US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO1101

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001101 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EB A/S ANTHONY WAYNE; SA/INS FOR J. BRENNIG, N. 
DEAN; PLEASE PASS TO TSUNAMI RECONSTRUCTION TASK FORCE; 
TREASURY FOR C. CARNES; MCC FOR D.NASSIRY 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, ECON, PGOV, CE, MV, Tsunami 
SUBJECT: SRI LANKAN POST-TSUNAMI RECONSTRUCTION UPDATE 
(JUNE 22, 2005) 
 
 
1.  (U) This cable provides information for the June 23 
post-Tsunami IAWG meeting. 
 
Maldives Update 
--------------- 
2.  (SBU) We are still waiting for Government of Maldives 
(GORM) Planning Department feedback for potential projects. 
Nonetheless, given Washington guidance that uses for the 
money should be general, we have suggested the following 
way forward as we work with the GORM to finalize their 
priorities: 
 
--Transfer money in one tranche, via the GORM Federal 
Reserve account in New York. 
 
--Ambassador would sign bilateral agreement, on behalf of 
State Department, which would explicitly note that all USG 
agencies resident in Colombo will contribute to the 
monitoring process as required, implementation would be 
handled by the GORM. 
 
--Embassy would request that other USG agencies be 
available as required for monitoring and implementation 
questions. 
 
Sri Lanka: Outside Assessments 
------------------------------ 
3.  (U) The Sri Lankan NGO People's Action for Free and 
Fair Elections (PAFFREL - a USAID grantee during the 2004 
election cycle) has turned its attention to monitoring 
implementation of tsunami assistance and has produced a 
series of reports about conditions on the ground in tsunami 
affected districts.  These reports can be found at the 
PAFFREL website (http://www.lankaworld.com/paffrel/).  The 
main concerns listed in the report include a lack of land 
for housing outside the 100m/200m buffer zone, slow 
progress in putting people back to work, inadequate washing 
and sanitary facilities for women and girls in the camps 
and increasing malnutrition among children in the camps. 
The report outlines conditions by affected district and 
while there is no uniformity, there are general problems 
that appear to affect all affected areas.  We are 
following-up to find out how PAFFREL reached its conclusion 
on "malnutrition" since this has not been an issue to date. 
 
Housing 
------- 
4.  (U) According to TAFREN, as of June 14, 2005, 35,193 
Transitional Accommodation units were completed and 7,455 
more are under construction. Although pledges have been 
received from over 30 donors to construct 53,000 such 
units, TAFREN believes 45,000 will be sufficient. TAFREN 
believes that by the end of June, when these 35,193 
completed shelters are occupied and the 7,455 shelters 
under construction are completed, all persons presently 
living in welfare centers and tents would be accommodated. 
 
5.  (SBU) At a June 2, 2005 Transition Accommodation 
Project (TAP)/UNHCR Shelter Coordination meeting however, 
UNHCR Rep suggested that, based on field visits, 20-30% of 
shelters in the "completed" category are sub-standard or 
built on inappropriate sites. UNHCR does not have estimates 
of the number of shelters that have been built and remain 
unoccupied, but gave an example of a site in Batticaloa 
where 1,600 shelters were constructed, all of which are 
unoccupied because the potential beneficiaries find the 
site unsuitable. 
 
6.  (SBU) UNHCR's shelter coordinator believes that the 
number of displaced persons living with host families in 
poor conditions could be substantial, given that up to 70% 
of survivors in Ampara, according to their survey, went to 
live with relatives or friends. He believes that an 
intensive public information effort is the answer, to 
inform families of their entitlement to shelter. This is 
already underway in the South. As for those who are 
awaiting electrical connections and adequate water and 
sanitation access, UNHCR believes that only a small 
minority currently benefit from such facilities. Again, a 
comprehensive survey would be needed to clarify the gaps. 
7.  (SBU) Comment: The figures we are getting on 
quantities, although they indicate real progress, could 
also be hiding significant quality problems. How serious 
these problems are depends on how long families will be 
obliged to stay in their present accommodation while 
awaiting permanent housing, which indicates the importance 
of coordinating with the permanent housing sector to judge 
transition periods. End Comment. 
100m/200m Coastal Zone/DVC Follow-Up 
------------------------------------ 
8.  (SBU) The President has convened a commission to study 
the 100m/200m buffer zone area and the first meeting of the 
commission will be June 24.  The commission consists of the 
Secretary to the President W.J.S Karunaratne, who serves as 
 
SIPDIS 
Chairman, Chairman for the Task Force for Relief (TAFOR) 
Tilak Ranaviraja, Chairman for the Task Force for 
Rebuilding the Nation (TAFREN) Mano Tittawella, the 
Secretaries of Environment and Natural Resources, 
 
SIPDIS 
Fisheries, Urban Development and Water Supply, and Science 
and Technology, Director of Coast Conservation, Surveyor 
General, Central Environmental Authority Representative, 
Urban Development Authority Chairman, National Science 
Foundation and the TAFREN Housing Director (Note: many of 
these commission members were participants in our May 19 
DVC. End Note). 
 
9.  (SBU) The Terms of Reference for the Commission are to: 
 
--Examine the importance of establishing a buffer zone 
along the coastal belt of Sri Lanka, considering the 
adverse impacts of future coastal hazards; 
 
--Recommend guidelines on the demarcation of a buffer zone 
and its effective enforcement; 
 
--Advise on circumstances when deviations from the above 
guidelines may be authorized. 
 
10.  (SBU) We have a unique opportunity to influence this 
internal GSL debate, and urge that USG participants from 
the DVC, particularly from FEMA, OFDA and USGS, be made 
available for travel to Sri Lanka in early July.  USAID has 
identified funding for three travelers.  We were surprised 
to learn today that the FEMA participants may not be 
allowed to travel.  We request clarification on this. 
 
USTDA Visit 
----------- 
 
11.  (SBU) USTDA had a successful visit and appears to have 
identified several potential projects, including the 
establishment of a GSL Emergency Management Department, 
which has been championed by IBM.  For this endeavor, USTDA 
is considering technical assistance in the form of a 
former-FEMA consultant to visit Sri Lanka and work with 
relevant Ministries.  USTDA is also considering two water 
supply projects, one in Jaffna and one in the South, which 
use US technologies to provide drinking water in remote 
locations.  We understand that USTDA contractors will 
review these proposals and visit Sri Lanka within the next 
month to finalize scopes and budgets. 
 
12. (SBU) We want to raise one cautionary flag on the 
Jaffna project - USTDA and its partner organization will 
need to be extremely careful to avoid interaction with the 
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and performing any 
services that could be construed as "providing material 
benefit" to the LTTE.  It is notoriously difficult to get 
items by road through LTTE-controlled territory to Jaffna 
without paying LTTE "customs" charges, something for which 
USG funds cannot be used.  We will be happy to discuss this 
further with USTDA as the process moves forward. 
 
LUNSTEAD