USAID/OTI Sri Lanka Hot Topics November 2005
Community Led Disaster Response
USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) program in Sri Lanka aims to generate greater support for a negotiated peace settlement to end the island nation's longstanding internal conflict. To accomplish this, USAID/OTI supports local groups to implement small-grant activities that: promote inclusive, collaborative priority setting resulting in community improvement projects at the local level; increase understanding of key transition issues; and capitalize on windows of opportunity to mitigate conflict and generate momentum for the peace process.
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| A backhoe clears debris from a clogged irrigation canal in Pulmoddai, Trincomalee District, to alleviate flooding and allow displaced people to return to their homes. |
The conflict-affected Tamil village of Thiriyai and the nearby conflict- and tsunami-affected Sinhalese village of Kallarawa united in December 2004 when the tsunami that hit Sri Lanka forced the Sinhalese to seek refuge with their Tamil neighbors. USAID/OTI built on the reconciliation between these two communities by sponsoring a bush clearance and road rehabilitation program that has strengthened links between villages long separated by war and that has renewed generosity and compassion.
Heavy equipment hired to clear the overgrown jungle arrived in October 2005. The November monsoon slowed work and resulted in flooding in the predominantly Muslim community of Pulmoddai, which is north of Thiriyai and Kallarawa. Such was the downpour that families were displaced from their homes and forced to take shelter in schools and mosques. Years of neglect had rendered the irrigation system in Pulmoddai incapable of handling such a volume of water. The earthen bund of the rain-fed reservoir, or "tank," was breached, and irrigation canals - choked with debris and vegetation - overflowed and flooded many homes.
Although badly affected themselves and anxious to complete work in their own villages, the residents of Thiriyai and Kallarawa recognized the plight of their neighbors and together responded without delay. These Tamil and Sinhalese villagers voluntarily supported the predominantly Muslim residents of Pulmoddai by donating heavy machinery - in short supply due to the high volume of rehabilitation work in the district - to allow faster clean-up of canals and shoring-up of bunds. This enabled people to move back into their homes quickly.
The result of this intervention has been greater trust and mutual respect among the three ethnic communities, providing a platform for further OTI engagement in future activities to consolidate the positive relationships built so far.
For further information, please contact:
In Washington, D.C.: Elizabeth Callender, Program Manager, 202-712-4078, ecallender@usaid.gov
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