web site late yesterday. The LTTE said 16 soldiers were killed when army units attacked its positions, TamilNet reported.

The Tamil Tigers have “demonstrated that they will never be ready to surrender arms and agree to a democratic political settlement,” Rajapaksa told Parliament. “In this background, we have no alternative but to completely eradicate terrorism.”

The LTTE, which is fighting for a separate homeland, controls areas in the north after being driven from the eastern region by the army in July. Sri Lanka’s military stepped up attacks on LTTE bases in the north and targeted its naval unit, including destroying its last weapons-smuggling vessel since capturing the Eastern Province.

The 24-year-long conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 70,000 people. Fighting intensified as two attempts at peace talks in Geneva failed last year.

Soldiers are in control of LTTE bunkers at Muhamalai, the Defense Ministry said, adding that 11 servicemen were killed in the fighting yesterday.

LTTE forces repulsed the army’s attack, TamilNet cited Irasiah Ilanthirayan, the LTTE’s military spokesman, as saying. As many as 100 soldiers were wounded, he added.

During the past year, the government has stopped the rebels’ arms smuggling operations, targeted their illegal fundraising activities and curbed their overseas operations, Rajapaksa said in his speech.

Air Base

The Tamil Tigers showed they are unwilling to seek peace by attacking an airbase in the northeast last month, Rajapaksa said. The LTTE said members of its “Black Tiger” unit used for suicide missions raided the base on Oct. 22. Eight aircraft and helicopters were destroyed, the military said.

“Despite the armed strengths and the brutal actions of terror, we were able to rescue the entire Eastern Province,” the president said.

The government has said it is seeking $1.8 billion in aid for the region. Redeveloping the three eastern districts, after 24 years of fighting, will add 2 percentage points to economic growth, the government estimates.

Building hotels in Batticaloa, Ampara and Trincomalee will open up the 462-kilometer (287-mile) coastline of white sands, surf and palm trees to tourists. The government also plans to hold elections in the province next year.

Defense Spending

Sri Lanka needs to keep defense spending at 3.5 percent of gross domestic product and find a “lasting solution” to the conflict with Tamil rebels, Rajapaksa said.

“The fight against terrorism is not a fight against the Tamil people,” Rajapaksa said. “It is our duty to and responsibility to protect and preserve the democratic rights of Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese in all parts of the island.”

The rebels say any peace agreement must be based on a separate homeland. Tamils made up 11.9 percent of the population, according to the 2001 census, the government’s Census and Statistics Department said. Sinhalese make up almost 74 percent of Sri Lanka’s 20 million people.

The government has rejected a settlement that divides the country and is offering to devolve power to some provinces.

To contact the reporter on this story: Paul Tighe in Sydney at Order isoniazid pronunciation ptighe@bloomberg.net

source:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=aNv8jI_zOWus&refer=india