What is Considered "Humanitarian" in Relation To Tsunami Relief Programmes

By Darmitha-Kotte

In the modern world of globalization one hears of human rights, freedom, humanitarian aid, child's rights, etc all of which, are geared to achieve certain hidden agendas for particular stakeholders to succeed with their hidden agendas to disorientate existing social fabrics in developing countries.

The Tsunami that hit Sri Lanka on 26th December 2004 is one such glaring example of how "humanitarianism " was used for various hidden agendas including unethical conversion activities of insensitive Evangelical groups and other groups with Christian funding. Ofcourse, these organizations do not come with the Cross and the Bible like in the olden times of "The Inquisition"-but when they doled out Tsunami relief goodies, they told the Tsunami victims that God was concerned about the Tsunami victims and it was his way of showing his concern!

The meaning of "humanitarian" according to the Oxford dictionary means " concerned with the welfare of people"as an adjective and as a noun it is used as " a humanitarian person." To be a humanitarian person or organization, it is not a pre-requisite that such persons/organizations must be registered with a particular organization- it is something that comes naturally if persons or organizations are truly concerned about the well being of affected or victimized individuals, communities, and even animals.

On the morning of 26th December 2004 when on Boxing Day, the Tsunami ravaged through the coastal belts of the western, southern, south eastern, eastern, north eastern and north western parts of Sri Lanka, many are the instances where the Christian Church Fathers had told their congregations at prayers, that they should seek refuge in the nearby Buddhist Temples! Payagala Catholic Church was a classic example of this. While the Churches were attempting to protect their premises from being dirtied by refugees, the Buddhist Monks were swimming the southern seas to save human beings caught up in the ravenous waves from being washed away- the Buddhist Temples opened all their doors for people to come and rest their weary bones and to rest while temporary shelter was being provided for them;

The Buddhist Monks gave even their spare robes to be laid on the floor to let infants sleep on the floors; every little morsel of food inside the Temples were given to the refugees while the ordinary masses from unaffected areas of the island immediately began to collect food, cook and parcel food, collect dry rations, clothing, milk foods for children and infants, medical supplies etc to the extent that most super-markets were unable to cater to the massive demand for supplies which were needed to help out. Still other organizations, Buddhist Monks and Temples began to organize relief items for distribution by making their premises collection centres.

Within hours and days-these items were taken to different parts of the country which were affected. Amazingly, due to the timely action of the people of this country, most side effects of such a tragedy such as contagious diseases were kept to minimum contrary to wide spread international propaganda. For southerners at this time of tragedy, there was absolutely no ethnic or religious division it was purely a humanitarian reaction that came into effect. However, many were the stories heard from people who went with relief supplies to the North and East, that the LTTE had either hijacked the relief supplies or blocked en-masse, any relief supplies brought from the South being distributed among the Tamil communities in the North and East. Even at this time of disaster, for the LTTE it was a matter of using a natural disaster- for their own personal terrorist agendas!

Southern coastal belt of Sri Lanka was the worst hit by the Tsunami and the entire Galle Town was washed away. However, due to the timely mobilization by the people of the area under the efficient supervision of welfare groups of the JVP-Galle Town and Bus Stand was back in operation within the first 3 weeks after the Tsunami! At this time of need the JVP was not involved in a political campaign but involved in humanitarian work to save our own people. The southern railway track which was considered to be wrecked beyond repair was estimated for a time frame of one year to complete repairs and return to normalcy-however before six months was up, the trains were back on track-all this was done with the mobilization of the masses with humanitarianism upper-most in their mind. All medical officers, Medical students from all parts of the country were immediately mobilized to supply emergency medical attention and first aid which miraculously minimized the dreaded infections faced by many countries who suffered the same fate.

Tsunami Relief With a Hidden Agenda:

While our Buddhist Monks, the ordinary citizens of this country and social welfare groups were working continuously to help the traumatized Tsunami victims with whatever resources they could possibly lay their hands on, the more sophisticated and rich INGOs and NGOs together with their rich Christian mentors who were planning out their own strategies to "harvest souls" amidst personal calamities which is by no means "humanitarian" in the true sense of the word but a business deal because, to them that is a way of gaining employment even for a short-term contract in a Tsunami affected country. They came with the specific agenda of "collecting numbers" for their congregations-Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims all became victims of this religious onslaught in the name of God! Our Buddhist Monks and ordinary citizens worked around the clock neither expecting anything in return nor hoping to convert to Buddhism any of the Tsunami affected families -THIS WAS TRULY HUMANITARIANISM.

In the name of 'Tsunami Relief Work" many are the foreign and local NGOs who began to work expecting also to find the in-roads into building close contacts with the LTTE and Tamil Relief Organisation(TRO) which is the front collecting funds for the terrorists. Counselling, trauma, medical hazards, child protection, child adoption( was immediately thought of, instead of finding ways to settle the families together) were all programmes that were well thought out, to target our innocent victims into doling out western dogmas which are not understood by the simple-minded civilian of this country. It is "inhuman" to use a calamitous background for outsiders to utilize for their hidden agendas. In the guise of Tsunami relief work, millions of foreign currency and materials were collected from around the globe from extremely kind hearted human beings but most of those donations never reached the expected targets! Some INGOs and NGOs that spread out through the affected areas merely messed up further, an already messed up situation caused due to the Tsunami.and left half done programmes.

