Ceylon Today Editorial

High time we learnt a lesson!

30 May 2017

It becomes incredibly uninteresting when one has to repeat everything. When one harps on the same thing over and over again, it becomes tiring and unfortunately, the same can be applied to the persistent flood situation in Sri Lanka. This disaster situation that can easily be labelled now as a naturally occurring incident in Sri Lanka has become more of a bore than something someone should care about. But that particular notion drowned when floods led to landslides which take lives and the government institutions are nowhere near to address the matter.

The increasing nature of unpredictable weather patterns observed around the world, with Sri Lanka being no exception, has led us to this point in time. The entire world is privy to climate change, despite whether world's political leaders believe in it or not, it seems as if climate change is here to stay. As a result, natural disasters have become somewhat of a norm to the country with increased attention being on matters discussing how to address the matter, recovery and protection of resources, avoiding the occurring of natural disasters and of course, avoiding eventual casualties.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 2015 Accord de Paris on Climate Change aim just to do that: seek solutions through the wide cooperation and participation of countries around the world. While this is all well and good, signing a piece of paper can only do so much when the ratification itself is merely a media stunt and should only be taken at face value. Out of the 175 nation States that signed and ratified the agreement only a handful of them would be actually funding research into finding solutions to climate change, avoid or reduce the damage caused by natural disasters, establishing new city planning procedures, among other things. And the United States, which has not as of yet ratified or signed the accords is currently being led by an administrator who has no interest in funding research and development and has now paved the way to a prolific independent scientific movement aiming to address matters of science, which are majorly ignored by their State.

In Sri Lanka, we being one of the many countries which had signed accords, we do little to absolute nothing when it comes to addressing these matters. Hence, we see almost the entire island submerging under flood water and landslides at least twice a year. It is in this context, adding insult to injury the Ministry of Disaster Management admitted that it was not prepared to face this catastrophe. The subject minister himself, had left the country for an international seminar on climate change, the day before the rains started and has not returned as of yet. We hope that it is not just us who have noticed the irony of this situation.

The minister left, it rained for two days straight, floods came in several parts of the country and it was then only the landslides started occurring. In exactly 24 hours the number of casualties from both floods and landslides rose above the hundredth mark and all the ministry could do was plead guilty and wave the white flag. Good for the minister being MIA, all the blame could be put on the ministerial secretaries!

The pattern was obvious. Unfortunately the weather forecast that had predicted heavy rain at the end of this month was ignored by the populace and, it seems, by the relevant government institutions. We should have seen this as a pattern that Sri Lanka, over the last few years, has suffered from rain causing flooding with the situation worsening every year. Last year we should have learned our lesson, yet we are still in a scenario as if we are responding for the first time!

Daily News Editorial

Floods and its aftermath

30 May 2017

More rains have been predicted while this is being written adding to havoc created by the worst flood to have hit this country in decades. Already over 160 lives have been lost, dozens reported missing and thousands displaced with the numbers likely to escalate. Over 1,200 houses have been completely damaged and according to latest reports nearly half million persons have been affected by the flood disaster. Adding to the woes of the affected are the lack of essential supplies such as food and water, with large areas still unreachable due to the raging flood waters. The government however had moved in promptly to mitigate the disaster ably assisted by the tri-forces with an Air Force officer even losing his life during the mercy mission. Ratnapura and Kalutara bore the full brunt of the flood disaster with the majority of deaths and displaced reported from these two districts. Schools have been closed in the disaster areas where life has all but come to standstill. There is also the very real possibility of an outbreak of disease that always follows a major flood and the government should be prepared to meet this challenge as well.

More disaster was averted by the Ceylon Electricity Board which promptly cut off power supplies to the affected areas but for which the death toll would have risen due to electrocution of the already stricken flood victims. Sluice gates too were opened in the many reservoirs to mitigate the effects of the raging floods while prompt evacuation of persons in the landslide prone areas and those living on the river banks too helped in arresting the death toll.

The disaster no doubt rallied all citizens of the country to the assistance of the victims which has always been a hallmark of Sri Lankans during times of crisis. This was seen in ample measure prior to this too such as during the Tsunami catastrophe although there were vultures too who preyed on the victims. The various media organisations too deserve praise for mobilsing the public in providing assistance to the flood victims, an opportunity that that did not lend itself prior to the advent of the electronic media in the days bygone, another instance where the communication revolution had stood the public in good stead. Both the President and Prime Minister are monitoring the situation firsthand and have deployed the full force of the government machinery to deal with the aftermath of the disaster. The President has also ordered that all red tape be dispensed with in the provision of relief to the flood victims while daily briefings are been arranged to handle fresh crisis situations that might crop up affecting the victims. The President also has issued instruction to grant the maximum compensation to the next of kin of those who perished in the flood disaster.

