From early in the morning we distributed food, medical supplies, fresh water, baby food and clothes given to us by the rotary club in Colombo. The situation is very messy as communication and infrastructure are still down in the south. We have fuel tanks in my kitchen to run the cars. Along the way we saw hundreds of displaced families in the temples which urgently need help. On the roads people stormed our car for a loaf of bread or a bar of soap. Dead bodies and the smell of them are still present all along the coast. In the hospital where we dropped off medical supplies at last night they are burying bodies with bulldozers. The head doctor told us that today for the first time they will try to send out teams to refugee camps.
It gets disappointing when you can´t help and have to move on - me and a Norwegian nurse I was on the road with were trying to find the house where a close family friend is with bad injuries on her leg. She was swimming at the time the tsunami hit... we couldn´t find her and had to move on before it got dark.
The authorities only help close to the big cities as they can´t get through and need to secure key locations. Robberies happen at night in most houses, or what is left of them at the coast. The biggest problem are epidemics and fresh drinking water for everyone who is not further inland.
For those of you who want to help urgently... As soon as the Ceylon Commercial bank reopens a euro account becomes accessible which will be designated to donations. This account is run by one of my family´s friends and we all will make sure that the aid reaches individual families to rebuild their homes. Families like the one of my friend who sleeps over now as he lost his wife, son, daughter, uncle and house... the kids were found in a hardware store 1km down the road pressed through a wall and buried under shelves.
Now the sun is rising over this beautiful island again and everyone down here is faced with the challenge to make the best out of the day till it gets dark and finding roads becomes a nightmare again. Today international assistance should be arriving and getting through... for me I will go with the nurse in our team again to hopefully find that house with the injured friend today...
[-> AT <-]
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, [email protected]
Chamila Wicramasinghe +94 777 364618, [email protected]
Shantha Warnakulasuriya +94 777 355288, [email protected]
Bary Jaleel on +94 777 300239, [email protected]
Altaf Ismail +94 777 741855, [email protected]
Tharanga Gunaratne +94 777 389075, [email protected]
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.
Ivan Corea WRC FRSA
Autism Awareness Campaign Sri Lanka
http://members.tripod.com/autism_srilanka
[email protected]
Posted by: Autism Awareness Campaign Sri Lanka | December 30, 2004 at 01:17 AM
Nimal Mendis composes Tsunami Song for tsunami victims in Sri Lanka
Following the destruction and horror of the Tsumani that struck Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan musician 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 is seeking sponsorship for a recording of this song by an organization such as Band Aid, which was carried out by British artists, that collected a huge sum of money for charity. He does not want tanything for the song. Money collected should be sent to the President’s fund directly.
Tsunami Relief 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).
Nimal Mendis is one of Sri Lanka's outstanding singer/songwriters. He is a composer with dual nationality of Sri Lanka and Britain.
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 assassinated 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.
To contact Nimal Mendis: Tel: +33 5 45 65 17 66 - [email protected].
His son ( Paulmarie Mendis ) contact details: in London. Tel: ( 0044 ) 207 272 5748 - [email protected]
In Sri Lanka - Varadatta Aravinda -
mobile: Tel: ( 00941 ) (0) 777 749420 [email protected]
See the Tsunami Information site for further details:
http://autismsrilanka.blogspot.com
Posted by: asiaradionews | January 17, 2005 at 12:02 AM
Sri Lanka lost over 40,000 people - men, women little children in the tsunami. Over 2 million are homeless. Miss Jones, now back at Hot 97 should note, that over half the number of the dead were little Sri Lankan children. Miss Tarsha Jones and the Hot 97 laughed at the dead and the dying.Senior Management at Emmis Radio turned a blind eye and let the song run for a very long time, day in day out until the protests grew.
Sri Lankans in New York have been urged to join the protests outside Hot 97 radio in New York on Valentine's Day. Hundreds of Asian-Americans will attend. They are calling for the sacking of Richard Cummings President of Emmis Radio and Miss Tarsha Jones of Hot 97 who promoted racism and hatred.
The people of Sri Lanka are calling on President George Bush to personally intervene and fine Emmis Radio and Hot 97. They are asking the question is this the compassion of the United States of America towards those who suffered so badly in the tsunami which ravaged Asia?
Today a major feature was published in the 'Sunday Island' newspaper in Colombo, Sri Lanka criticising Emmis Radio and Hot 97. The respected Sri Lankan journalist Nan has voiced Sri Lanka's revulsion against Emmis Radio and Hot 97 - both radio stations are now 'dirty words' in the tsunami hit nations in the Asia-Pacific.
The Sunday Island Newspaper (13th February 2005) said:
Two tsunami songs mentioned in the British parliament with kudos to Nimal Mendis
by Nan
'I mentioned in a previous article the fact that Nimal Mendis was so moved by the destruction and destitution caused by the tsunami that he inspirationally composed a song of the sea-caused tragedy. That was his way of coming to terms with what had happened to his homeland, which he loves so well.
