Tsunami in South East Asia:
Rebuilding after the emergency

Philippe Grandet, Regional Manager for South East Asia at Solidarités, regularly visits the region to assess the humanitarian situation and to follow up the implementation of our programmes. Interview following his recent assessment mission:

1. It is the second time that you have visited our missions in Asia since the Tsunami disaster, isn't it ?
Yes, in February I visited our mission in Sri Lanka and Sumatra. This time, I spent one week at the Sri Lanka mission, from April 25th to May 3rd.

2. From the precise reports your receive from the field, and what you have seen yourself, what is the situation now, over 4 months after the Tsunami ?
Concerning emergency needs, a humanitarian response has been provided: water distributions are being carried out, hygiene conditions are improving, and efforts are underway to clear the debris. The traces of the Tsunami are starting to disappear, at least in Sri Lanka. However, concerning long-term needs (permanent housing, long-term access to drinking water, economic revival) everything is still to be done.

3. Following the emergency phase, what is the planned development for our programmes in Sri Lanka and Sumatra ?
First of all, it is important to understand that the emergency effort must continue in both countries, and particularly in Sumatra, where the destruction was greatest and where another earthquake struck on March 28th. In practical terms, this means continuing our actions to distribute drinking water, provide sanitation facilities and, in Sri Lanka to clear debris. Moreover, in Sumatra, we are planning to provide emergency aid to the Banyak and Singkil islands, which were struck by the earthquake on March 28th. To meet reconstruction needs, we are carrying out the following types of programmes:
- In Sri Lanka : assistance to the fishing trade (assistance in rebuilding boats, distribution of fishing equipment, cleaning the sea floor).
- In Sumatra : rehabilitation or reconstruction of around thirty schools in the Meulaboh area, and preparation of a programme to support rice growing (draining land polluted by salt water and distribution of seeds).

4. What can you tell us about the use of private funds collected by Solidarités for the victims of the Tsunami ?
Most of these funds have already been used to finance our humanitarian action in Sri Lanka and Sumatra. They were used to provide emergency aid during the first few weeks, then to prepare ambitious programmes to provide access to water and sanitation, and to commence reconstruction. With the agreement of the local authorities, we have committed ourselves to humanitarian programmes which cover needs for the whole of 2005. And we are continually assessing the humanitarian situation so as to adapt our humanitarian programmes as necessary.

5. What would you like to say to all those who so generously donated to Solidarités following the Tsunami disaster in South East Asia ?
First of all thank you. And thank you for having chosen to donate to Solidarités, since having sufficient financial means allowed us to react very quickly to this emergency. I can say that Solidarités work is widely recognised in the field, both by our institutional and private partners and by the local authorities. Finally, I hope that other humanitarian crises, which receive less media attention, may also benefit from such generosity.