US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO401

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 COLOMBO 000401 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID 
STATE FOR TSUNAMI TASK FORCE 1 
USAID/W FOR A/AID ANDREW NATSIOS, JBRAUSE 
DCHA/OFDA KISAACS, GGOTTLIEB, MMARX, RTHAYER, BDEEMER 
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA 
TSUNAMI RESPONSE MANAGEMENT TEAM 
 
SIPDIS 
DCHA/FFP FOR LAUREN LANDIS 
DCHA DEPUTY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR WILLIAM GARVELINK 
ANE DEPUTY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR MARK WARD 
BANGKOK FOR OFDA SENIOR REGIONAL ADVISOR TOM DOLAN 
KATHMANDU FOR OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR WILLIAM BERGER 
GENEVA FOR USAID KYLOH 
ROME PASS FODAG 
NSC FOR MELINE 
CDR USPACOM FOR J3/J4/POLAD 
USEU PASS USEC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, AEMR, PREL, PGOV, CE, Tsunami 
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA - EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMIS:  USAID/DART 
SITREP #16 
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Summary 
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1.  Former Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton visited Sri 
Lanka as part of a tour of four tsunami-affected countries 
from February 20 to 21.  The USAID Disaster Assistance 
Response Team (USAID/DART) continues to travel to tsunami- 
affected districts to monitor and evaluate USAID's Office of 
U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) programs. 
USAID/OFDA implementing partner Sarvodaya is implementing cash- 
for-work programs in the water and sanitation sector that will 
benefit approximately 12,000 people in 40 villages in Galle, 
Hambantota, and Ampara districts.  Sarvodaya reports two main 
concerns: uncertainty about the fate of families with land in 
the 100-meter coastal buffer zone and difficulty in 
construction material procurement due to high demand in Galle. 
USAID/OFDA partner Community Habitat Finance (CHF) 
International reports being one of the few organizations in 
Galle filling the temporary shelter gap in the district 
because of local government authorities' push for relief 
agencies to concentrate on permanent housing.  End summary. 
 
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Presidents Bush and Clinton Visit to Sri Lanka 
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2.  From February 20 to 21, former Presidents George Bush and 
Bill Clinton visited Sri Lanka as part of a tour of four 
tsunami-affected countries.  On February 20, the former 
 
SIPDIS 
presidents met with President Chandrika Kumaratunga and 
Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) officials to discuss tsunami 
relief assistance and long-term needs in the country.  The 
next day, Mr. Bush and Mr. Clinton traveled to the 
Polatumodera camp in the southern district of Matara.  During 
the visit, the former presidents observed the construction of 
transitional housing, a project implemented by USAID/OFDA 
partner CHF International in collaboration with cash-for-work 
laborers and beneficiaries.  The presidents also viewed the 
USAID/OFDA-funded Christian Children's Fund (CCF) project that 
provides psychological and social support through child- 
friendly spaces where games and activities are designed to 
help tsunami-affected children with emotional recovery.  In 
addition, the delegation observed water treatment by a reverse 
osmosis unit provided by the U.S. private sector firm, ITT 
Industries, at Habaraduwa Division in Galle District. 
 
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USAID/DART Visit to Sarvodaya's Activities in Galle District 
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3.  On February 16, the USAID/DART Water and Sanitation 
Officer (WSO) and Information Officer (IO) visited Galle 
District and viewed USAID/OFDA implementing partner 
Sarvodaya's activities in the area.  With USAID/OFDA funding, 
the Sri Lankan non-governmental organization (NGO) Sarvodaya 
is implementing cash-for-work programs in the water and 
sanitation sector that will benefit approximately 12,000 
beneficiaries in 40 villages in Galle, Hambantota, and Ampara 
districts.  Sarvodaya is providing employment to residents 
from affected areas to construct and rehabilitate latrines, 
repair wells, construct compost bins, and install water tanks. 
 
4.  In Galle, Sarvodaya had completed the installation of 44 
1,000-liter water tanks in 24 villages as of February 16. 
However, water delivery to these tanks has not been 
consistent; the Water Board or other NGOs fill the tanks when 
water trucks are available.  To address this problem, 
Sarvodaya rented a 14,000-liter water truck from Colombo to 
service these water tanks for two months starting on February 
17.  In the sanitation sector, construction of more than 50 
permanent latrines in 6 villages in Galle has begun. 
Sarvodaya plans to construct and repair more than 1,100 
latrines in the district, although the total number of 
latrines will likely increase as people return to their land. 
Due to cultural norms, Sarvodaya will construct one latrine 
per family, instead of the planned one latrine for two 
families. 
 
