US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO457

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 COLOMBO 000457 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID 
STATE FOR TSUNAMI TASK FORCE 1 
USAID/W FOR A/AID ANDREW NATSIOS, JBRAUSE 
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA 
DCHA/OFDA KISAACS, GGOTTLIEB, MMARX, RTHAYER, 
BDEEMER 
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 JMELINE 
CDR USPACOM FOR J3/J4/POLAD 
USEU PASS USEC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, AEMR, PREL, PGOV, CE, Tsunami 
SUBJECT: (SBU) SRI LANKA - EARTHQUAKE AND 
TSUNAMIS:  USAID/DART SITREP #17 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (U) At a February 21 meeting, the 
Commissioner General of Essential Services 
instructed the Government Agents (GA) and lead 
shelter agencies to establish a district project 
office that will coordinate transitional shelter 
issues in each affected district.  In addition, 
the Commissioner stated that decision-making and 
approval of transitional shelter, including land 
allocation and shelter requirements, would be 
decentralized and made at the district level. 
On January 27, the Government of Sri Lanka 
(GOSL) announced assistance packages for owners 
of tsunami- damaged houses.  Families with 
houses within the Coastal Conservation Zone 
(CCZ), or buffer zone, will be provided new 
houses free of charge and in close proximity to 
the original location of their damaged houses. 
Affected families with houses outside the CCZ 
will be entitled to a state grant depending on 
the extent of the damage.  The Ministry of 
Agriculture's Water Resources Board has offered 
its assistance to the Ministry of Urban 
Development and Water Supply (MUDWS) to locate 
new groundwater sources and to investigate the 
quality of existing water sources.  End summary. 
 
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Shelter 
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2.  (U) On February 21, the Commissioner General 
of Essential Services Tilak Ranaviraja, head of 
Task Force for Relief (TAFOR), chaired a meeting 
on transitional shelter.  GAs and 
representatives from tsunami-affected districts, 
except Ampara, attended the meeting to discuss 
the Transitional Accommodation Project (TAP). 
Meeting attendees also included representatives 
from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), U.N. 
agencies, and donors, such as the USAID Disaster 
Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART.) 
 
3.  (U) During a presentation of the current 
situation on housing, Nimal Aberatne, 
Coordinator of TAP, stated that tents are a 
problem because they are too hot, not water- 
proof, and not secure enough for families' 
possessions.  As a result, no additional tents 
would be released unless in emergency 
situations.  The GOSL is committed to providing 
housing in two stages: transitional shelter for 
up to 18 months and permanent housing.  Mr. 
Aberatne emphasized that under the current GOSL 
policy for transitional housing: a) guidelines 
for house design and minimum specifications have 
been established; b) a range for the cost of 
each housing unit has been stipulated by donors; 
c) the CCZ, or buffer zone, has been 
established; and d) the GOSL will provide land 
for new housing for those with houses within the 
CCZ. 
 
4.  (U) At the meeting, the Commissioner General 
instructed the GAs and the districts' lead 
shelter agencies to establish a project office 
that will coordinate the TAP in each affected 
district.  The lead shelter agency in each 
district - either an NGO or a U.N. agency - will 
be responsible for setting up the office and 
providing at least 2,000 square feet of office 
space and adequate parking.  The office will be 
staffed by full-time personnel including: a) a 
project officer appointed by the lead agency; b) 
a land officer, preferably a retired government 
official with experience in land issues; c) a 
technical officer with field experience and 
nominated by the GA; d) representatives from key 
relief agencies in the shelter sector working in 
the district; and e) a police officer if the 
agencies feel one is needed.  In addition, the 
lead agency should provide transportation 
facilities, whether a car, motorcycle, or tri- 
wheeler, for government officials posted to the 
office to visit sites throughout the district. 
Mr. Ranaviraja also noted that the GAs and lead 
agencies should determine whether additional 
project offices are needed in those divisions 
that might be far from the district's center. 
The Commissioner requested that the offices 
begin operations on February 25 and stated that 
he will travel to all the districts between 
February 25 and 28 to officially open the 
project offices. 
 