They were quick to form the "Consortium of Humanitarian Affairs"(CHA) which became the umbrella organization under which World Vision, Habitat for Humanities, Red Cross organizations, Lanka Evangelical Alliance Development Service, Methodist Church of Sri Lanka, Vavuniya District NGO Consortium(which is LTTE and associates), Zoa Refugee Care Netherlands, Institute of Human Rights, Caritas Sri Lanka-SEDEC, National Peace Council, Oxfam, National Christian Council of Sri Lanka, Peace and Community Action, Sarvodaya, Save the Children in Sri Lanka, Shelter for Life, Sri Lanka Churches Child Care Association, Rural Development Foundation, Sewalanka Foundation, Action Contre La Faim, Adventist Relief Agency, All Ceylon Hindu Congress, Ampare NGO Consortium, Catholic Organisation for Relief and Development, Centre for Human Development, Christian Children's Fund of Canada, Christian Children's Fund Sri Lanka, Community Aid Abroad, Community Trust Fund, Consortium of NGOs in Trincomalee, Consortium of NGOs in Mannar, Council of NGOs in Jaffna, Danish Refugee Council, Family Rehabilitation Centre, FORUT, Christian Reformed World Relief Committree(CRWRC), Farmamundi, GOAL, Humedica International Lanka, Jen, Kindernothilfe(KNH), Medicos Del Mundo, Merlin, Northwest Medical Teams International, United Methodist Committee of Relief and CHA Observer Organisations- ADB, Australian International Agency for Development, CIDA-PSU, Department for International Development in Sri Lanka, Diakonia Sri Lanka, German Development Cooperation, Japan Bank for International Cooperation, JICA Sri Lanka, Movimondo, Norwegian Refugee Council, SDC Swiss Cooperation Office SL, Office of The Resident Coordination-UN, Swedish International Development Cooperation, The Asia Foundation, UNICEF, UN High Commissioner for Refugees and USAID and Associate Member-Tamil Relief Organisation(TRO) work together to achieve each other's agendas while complimenting each other's agendas. The most notorious NGOs involved in unethical conversions like World Vision, Habitat for Humanities, Caritas Sri Lanka-SEDEC, and Church Organisations are even on the Working Committees which makes their work even easier!

The only redeeming feature of this operation which could be commended, is the fact that volunteers who were sent by foreign governments to help the Sri Lanka government clear the road blocks etc for resumption of transport facilities, did an excellent job in the sweltering heat and before long having completed their assignments returned to their home countries.

When it became obvious to the current GOSL that misappropriations had taken place and investigations were necessary into the activities of foreign INGOs and their local counterparts, a Commission was appointed to investigate into the mal-practices which were naturally not to the liking of the parties concerned. These organizations and individuals became more and more involved with the activities of the terrorist organizations and are now interfering in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka.

Renewal and Regeneration Conference Programme - 11th May - 13th May 2007

Now it is necessary for the above mentioned organizations together with their overseas sponsors, to find more ways in which they could continue to extend their stay in Sri Lanka and interfere further in our internal affairs. A conference is being organized as per title mentioned above. Guest Speakers, workshops and targeted audiences are mostly directed towards work in the North and East of Sri Lanka although the worst affected area from the Tsunami was the South and South Western regions. After nearly 3 years is completed after the Tsunami of 26th December 2004, what is the need for a "Renewal and Regeneration Programme" we may ask? By now, had they done the work according to the TORs they came here for, by now they should have completed their assignments and returned home! However, it is necessary to probe into more avenues through which they could prolong their agendas and this conference is being convened specifically for this purpose.

Pro-LTTE campaigners and speakers have a special place at this Forum.

There seems to have been many enquiries from concerned parties both locally and internationally where questions have been asked regarding the "targeted audience" of this conference. If the agenda is genuine, then it should be open to all those who worked tirelessly without special agendas purely for humanitarian reasons . However, the organizers have been very careful, to shut out organizations on the grounds that they have not "registered with CHA' or that they are not the targeted audience! Most of the initial Tsunami relief work which was the most difficult part, was carried out by totally local social welfare organizations and Buddhist Monks and Temples where atleast 90% of the Tsunami victims took refuge BUT it is obviously not a justification to include them in this particular agenda on "Renewal and Regeneration Programme." The Armed Forces worked extremely hard to provide as much facilities as possible to the refugee camps until further help arrived but even they are excluded. What does this mean, is a huge question if the objective is humanitarian- more and more organizations whether registered or not, should have been extended an "Open Invitation" like when CHA places page long advertisements for them to champion the cause of the LTTE terrorists or their agendas. Many are these advertisements we have seen through the last couple of months when they have desperately tried to put "spokes in the wheels" of the GOSL attempting to eliminate terrorism from this country! CHA is by no means an impartial partner in any of the relief work and this fact is obvious to many who are working in this country-except for those with hidden agendas.

Right now, we are aware of the massive campaign being carried out by organizations like National Peace Council, Peaceful Co-existence etc to invite foreign mediations in the internal affairs of our country and this conference is another way in which they can justify their agitation of the grounds of "Humanitarianism" which is a Wolf in Sheep's Clothing!