Monday, February 23, 2015

Dec 31, 2004; a post on andamanicobar@yahoogroups.co.in; revisiting the tsunami of Dec 2004

Dec 31, 2004

Hello all.
ThankYou for keeping alive hope.
i am keen to volunteer with SANE or any other group that is /planning to engage in relief and rehab in the islands. My friend Richa has worked with SANE and was thoughtful enough to forward the group mails to me and help me communicate with Pankaj.

these news bits are very confusing. the media says that the government says that all is well- an aerial survey has shown that all the indigenous groups are safe- but it seems to be a blanket statement and much remains hidden- especially when they are also maintaining that all islands have not been accessed.

i think somebody mentioned that for relief work we need to get in more people who understand the indigenous people of the islands. While security concerns may be paramount, at the end of the day, the armed forces can only probably help in reaching those places. Ration and water is easily reaching Chennai as people are providing help in kind and it would accumulate there after sometime. Some of it can be quickly diverted to the islands.so arranging for supplies should not be such a big problem as is the question of timely distribution.

News just in said that the Centre is planning to have an integrated relief force?? for supervising relief work in the islands. i think the likes of anthropologists like Dr. Roy Burman should be a part of it.it is alright to evacuate tourists- i think that is the first thing which was done at war footing. but what about the actual natives?? they do not seem to be a priority here.

as of now everyone including the government realises that distribution of water and ration even to the remotest of islands should be on top of everyone's mind. Slightly later, counselling for dealing with post-trauma stress and reconstruction of lives would come in- which is going to be significantly long-term.
does somebody know how long will help provide immediate aid- realistically? Has that aid which was to be sent today, reached them? Are the Sentinelese safe? Do they have any fresh water sources still intact?

Thank You so much for all the authentic information

best wishes
madhvi

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