GENERAL ANALYSIS OF TSUNAMI REHABILITATION PROCESS

AS ON 26^TH OCTOBER 2005 IN TAMILNADU AND KERALA

Participants:

1. Mr. Rajagopal P.V.
2. Mr. Ka. Ariaravelan
3. Mr. Puducherry Sreenivasan
4. Mr. K. K. Aneesh Kumar

Consultations with Mr. Antonysamy of BLESS, Cuddalore and Mr. Pappu of RIM, Tharankampatty.

ROLE OF GOVERNMENT:

It seems that large amount of money came to Kerala and Tamilnadu government for tsunami rehabilitation.  An analysis of the ground reality shows that the government did not spend much money, but expected the INGOs and NGOs to take the challenge of rehabilitation.  There is no information available to public on how much money came and how much was spent.  In Tamilnadu, the district collectors facilitated the coordination committee of NGOs, but in the case of Kerala, it was not done properly.  Even after a period of ten months after tsunami the Kerala government is not in a position to say how many families are victims of tsunami.  People are slowly getting agitated. 

Actions to be taken: An advocacy action should be coordinated in order to pressure the government to come out with a total picture of funds received and spent.  Government should also clarify its future action plan for tsunami rehabilitation.    

ROLE OF INGOs:

Too many international funding organizations came to support relief and rehabilitation.  While some of them worked through local organizations, others were involved in direct operation. 

In the absence of proper coordination, everyone was trying to project their won role without considering the role of others.  Huge amount of money and the speed of operation brought about a cultural shift in the behaviour of local people.  Some INGOs were more into publicity rather than actual work. 

Actions to be taken:  A forum of INGOs should be organised to review the developments till the date and also to work out a common strategy for the second year.  INGOs should be encouraged to use part of the money collected for tsunami rehabilitation to support poor people outside tsunami area, as their economy was linked to the economy of the fishing community.

ROLE OF NGOs:

By and large NGOs played a very important role in relief and rehabilitation.  As usual the competition between big and small NGOs continues to be a problem.  There are complaints of bigger NGOs breaking the work of smaller NGOs.  There is also the case of duplication of work in the same area.

Accumulation of property, buying new vehicles and change in life style are complaints that one can hear from different places.  The style of operation by the NGOs also created more dependency among the people. 

Action to be taken: A general letter can be sent to all those NGOs involved in relief and rehabilitation to make their account public.  Organisations like VANI, Credibility Alliance and Ethical Committee of Planning Commission headed by Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi can take necessary steps in this direction.  The NGOs involved should also try to organise a forum to exchange ideas in order to strengthen their plan for the second year. 

ROLE OF PANCHAYAT AND ELECTED FORUMS:

The analysis shows that the panchayat and elected forums were not very active and they were generally by-passed.  Political parties were interested in politicising the issue rather than promoting a good rehabilitation. 

Action to be taken: In future planning, panchayats and village committees should be given better role so that the NGOs can slowly withdraw.  An advocacy system should also be put in place to make the political parties more accountable. 

GENERAL:

• Communalization of rehabilitation should be a concern.  There is a growing impression that some organisations are trying to promote their religion and some others are using this opportunity to promote a hate campaign.   

Action to be taken: Discussion forum should be organised with INGOs and NGOs understand this issue in order to contain this problem. 

• The government officials making money from tsunami victims is a serious issue to be taken note off.  (Example, for ration card, including names in the list etc.)

• NGOs bringing labour force from outside rather than upgrading the skills of the local people may create tension in the local community.

• Lack of efforts from the side of the government to improve the school system and quality of education across the coastal belt should be a serious matter to be looked into.

Action to be taken: Organisation with capacity to deal with these issues should be invited to play a role.  Government should ask Gandhian organisations to look at the educational system from a Nai-Talim perspective.  A workshop should be organised to discuss the issue of education.  A study should be undertaken to look at the problems and possibilities.  In order to create a positive climate a folder should be distributed among the teachers along the coastal belt.  (IGINP can be the initial contact for this project).

• People of tsunami affected area have become receivers, which can be a dangerous trend in a long run. 

• Some MNCs are using this opportunity with the help of INGOs and NGOs to promote and create market for their products.

ROLE OF EKTA PARISHAD:

The role played by Ekta Parishad initially in the relief operation was appreciated.  Ekta Parishad was able to involve young local volunteers in training the camps when tsunami victims were staying.  Ekta Parishad did not get involve in distribution of materials as there was many other organisation involved in this work.  Filling the gap was Ekta Parishad ’s approach. 

