December 27, 2004
Asian Tragedy: How to help
In early November of this year, as my wife and I took a dawn swim at one of the loveliest beaches in the world, Unawatuna (rated the 7th most beautiful beach on Earth by Conde Nast this year!), near Galle, in Sri Lanka, we could hardly have imagined that many of the lovely people we met there would be dead less than two months later; the beautiful old hotel we stayed in, as well as Auntie Moharram's lovely seaside restaurant (where she showed off the new bar she was planning to put in) swept away. A friend of one of my closest friends, Ramani, has had her parents, husband, and both children killed.
Five percent of the population of Sri Lanka is affected (homeless, injured, dead). As it happens, my wife and I had Christmas dinner two nights ago with a high-ranking offical of the Sri Lankan government, with whom we fondly shared many memories of our time there. And then the next morning, this wave of incomprehensible destruction. And as we are all too aware, it is not just Sri Lanka. We mourn also the thousands of victims in India, Thailand, and Indonesia. The New York Times has a list of ways to help here. I will update this post as I get more information on how to help most effectively.
The first picture shows me and Auntie Moharram in her restaurant, the second is where we were staying; both no longer exist. The third is a more recent picture of the area.
Posted by Abbas Raza at 05:51 PM | Permalink
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It was shocking and heart shaking to learn that severity of the earthquake in SE Asia was equal to a million atomic bombs!! Sorry to hear about the disaster in the family of Ramani's friend. Thanks for the informative pieces on this subject. Also I enjoyed the Dawkins' piece .
Posted by: Javed | Dec 28, 2004 2:39:52 AM
TSUNAMI SRI LANKA: Autism Awareness Campaign International Appeal
The southern and east coast of Sri Lanka were devastated by the Tsunami - giant tidal waves smashed into the island killing thousands of innocent people including people with disabilities. Over a million were made homeless.Thousands of little children have died. Sri Lanka needs desperate help.
The Autism Awareness Campaign in Sri Lanka appeal for humanitarian assistance - we urge you to help the people of Sri Lanka. Please donate generously to humanitarian campaigns such as Christian Aid, Oxfam, UNICEF, Care International, World Vision and others.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has appealed to people around the world to help victims of the floods that struck Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan Premier also expressed his thanks to the many countries that have pledged aid for the thousands affected by the tidal waves that followed an earthquake off the coast of Indonesia this morning.
His office at the Temple Trees has already started a hotline for relief funds and information. The contact numbers are:
Tel: 94112542871 or 94112392047
Fax: 94112321404
This operation is being coordinated personally by the Prime Minister through his Secretary Lalith Weeratunga - people around the world can also send donations to the Office of the Prime Minister, Temple Trees, Galle Road, Colombo-3, Sri Lanka.
The Rotary Club of Colombo Regency in Sri Lanka [www.rotaryCregency.org] are formulating plans to channel relief to the areas where they are most needed in Sri Lanka. At a time of this national disaster the nation and its people must stand together. Stand together to help the million victims who have been displaced from their homes and loved ones. Not only have these people lost their family/loved ones they have lost everything except for the clothes on their back.
How you can help
The Rotary Club of Colombo Regency, plans to implement the relief effort in phases in order for it to be effective.
The immediate need is for water and dry food items like biscuits, and canned fish, as displaced people are unable to cook meals just yet. In addition, basic medicines and clothing are also essential.
The second phase in a few days will be to provide dry rations, milk powder etc. as hopefully by that time people would have been moved into refugee camps.
The third phase (5 to 7 days) would be to conduct health camps to prevent/treat any outbreak in disease caused by polluted water and lack of proper sanitation etc at the refugee camps.
In the longer term, rebuilding of life and property would take an enormous effort and would need worldwide help.
If you wish to contribute by way of any items listed above or by cash or kind, please write into this site or phone/email any one of the persons below:
Mario Perumal +94 777 371204, mario@vigilant-security.com
Chamila Wicramasinghe +94 777 364618, chamila_w@yahoo.com
Shantha Warnakulasuriya +94 777 355288, shanthaw_midaya@sysnet.lk
Bary Jaleel on +94 777 300239, mcabdul@slt.lk
Altaf Ismail +94 777 741855, altaf96@slt.lk
Tharanga Gunaratne +94 777 389075, tkg_lk@yahoo.com
You can send cash contributions in the form of Cheques/Drafts/Money Orders as per the details given below:
Beneficiary - "Rotary Club of Colombo Regency"
Account No: 001-003771-002
Bank Name : HSBC
Postal Address : 24 Sir Baron Jayatilleke Mw, Colombo 01, Sri Lanka
SWIFT Address : HSBCLKLX
For items sent from overseas, The Rotary Club have arranged for duty waivers. Please make sure that you specify the beneficiary as the "Rotary Club of Colombo Regency", c/o Bary Jaleel, 15 Cambridge Place, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka.
However, send an email The Rotary Club with your full name, contact details and your contribution amounts and modes, so that they could keep a track. You can also log onto http://www.lankafood.com/ and select the items you would like to sponsor, and pay for on line. Details of items needed and their rates will be published on this site within the next 24 hours.