The Opposition too, it has to be mentioned, has not thought it fit to fish in trouble waters and have extended support to the government to deal with the emergency situation. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has appealed to all countrymen to put aside all differences and rise to the occasion to provide succor to those affected. The clergy of all faiths too have appealed to their flock to rally at this moment of crisis. Dry rations and relief items are being collected in churches and temples countrywide as during the Tsunami with the public lending their unstinted assistance. The Mahanayakes in the meantime have appealed to all Buddhists to consider setting off a part of the funds earmarked for “Amisa Pooja” on Poson Poya day to help people affected by floods and landslides. The victims therefore are assured of help from all quarters but what is important is getting them back on their feet following their harrowing ordeal.

The flood waters not only claimed lives but also the very future of the survivors. In the deluge were washed away all their possessions and meagre belongings. All electrical goods in the homes consumed by flood waters cannot be salvaged and so are the books and clothes of school going children. Most of the half a million affected are now living in temporary shelters, some with only the clothes on their bodies. For them providing cooked meals and other forms of sustenance alone would not suffice. They need to start life afresh after the flood waters recede and here is where the government and also voluntary organisations will have to step in. The corporate sector too could assist in this noble endevour. A herculean task awaits the government in helping to rebuild the lives of the unfortunate victims and a collective effort is called for. A similar scenario that prevailed in the aftermath of the Tsunami now confronts the nation and the government will have to be equal to the challenge the like of which confronted the Chandrika administration in the wake of the Boxing Day catastrophe. On that occasion that was a national outcry for unity among all disparate forces and a similar call is warranted in this instance too if the country is to overcome the monumental natural disaster that has visited upon it.

The Island Editorial

Who grieves over Afghan civilians?

30 May 2017

A savage terrorist attack marred the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan in Afghanistan the other day. More than 20 persons including children died when the Taliban carried out a suicide blast near a bus station. This incident went almost unnoticed by the international community, which is still mourning the victims of the Manchester concert blast. No world leader cared to condemn the incident or offer condolences to the families of the victims. Why? If such a blast had occurred in a developed country heads of state the world over would have lost no time in condemning it and offering condolences. The number of Afghans killed in the latest terror strike has, as usual, become a mere statistic.

US President Donald Trump has pledged to induct more American boots in Afghanistan. He has not been moved by the suffering of the hapless Afghans troubled by terrorism. If US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s recent statement on Afghanistan is anything to go by, what has caused concern to the US is the ability of the Taliban to carry out attacks in other parts of the world. In other words, if the Taliban had limited their terrorism to Afghanistan the developed world wouldn’t have bothered to fight them.

Trump seems to think that the strengthening of US military presence, bombing and drone attacks will help neutralise the Taliban once and for all. Terrorism, no doubt, must be fought with might and main and military action is a prerequisite for any anti-terror campaign. Terrorists don’t understand any other language. But, the fact remains that the success of the ongoing military campaign against the Taliban hinges on the ability of the US-led forces to prevent the terrorists from recruiting combatants. The ISIS, al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorists have fertile recruiting grounds in trouble-torn countries like Afghanistan. Decades of neglect, deprivation and violence in such societies have enabled the elements like the Taliban to brainwash the frustrated youth and produce human bombs in large numbers. When children, denied access to education and fed on a diet of bigotry and hatred grow up in an environment where violence is a way of life it is only natural that they take up arms later in life and fight for various macabre causes.

The US may drop thousands of bombs on Afghanistan and induct hundreds of thousands of soldiers to conduct ground operations there but still fail to realise its goal of eliminating the Taliban. For, it has not concentrated on other fronts. The need for creating an environment where the Afghan children and youth will receive a decent education and learn to cherish the value of democratic freedoms and human rights cannot be overemphasised. It is hoped that President Trump will take action to redouble the efforts being made to educate Afghan children and improve the economic conditions in that war-ravaged nation. Unless the socio-economic swamp in Afghanistan is systematically drained, the Taliban will continue to thrive. This is, in fact, something the US should have done decades ago after achieving its goal of driving the Russians away with the help of Afghan guerrillas. Had it invested in education, rekindling democracy and economic development in Afghanistan the meteoric rise of the Taliban wouldn’t have been possible.