Post-tsunami psychosocial bubble: will it ever burst?

ON the 26th of December, we commemorated the first anniversary of the worst mass disaster that we have experienced in this country in our living memory. Much criticism still occurs with regard to the rehabilitation effort in the material infrastructure which was badly damaged.
Some of the pledges made by prospective donors have not materialized and some receipts have not been properly and expeditiously put to use.
At the human level the tragedy was immense and Sri Lankan tsunami victims were visited by a flock of psychosocial workers who were intent on rehabilitating them by this new found stream of psychosocial work.
 

Housing project for tsunami victims

One hundred houses for tsunami victims of Godagama, Peraliya, Daluwatumulla and Telwatta villages in the Hikkaduwa DS division funded by Japan, Taiwan, Canada and US donors will officially be handed over to the displaced families on February 11, 2006.
Religious rites will be performed by Dakshina Lanka Chief Sanghanayake Ven. Pallaththara Sumanajothi Thera, Colombo-Chilaw Division Chief Sanghanayake and Vidyalankara Parivenadipathi Ven. Dr. Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma Thera and Siyane Sivu Korale Chief Sanghanayake and Attanagalla Raja Maha Viharadipathi Ven. Dr. Pannila Ananda Thera.
 

'Peace village' for tsunami displaced

The Austrian Qurier Fund will construct a housing scheme for tsunami displaced 100 Tamil and Muslim families at Ninthavur in the Ampara district.
Work was commenced by Housing, and Construction Minister Ferial Ashraff on January 30.
The Qurier Fund maintained by the Austrian Qurier International Journal will spend Rs. 650,000 for each house and the total cost will be Rs. 65 million.
The houses will be provided to the tsunami hit Tamil and Muslim families. The Sarvodaya Movement will co-ordinate this programme.
Minister Ferial Ashraff said due to the tsunami the lives and properties were devastated without any difference as Tamil, Muslim or any other differences.

Houses for tsunami affected

They all need new houses

PRESIDENT Mahinda Rajapakse is resolutely determined to render a valuable service to the country and therefore the masses must make the best use of that spirit and cooperate with him in every possible way.
This was the observation of Ven. Walpola Piyananda Nayaka Thera, the Chief Incumbent of the Los Angeles Buddhist Temple who is also the Chief Sangha Nayaka of America.
The Venerable Sangha Nayaka of America made their observation at a ceremony where he handed over the keys of 10 newly built houses to the beneficiaries who lost their dwellings in the tsunami devastation of December 2004 in the Southern coastal village of Galagodawatta, Hikkaduwa.