5.  (SBU) According to the Commissioner, 
decision-making and approval of transitional 
shelter, including land allocation and shelter 
requirements, would be decentralized and made at 
the district level because the central 
government does not know the particularities of 
each site.  However, Mr. Ranaviraja noted that 
decisions should adhere to established central 
government's parameters; and the national 
project office would intervene or provide 
guidance when needed.  [Comment: The USAID/DART 
noted that the manner in which the Commissioner 
conducted the meeting and announced the 
decentralization of decision-making contradicts 
the decentralization message.  End comment.] 
 
6.  (U) In response to the Commissioner's 
request for suggestions on what to do with the 
large number of tents in the country not yet 
distributed, the U.N. High Commissioner for 
Refugees (UNHCR) representative proposed that 
the GAs identify those internally displaced 
persons (IDPs) that are still living under 
plastic sheeting.  The surplus of tents could 
then be used to replace the plastic sheeting and 
give these IDPs better living conditions before 
receiving temporary shelters.  UNHCR requested 
that GAs complete a questionnaire handed out at 
the meeting to determine exact shelter needs at 
the district and division levels. 
 
7.  (SBU) Comment:  The USAID/DART noted that 
the GAs were not given much time during the 
meeting to share information and raise concerns 
about the situation in their districts.  The 
meeting consisted of top-down instructions from 
the Commissioner General.  End comment. 
 
8.  (U) On February 27, the GOSL announced 
assistance packages for owners of tsunami- 
damaged houses.  Damaged houses within the CCZ 
will not be allowed to be reconstructed. 
According to the announcement, the GOSL will 
provide these families a new house with a 
minimum area of 500 square feet free of charge 
and in close proximity to the original location 
of their damaged houses.  The proposed houses 
will be located in urban and rural settlements 
that will be provided with infrastructure, such 
as electricity, water and sanitation, and 
recreation facilities.  Affected families with 
houses outside the CCZ will be entitled to a 
state grant depending on the extent of the 
damage.  Families whose houses have a repair 
cost of more than 40 percent of the house's 
value will receive 250,000 rupees disbursed in 
four stages.  Houses with a repair cost of less 
than 40 percent are entitled to 100,000 rupees 
disbursed in two stages. 
 
9.  (SBU) The GOSL's announcement also indicated 
that no development activity in the western and 
southern districts will be allowed 100 meters 
from the mean high water line, while the CCZ in 
the eastern and northern districts is 200 
meters.  The GOSL has decided that the only 
exceptions to the CCZ policy will be: a) coastal 
conservation structures and vegetation; b) 
activities in connection with the fisheries 
industry, such as harbors, piers, anchorages, 
warehouses, and ancillary facilities; c) 
agricultural activities approved by the Coast 
Conservation Department; d) historical monuments 
and archeological sites; and e) essential 
infrastructure facilities.  [Comment: The GOSL's 
decision to establish the CCZ is controversial 
and will certainly cause protests from people in 
affected areas that will be forced to move as a 
result of this regulation.  End comment.] 
 
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Food 
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10.  (U) At the February 21 shelter meeting, the 
U.N. World Food Program (WFP) presented the 
preliminary results of the food needs 
assessments mission.  The needs assessment 
mission consisted of 1) review of secondary data 
pre-tsunami food insecurity from 2003; 2) a 
nutrition survey conducted in collaboration with 
the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF); and 3) a 
joint WFP and International Labor Organization 
(ILO) livelihood survey covering 1,860 
households.  Preliminary results highlight the 
need to scale down general food assistance after 
three months and refine targeting of 
beneficiaries.  WFP presented a proposal 
comprised of four programs: a) meet short-term 
needs in tsunami-affected districts during two 
to three months; b) provide employment 
opportunities through a combination of cash- and 
food-for-work schemes; c) provide nutritious 
food to vulnerable groups through the Ministry 
of Health (MOH) and through take-home rations; 
and d) provide a safety net to households with 
high dependency ratios who are unable to sustain 
themselves. 
 