5.  While Sarvodaya has provided water tanks to families 
living within the 100-meter buffer zone, the organization is 
not constructing latrines in that zone due to the uncertainty 
about its exact line of demarcation and the fate of families 
with land in the zone.  Sarvodaya representatives noted that 
the GOSL has announced plans to allocate land for families 
whose houses are in the buffer zone.  Families and relief 
agencies are awaiting this land allocation to begin 
construction of permanent housing and water and sanitation 
facilities. 
 
6.  Sarvodaya reported difficulties in obtaining construction 
materials, primarily construction sand, blocks, and concrete 
aggregates, due to high demand in Galle.  The price of 
construction sand has increased from approximately 3,000 
rupees pre-tsunami to more than 4,000 rupees per 100 cubic 
feet post-tsunami.  As a result of supply shortages, 
construction sand has to be procured from other districts and 
takes between two and three days to arrive in Galle. 
Sarvodaya also noted difficulty in hiring masons and 
carpenters at current wages due to the high demand for skilled 
workers; no problems were reported in finding unskilled labor. 
 
7.  Sarvodaya's project is scheduled to last four months, but 
will likely be extended due to delays in procuring 
construction materials.  According to Sarvodaya, beneficiaries 
report satisfaction with the cash-for-work program and are 
encouraged by the ability to earn an income and participate in 
the recovery of their communities. 
 
8.  The USAID/DART accompanied Sarvodaya to visit villages in 
the Kadawatsatara, Habaraduwa, and Balapitiya divisions where 
Sarvodaya's cash-for-work recipients are constructing 
latrines.  Residents from the villages reported receiving the 
GOSL assistance package, including food ration coupons. 
 
9.  The USAID/DART noted that in some villages local 
government authorities have demarcated the 100-meter zone with 
numbers painted on coconut palm trees.  [Note:  Although the 
USAID/DART stated difficulty finding the 100-meter markers, 
village residents seemed satisfied with knowing the limit of 
the buffer zone and being able to begin the reconstruction 
and/or rehabilitation of their homes.  End note.]  However, in 
the village of Randombe, Balapitiya Division, government 
officials have not provided any 100-meter markers.  The 
USAID/DART observed residents making repairs to homes within 
the buffer zone.  These residents were working as quickly as 
possible to repair their homes in the hope that government 
authorities will not require them to move. 
 
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CHF International's Activities in Galle District 
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10.  The USAID/DART also met with representatives of 
USAID/OFDA implementing partner CHF International in Galle and 
visited the village of Godagama, Hikkaduwa Division. 
According to CHF, the tsunami displaced 55 families from the 
village who resided for more than one month in tents at the 
Kurup Kanda Temple in Godagama.  At the time of the USAID/DART 
visit, most families had returned to their land or had moved 
with relatives and friends. 
 
11.  In Godagama, CHF's program will benefit 78 families, with 
three to four persons per family.  CHF will provide residents 
of this site and other sites in Galle and Matara districts 
with sturdy transitional housing units.  CHF built a 
transitional shelter prototype unit that provides more than 
200 square feet of space per family, exceeding international 
Sphere standards for emergency housing, and has received 
positive feedback from village residents.  The shelter units 
are constructed with low-cost, reusable materials, including 
steel tubes, concrete floor, aluminum sheet roofing, and 
plastic sheeting on the sides that can be raised for 
ventilation.  Following discussions with members of the 
community and in accordance with cultural norms, CHF has 
agreed to add a half wall of concrete block to each unit.  In 
addition, families will have the ability to adapt the design 
to their needs, by adding interior dividing units or painting 
the concrete floor. 
 
12.  CHF is providing training sessions on construction 
techniques and materials for families to build their own 
shelters.  Distribution of materials is done in stages to 
prevent families from selling the materials and to ensure that 
shelters are completed.  CHF plans to construct approximately 
200 transitional shelters per week in Galle District during 
the next month.  In response to needs that CHF has identified, 
CHF is expanding its transitional shelter program in Galle to 
five divisions from an original plan of three.  CHF reported 
being one of the few organizations filling the gap for 
temporary shelter because local government authorities pushed 
relief agencies to concentrate on permanent housing. 
 
13.  In approximately 20 divisions of Galle, CHF has 
identified as an urgent need the cleanup of canal blockages in 
areas between 500 meters and 1 km from the coast.  There are 
concerns that these blockages could lead to dengue fever 
outbreaks.  CHF plans to commence cash-for-work projects to 
clean these canals starting the week of February 21. 
 