Autism Awareness Campaign Sri Lanka
http://members.tripod.com/autism_srilanka
autismsrilanka@hotmail.com
Posted by: Autism Awareness Campaign Sri Lanka | Dec 29, 2004 1:05:04 PM
TSUNAMI IN SRI LANKA : AUTISM AWARENESS CAMPAIGN SRI LANKA'S INTERNATIONAL APPEAL
SRI LANKA'S URGENT NEEDS
The tsunami has devastated Sri Lanka - also affected are Sri Lankans with disabilities.
Ten of thousands of Sri Lankans have died and thousands more will die through disease - Sri Lanka urgently needs doctors and medicine from overseas to cope with outbreaks of typhoid, dysentery, cholera.
The Autism Awareness Campaign Sri Lanka are not collecting money ourselves but we are working with partners all over the world to reach out to all Sri Lankans including the disability community who have been affected so badly by this deadly tsunami whgich struck the island on the 26th of December 2004 and has caused so much devastation.
How you can help in London:
Sri Lanka urgently needs:
Tents, blankets,linen, clothing.
Food - pre-cooked or ready to eat meal packs
Water purification tablets - approximately 2 million
Wheat, flour, pulses, rice.
Drugs: paracetamol, antibiotics, dressing, suture material, disposable syringes
Intravenous infusions - saline and dextrose.
Portable generators.
Disabled people will need wheelchairs.
The Sri Lanka High Commission in London have appealed for donations of the above and donors can take these items to the Sri Lanka High Commission at 13 Hyde Park Gardens, London W2 2LU. Those who wish to contribute may contact Mr.Y.G.Amaradasa (Administration) of the Sri Lanka High Commission in London. He could be contacted on the telephone: 020 7262 6721/020 7262 1841 extension 225, Fax: 020 7262 7970 and on e-mail: mail@slhc.globalnet.co.uk
With regard to the rapid conveyance of drugs and items such as water purification tablets and intravenous infusions, the Sri Lanka High Commission are exploring the possibility of facilitating airlifting these items through SriLankan Airlines to Colombo but please inform the Sri Lanka High Commission the full details of these drugs before and during delivery.
You can send donations to the Rotary Club of Colombo - the Autism Awareness Campaign Sri Lanka are working in partnership with the Rotary Club, a well respected international organisation who have teams working in the diaster areas.
Sri Lanka desperately needs help. They say the island needs 1 billion pounds to cope with this terrible disaster. Whole communities have been wiped out. Schools and homes have been devastated and scores of little Sri Lankans have perished. Please support Sri Lanka in her hour of need.
Ivan Corea WRC FRSA
Autism Awareness Campaign Sri Lanka
http://members.tripod.com/autism_srilanka
autismsrilanka@hotmail.com
Posted by: Autism Awareness Campaign Sru Lanka | Dec 31, 2004 4:33:48 AM
I would to fly out and offert any help I can.. Please how can i do this..
Posted by: Tina Phelan | Jan 9, 2005 6:53:50 PM
Nimal Mendis is one of Sri Lanka's outstanding singer/songwriters. He is a composer with dual nationality of Sri Lanka and Britian.
At present Nimal Mendis is living in France. He had 22 songs recorded in Britain in the sixties and appeared on the popular TV show “Top of the Pops " in 1968 with his own song " Feel like a Clown ". It was with his singing partner Sandra Edema as Ranee and Raj. It was a guest appearance.
He is one of a handful of Sri Lankan artistes ever to have made it to the BBC's 'Top of the Pops' television program in its heyday in the Swinging Sixties.
Nimal Mendis was 'discovered' by Radio Ceylon when the station ruled the airwaves in the late 1950s and 1960s. They plugged his songs like 'Kandyan Express' making him a star in South Asia.
One of his songs " Master Sir " has been a popular song in Sri Lanka for many years. He also wrote " Ganga Addara " for the late Vijaya Kumaratunge, the Sri Lankan President's husband who was assasinated in 1988 . He has written these and many other popular film songs for our country’s foremost filmmakers Lester and Sumitra Pieris 's . The two songs mentioned are still played often in Sri Lanka.
Following the destruction and horror of the Tsumani that struck Sri Lanka Nimal Mendis composed a new song. It is based on the unprecedented sadness that the entire island of Sri Lanka is experiencing. The song will be translated into Sinhala and also to Tamil. Nimal Mendis needs sponsorship for a recording of this song by an organization who could do it like the Band Aid effort by British artistes that collected a huge sum of money for charity. He does not want anything for the song. Money collected should be sent to the President’s fund directly.( copied below )
To contact Nimal Mendis:
Tel: ( 0033 ) 5 45 65 17 66 - nimal.mend@wanadoo.fr
His son ( Paulmarie Mendis ) contact details: in London. Tel: ( 0044 ) 207 272 5748 - datamyst@aol.com
In Sri Lanka - Varadatta Aravinda -
mobile: Tel: ( 00941 ) (0) 777 749420 -saman_li@yahoo.com
TSUNAMI RELIFE IN SRI LANKA - THE PRESIDENT'S FUND DETAILS:
Name of the Account : “ President’s Fund for Disaster Relief”
Bank : People’s Bank- Head Quarters Branch
Account Number : 204 100 190 136245
Type of the Account : Current Account
Swift Code : PSBKLKLX
Sort Cord : 204-7135
Online Transfer : Facility not available
THE COMPOSITION BY NIMAL MENDIS:
1st Verse
Oh see the foam
The foam-crested wave
Everyone is dying
No one to save
Rising terror thirty feet
Crashing on the shore
Rolling horror on the land
Destroying door to door
Did you need the tsunami
To leave war behind
To come together
Love each other
My child I cannot find.
