Oxfam's Response in Sri Lanka
29 December 2004
Oxfam's unique approach to disaster relief—working with local partners and focusing on long-term aid—allowed us to respond effectively within hours to the Asian earthquake disaster.
There was no way to stop the massive waves triggered by the Dec. 26 earthquake from sweeping across South Asia and killing tens of thousands of people. But in Sri Lanka, where an estimated 25,000 people have lost their lives, Oxfam is in the rare position of being able-immediately-to help stop the second wave of death that follows such disasters: death from disease.
Because Oxfam was already working in the small island nation off the southern tip of India, the agency was able to spring into action soon after the tsunami crashed to shore. The story of A.R.M. Saifullah, Oxfam's assistant program coordinator in Trincomalee, is just one example of how the agency's close relationship with local partners, its knowledge of the Sri Lankan terrain and its people has allowed the aid group to move fast to save lives.
Located on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka, Trincomalee and the communities around it suffered extensively from the wall of water that surged across the Indian Ocean. The tsunami swept away bridges, collapsed boundary walls, washed through houses destroying their contents entirely, and left about 30,000 families homeless.
Saifullah's house was one of those caught by the wave and, according to Oxfam spokesman Ravi Prasad, some of the program coordinator's relatives were also missing. But the violent impact of the disaster quickly spurred Saifullah to action.
"He saw the death and destruction around him and he immediately got together a group of some 100 youths to help other survivors," said Prasad. "This group joined with Kinniya vision, an Oxfam partner organization, and organized immediate medical assistance."
For nearly two days, workers in the Oxfam office in Colombo, the capital, were unable to reach Saifullah as the communication lines were all down and the Trincomalee office was heavily damaged. Most of its equipment was lost and supplies which had been stockpiled to help the victims of floods which hit the area earlier this year were destroyed.
Oxfam staff helped ferry injured people to hospital and are now getting water tanks to an isolated community which is cut off south of the town. The families left homeless by the disaster have gathered in schools, churches, and temples. Some are staying with friends or relatives whose houses are still intact.
The disaster has displaced an estimated 1.2 million people in Sri Lanka. In places the wave washed more than a mile inland. People had already been hit by heavy floods over the last 10 days and half the paddy crop may have been lost. The flood waters have contaminated wells and clean water is scarce.
Reports are coming in from Oxfam staff members on the ground in several places and rapid field assessments are underway in six areas. In Trincomalee water still lies about six feet deep and crops have been destroyed. The flood waters have contaminated wells and clean water is scarce
In Vavuniya and Batticoloa, Oxfam staffers are already providing temporary latrines, roofing sheets, plastic sheeting for shelter, mats, bed sheets, and sanitary napkins. In Killinochchi, staff members provided cooked food to people who were waiting for the release of the bodies of their relatives. In Batticoloa, too, staffers were involved in rescue and medical assistance, taking a number of people to hospital.
A cargo plane loaded with 27 tons of Oxfam emergency equipment worth about $190,000 was scheduled to leave England for Sri Lanka midweek. Half the water tanks, pumps, and taps in the shipment will be used to set up emergency drinking systems in Sri Lanka. Oxfam will send the other half to Indonesia.
Oxfam is preparing 25,000 packs of food locally, containing rice, flour, dhal, fish, sugar and cereal, plus 10,000 packs with soap, sanitary towels, candles and matches. Water points are being set up in seven places.
"The fact that local organizations have looked at what their response will be and what's necessary to get people into safe locations puts us a step ahead in terms of emergency response," said Mike Delaney, Oxfam's humanitarian assistance director in Boston. Delaney visited Oxfam's Sri Lankan programs in June and sat in on a meeting with local partners in which a variety of emergency scenarios were discussed.
That level of anticipation, coupled with Oxfam's long-term presence in the country, will help the agency in the days ahead as it finds innovative ways to overcome logistical obstacles during this emergency.
"We're there before the disaster. We're there during it. And we're going to be there a long time after because this is going to be a long-term response," said Delaney.