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Donor Fact Finding Mission to Galle and Matara districts 
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14.  From February 10 to 11, representatives from the 
USAID/DART and the Embassy of Norway conducted a donor fact 
finding mission to Galle and Matara districts in southern Sri 
Lanka.  The team noted that Galle District experienced more 
displacement than any other in Sri Lanka, according to the 
GOSL.  Approximately 13,500 houses were either completely or 
partially damaged and 128,000 residents were affected.  In 
Matara District, more than 7,500 houses were completely or 
partially destroyed and approximately 79,000 were affected. 
 
15.  According to the fact finding team, during the first two 
weeks of the disaster response, assistance to internally 
displaced persons (IDPs) in these districts was unorganized; 
however services have slowly improved.  In Galle, there were 
more coordination meetings with government participation in 
the early stages of the response than at the present time. 
Conversely, general and sector-level coordination meetings in 
Matara are now held regularly.  The team noted that in the 
absence of sufficient direction from district-level government 
authorities in Galle, NGOs attempt to coordinate among 
themselves at the division and village levels.  While NGO 
meetings are helpful, not all humanitarian agencies in a given 
area attend them, limiting the effectiveness of the meetings. 
In Galle, some NGOs negotiate their proposed interventions 
solely with government authorities at the district or village 
level, seeking their approval and avoiding the onerous and 
lengthy task of gaining district-level approval.  This 
situation is compounded by innumerable organizations providing 
assistance with or without government knowledge, coordination, 
and approval in both districts.  In addition, local government 
officials' lack of experience in working closely with U.N. 
agencies and NGOs in rehabilitation activities hinder the 
ability of the districts to get the maximum benefit of non- 
government service providers. 
 
16.  The fact finding team noted that information management 
is a major concern and problem for governmental authorities in 
both districts.  The Galle Government Agent (GA) stated that 
the district lacked adequate hardware and trained personnel to 
gather and analyze data from tsunami-affected communities.  In 
Matara, the GA office relied on antiquated systems and 
equipment, though the tight-knit office had ready access to 
relevant data.  [Note: To address these concerns, USAID's 
Office of Transition Initiatives (USAID/OTI) is engaged in a 
USAID/OFDA-funded program aimed at building linkage across 
governmental structures through information sharing.  Through 
this program, USAID/OTI is providing computer equipment, 
internet access, and training to the offices of GAs and 
Divisional Secretaries in Ampara, Galle, Hambantota, Matara, 
and Trincomalee districts.  The purpose of the program is to 
allow these local government authorities to increase the 
efficiency of information and data management by connecting to 
the system established by the central government.  The program 
also aims to improve the information flow system and develop 
communications between various governmental and non- 
governmental stakeholders.  End note.] 
 
17.  The fact finding team reported that the issue of greatest 
importance and consternation in Galle and Matara is the buffer 
zone policy that restricts families and businesses from 
rebuilding within 100 meters from the coast.  Tourism and 
fishing represent the vast majority of livelihoods in Galle, 
and both industries require a close working proximity to the 
ocean.  Similarly affected are businesses that cannot rebuild 
within 100 meters of the ocean, nor find adequate space to 
rebuild beyond the buffer zone; impacting the livelihoods of 
thousands of residents, according to the team.  If a business 
in the 100-meter buffer zone was minimally damaged and was 
able to continue operations, it can re-open its doors. 
However, if damage curtailed its operations, the business 
would not be allowed to rebuild and re-open.  Without 
government approval, a business cannot obtain a loan from a 
commercial lender.  The team stated that everyone involved 
appears to be awaiting a national ruling on the 100-meter 
buffer zone.  Beyond 100 meters, there is clarity that 
rebuilding can begin, and the government is encouraging 
reconstruction activities. 
 
18.  The team observed that in addition to shelter the 
restoration of livelihoods is the highest priority, with tens 
of thousands out of work indefinitely.  Many NGOs are 
implementing cash-for-work projects, temporarily employing 
tsunami-affected populations to do debris cleanup and small- 
 
SIPDIS 
scale rehabilitation projects.  In some cases, as in Matara, 
cash-for-work is used to engage those affected in creative 
livelihood projects such as boat repair and block-making 
enterprises.  [Note: USAID/OFDA is partnering with local and 
international NGOs and USAID/OTI to support cash-for-work 
programs totaling more than $10.9 million in tsunami-affected 
districts.  End note.] 
 
19.  While shelter and livelihoods remain concerns, the needs 
of tsunami-affected people in the sectors of water and 
sanitation, health, and food are for the most part being met 
in both districts, according to the team.  The GOSL assistance 
relief package is reportedly reaching nearly all those 
affected by the tsunami. 
 
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USAID/DART Staffing 
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20.  As of February 22, there are three members of the 
USAID/DART in Sri Lanka. 
 
LUNSTEAD