CHORUS
Tsunami Tsunami
Can I forget this day
My hand has lost its grip
My child is washed away
Tsunami Tsunami
From the bottom of the quake
Why have you done this?
Hundreds and thousands to take
The sea speaks to you man
The sea speaks to you
I’m cleansing your sins man
And all of your motherland.
2nd Verse
I was watching the sea gull
Diving for the fish
It caught the swimming eel
Out of the deep
I remembered the bullet
Past my ear with a swish
I grabbed my child, saved ourselves
With one mighty leap.
Give me an answer
You transgressed the law
What is in your mind now
My child is no more.
CHORUS
Words and Music by Nimal Mendis.
See the Tsunami Information site for further details:
http://autismsrilanka.blogspot.com
Posted by: Asia Radio News | Jan 14, 2005 3:43:40 PM
Nimal Mendis is one of Sri Lanka's outstanding singer/songwriters. He is a composer with dual nationality of Sri Lanka and Britian.
At present Nimal Mendis is living in France. He had 22 songs recorded in Britain in the sixties and appeared on the popular TV show “Top of the Pops " in 1968 with his own song " Feel like a Clown ". It was with his singing partner Sandra Edema as Ranee and Raj. It was a guest appearance.
He is one of a handful of Sri Lankan artistes ever to have made it to the BBC's 'Top of the Pops' television program in its heyday in the Swinging Sixties.
Nimal Mendis was 'discovered' by Radio Ceylon when the station ruled the airwaves in the late 1950s and 1960s. They plugged his songs like 'Kandyan Express' making him a star in South Asia.
One of his songs " Master Sir " has been a popular song in Sri Lanka for many years. He also wrote " Ganga Addara " for the late Vijaya Kumaratunge, the Sri Lankan President's husband who was assasinated in 1988 . He has written these and many other popular film songs for our country’s foremost filmmakers Lester and Sumitra Pieris 's . The two songs mentioned are still played often in Sri Lanka.
Following the destruction and horror of the Tsumani that struck Sri Lanka Nimal Mendis composed a new song. It is based on the unprecedented sadness that the entire island of Sri Lanka is experiencing. The song will be translated into Sinhala and also to Tamil. Nimal Mendis needs sponsorship for a recording of this song by an organization who could do it like the Band Aid effort by British artistes that collected a huge sum of money for charity. He does not want anything for the song. Money collected should be sent to the President’s fund directly.( copied below )
To contact Nimal Mendis:
Tel: ( 0033 ) 5 45 65 17 66 - nimal.mend@wanadoo.fr
His son ( Paulmarie Mendis ) contact details: in London. Tel: ( 0044 ) 207 272 5748 - datamyst@aol.com
In Sri Lanka - Varadatta Aravinda -
mobile: Tel: ( 00941 ) (0) 777 749420 -saman_li@yahoo.com
TSUNAMI RELIFE IN SRI LANKA - THE PRESIDENT'S FUND DETAILS:
Name of the Account : “ President’s Fund for Disaster Relief”
Bank : People’s Bank- Head Quarters Branch
Account Number : 204 100 190 136245
Type of the Account : Current Account
Swift Code : PSBKLKLX
Sort Cord : 204-7135
Online Transfer : Facility not available
THE COMPOSITION BY NIMAL MENDIS:
1st Verse
Oh see the foam
The foam-crested wave
Everyone is dying
No one to save
Rising terror thirty feet
Crashing on the shore
Rolling horror on the land
Destroying door to door
Did you need the tsunami
To leave war behind
To come together
Love each other
My child I cannot find.
CHORUS
Tsunami Tsunami
Can I forget this day
My hand has lost its grip
My child is washed away
Tsunami Tsunami
From the bottom of the quake
Why have you done this?
Hundreds and thousands to take
The sea speaks to you man
The sea speaks to you
I’m cleansing your sins man
And all of your motherland.
2nd Verse
I was watching the sea gull
Diving for the fish
It caught the swimming eel
Out of the deep
I remembered the bullet
Past my ear with a swish
I grabbed my child, saved ourselves
With one mighty leap.
Give me an answer
You transgressed the law
What is in your mind now
My child is no more.
CHORUS
Words and Music by Nimal Mendis.
See the Tsunami Information site for further details:
http://autismsrilanka.blogspot.com
Posted by: Asia Radio News | Jan 14, 2005 3:44:24 PM
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