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Water and Sanitation 
--------------------- 
 
11.  (U) On February 22, representatives of the 
USAID/DART and USAID/Sri Lanka attended a 
meeting hosted by the MUDWS, with the audience 
primarily from the donor community.  MUDWS 
reported that the following five water and 
sanitation gaps remain: a) expedite the 
procurement of equipment and materials urgently 
needed, such as gully emptiers; b) investigate 
new water sources closer to residents; c) 
identify additional staff to operate water 
trucks, gully emptiers, and purification plants; 
d) establish a water quality surveillance 
system; and e) provide the balance requirement 
of toilets for transitional housing.  A 
representative of the Ministry of Agriculture's 
Water Resources Board attending the meeting 
offered the organization's assistance in 
locating new groundwater sources and 
investigating the quality of existing water 
sources.  [Comment: The USAID/DART noted that 
this was an important development in initiating 
coordination between two GOSL agencies.  End 
comment.] 
 
12.  (U) The MUDWS' National Water Supply and 
Drainage Board completed a water and sanitation 
needs assessment for each tsunami-affected 
district.  Preliminary results from the 
assessment indicate that needs total 
approximately USD 197 million, including piped 
water service to new settlement areas, repairs 
to existing piped water systems, and the 
temporary delivery of water by trucks. 
 
13.  (U) The U.N. World Health Organization 
(WHO) noted that responsibility for monitoring 
water quality needs to be clarified.  The WHO 
representative suggested that GOSL ministries 
and boards responsible for water issues work in 
coordination with the MOH to develop monitoring 
procedures for water quality monitoring.  At 
this time, MUDWS has laboratories at the 
district level, but the MOH's public health 
inspectors send testing samples to the MOH 
regional laboratories.  WHO recommended 
increased coordination between both ministries 
to streamline the monitoring process. 
 
14.  (U) According to the USAID/DART Water and 
Sanitation Officer, the hygiene promotion 
workgroup, comprised of the MOH and a small 
group of NGOs and U.N. agencies, has not 
produced any promotional materials to date.  The 
workgroup was given the task of finding 
available and appropriate hygiene promotion 
materials that could be used immediately in the 
transitional camps and having posters ready by 
the end of January.  However, the group 
developed a plan for a hygiene promotion 
campaign that includes various forms of media 
and would take too long to implement, thus not 
addressing the immediate concerns of the water 
and sanitation coordination group.  UNICEF is 
trying to get the workgroup to focus on a short- 
term plan to find existing educational 
materials. 
 
15.  (U) At the February 25 Water and Sanitation 
meeting, UNICEF presented results from a 
February survey conducted in 319 IDP camps in 
the nine tsunami-affected districts.  The 
average size of each IDP camp was 87 families. 
Results from the survey indicate that while 
potable water is available at all camps, 
quantity varies widely.  UNICEF recommends that 
an additional 1,200 water storage tanks be setup 
in camps throughout affected districts. 
 
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NGO Coordination 
------------------ 
 
16.  (U) At the February 25 NGO coordination 
meeting, the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies 
(CHA) announced plans to present a list of 
recommendations to the Commissioner of Essential 
Services for improvements on relief effort 
coordination.  CHA requested that NGOs provide 
suggestions for the list.  Relief agencies 
continue to express frustration about the lack 
of leadership and coordination for the relief 
effort. 
 
17.  (U) CHA encouraged relief organizations to 
contact the Ministry of Finance and Planning. 
In early February, the Ministry issued a 
communiqu requesting organizations involved in 
tsunami relief and reconstruction activities to 
 
SIPDIS 
provide the following information: a) details of 
ongoing programs and estimated costs; b) details 
of proposed projects and programs, including 
estimated costs; c) source of funding; d) annual 
report; and e) audited accounts and financial 
statements.  The communiqu stated that this 
information is being requested to quote ensure 
the effective use of resources for 
r 
reconstruction, transparency and accountability 
in allocation and disbursement of funds, and 
effective overall coordination so that the funds 
raised are effectively matched with the needs of 
the affected areas end quote. 
 
LUNSTEAD