Took initiative in rehabilitation work, Ekta Parishad promoted a forum called People’s Forum for Relief and Rehabilitation (PFRR).  Through the initial survey and planning was done together.  Some of these organisations were on their won as they were able to receive funding to work in their specified area and some other with draw in course of time as they were involved in other important work like bonded labour and child labour.

After the initial study and survey, Ekta Parishad decided to work in Cuddalore and Nagapattinam districts of Tamilnadu, Pondicherry union territory and Kollam and Aalpuzha district of Kerala.  Ekta Parishad is running two schools in Pondicherry , three schools in Cuddalore, one school in Kanniyakumari district, and two schools in Kerala.  Government of India is supporting this programme.  The idea was to provide counselling and slowly help children to go to normal school.  Now Ekta Parishad is interested to deepen our involvement with the schools and children and look at the issue of education in totality.  Our future action plan in proposing study, training etc. and also network with other organisations interested in child education. 

In Nagapattinam district of Tamilnadu, Ekta Parishad is concentrate on agriculture with small and marginal farmers in four panchayats.  Name of the panchayats are as follows:

1. Kameswaram
2. Vilunthanmavadi
3. Vettaikaraniruppu
4. Prathapa Rama Puram

Our strategy will include soil and water testing, levelling the land, cleaning the ponds, providing seeds, manure, and other inputs.  We are involved with 212 farmers and the total area of land about 212 acre.  Our plan is to work with this farmer for three years.  Formation of farmers’ group, promotion of organic farm is part of the agenda. 

Up till now, we have trained 120 young volunteers who were involved in youth camps organised or helping the farmers to reclaim their lands.  The basic idea is to invite young people from different parts of state to get involved in rehabilitation work.  This opportunity was used to train them to work with the poor people when they go back to their own area.  We are planning to train another batch of 100 young people in coming eight months.

In Kerala, one month long counselling camp was organised for 450 children in the village of Aaratupuzha .  This camp was also used to provide training to 30 local girls and boys.  This people are now become very active and playing very important role in rehabilitation process.  90 young volunteers were trained as a part of our youth motivation programme to promote future leadership in the society.  In a highly politicised society like Kerala is important to create a larger cadre of young people who can take impartial position on issues and also work for the poor.  Under skill training programme one computer centre was established.  About 100 young people are under training.  We are planning to establish another computer centre which will provide training for another 100 people in the next one year.  In library and capacity building training centre in Aalapuzha.  That is being used by many young people.  At the movement the library has collection of a 150 books (those who are interested to donate books may contact cesci@eth.net).  Ekta Parishad is running two schools with the help of Gandhi Peace Foundation and Government of India in Kollam and Aalapuzha.  A total of 92 children are benefited from these schools.  We are planning to start another school in village called Aaratupuzha to provide counselling and education for 25 tsunami affected children. 

A proposal is under consideration for four units of economic programme to create employment for 120 women.  The areas identified for activities are:

1. Coir Making

2. Soap Making

3. Fish Processing and

4. Coconut chips making

Kerala has put together a skill-training programme for the tsunami-affected people.  This involves two units of computer training units and a library and communication skill development programme.  This programme has attracted many young people.  Kerala also has a good advocacy team and were able to mobilize public opinion and engage the state in a dialogue.  

Administration and Staff: Ekta Parishad set up a tsunami rehabilitation office in Nagapattinam and it is linked with CESCI in Madurai where our administration and management are based.  We have also set up and advocacy office in Trivandrum and a filed office in Kollam to coordinate the work in Kerala.  We have a staff team of 39 in Tamilnadu, including teachers, and team of 27, including teachers, in Kerala.  Ekta Parishad has identified areas for advocacy work and the advocacy wing will takes up this issue in coming months.

Conclusions: 

1. EP should use every opportunity to involve young people and create a future agenda of land and livelihood for a social movement. 

2. EP should actively intervene in the field of child education and try to influence the educational institutions to articulate and implement a more relevant educational programme. 

3. Problems of coordination, corruption inactive role of government should be addressed by involving national level organizations. 

4. It seems that there are many small and marginal farmers in the coastal belt who are the tenants of the land for many years a strong intervention in terms of political and legal will be required to address this issu