Nimal, needless to mention, is the composer of both the lyric and music for that wonderful plea of a tea plantation worker for justice from his British Periaya Dorai. Master Sir was the theme song of the film Kalu Diya Dahara (correct me if I am wrong on the film’s title), which song has remained perennially popular. In fact a popular singer uses it as the title of her concerts, with no by-your-leave, copyright permission or whatever from Mendis. Such are the liberties taken by our folk, through sheer inconsideration or ignorance.
I tend to feel it’s the former for we as a nation are thick-skinned about appropriating what is not ours, for our benefit. So intellectual property rights are cast overboard with no compunction.
Feelings that prompted NM’s song
Coming back to my subject, Nimal Mendis composed his tsunami song as his way of saying he felt one with the people who suffered. This is his family’s special contribution. The song has already won fame. It has been translated to Tamil and Sinhala and would soon be heard by us.
According to Nimal: "I was stunned by the tsunami. Even though I was not there, I underwent the trauma of a man losing his grip on his child and the child being swept away by the water. That is what led me to write the song in ten minutes. I did not write the song for myself I wrote it for them who suffered and even as I say this, my eyes fill with tears.
"I now think of men getting drunk, taking to drugs, and isolating their women because of the suffering in their minds. I think of children and mothers and another extra great tragedy they have to cope with now, greater than the poverty and struggle they always went through in their lives, whether they be in the south, the north or east or some parts of the west. They are all our people and they are suffering and its time people do not tempt fate. As I ask in my song, ‘Did you need the Tsunami to leave wars behind?’ Each and everyone must ask this of oneself irrespective of ethnicity. It is to awake from this great slumber some Sri Lankans indulge in more than others. Do we need war and do we need another tsunami?
"As I told you, being here I prefer to crawl into a hole and cover my head and think it all is a bad dream. My only wish is that however small the funds got from my song are, it will go towards easing, if it ever can, the fragile minds that have been shattered by this disaster suffered by all - young and old, men, women and children. All of them who have been left behind to cope with bereavement that will linger on in their lives until memory fades. In an apparition of The Blessed Virgin, She once said: ‘There will come a time when the living will envy the dead."
That was Nimal speaking his heart out, not expecting to be quoted in print. But I got his permission to write about his song and the other.
The motion in the British Parliament
On February 6, it was reported in the media that British MPs deplored the racist Tsunami Song aired over Hot 97, the hip hop radio station in New York.
"Parliamentarians of all parties have objected to the tsunami song aired for over a week on Hot 97 and sung by Miss Jones and a team. Two members of the team have been fired by Emmis Radio. The song has angered people all over the world — including tsunami hit countries.
"British MPs of all parties have signed the early day motion 638 sponsored by the highly influential British Parliamentarian, Linda Perham, MP for Ilford North. EDM 638 reads thus:
‘Hot 97’s Racist Tsunami Song
That this House deplores the racist Tsunami Song aired on Hot 97 radio station in New York, calls upon Richard Cummings, President of Emmis Radio, to take firm action against those who aired the song beyond the temporary suspension, and commends the heartfelt tsunami song composed by British-Sri Lankan Nimal Mendis.
Let’s repeat that last section in the decision taken by that most prestigious body of legislators, the British Parliament: "commends the heartfelt tsunami song composed by British-Sri Lankan Nimal Mendis". Isn’t that a great honour for the composer and his country?
Many are calling for the resignation of Miss Jones. The US President has been urged to take action over Emmis Radio and Hot 97 as they have brought America into disrepute.
The two songs
I will give you the two lyrics.
The first is the Tsunami Song, aired between 18 and 27 January with DJs Miss Jones and Todd Lynn.
(HOT 97 RACIST LYRICS)
Disgusting racism, innuendo and sheer bad taste. Thank goodness a vigilant British MP brought the disrespect to light and had the offenders duly punished for their incredible bad taste; and the song withdrawn.
In contrast is Nimal Mendis’ song, composed as he said in ten minutes. His son Paulmarie had come over for a weekend to Paris from London and was on Internet, when Nimal, getting up from an afternoon nap, told Paulmarie to word process what he was going to say. And thus was the song written with no later editing.
First 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..
(Music and words by Nimal Mendis) said Nan in the Sunday Island in Colombo.
What a difference between the two lyrics. Nan's major article has caused an uproar in Sri Lanka over Hot 97's racist tsunami song.
The only way out is for Richard Cummings and Tarsha Jones to go and go now. There will be more protest all over the world - people are protesting to American Embassies around the globe - Cummings and Jones appear not to have the guts and the decency to resign.
President George Bush and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice will have to intervene if Cummings and Jones continue to be at their posts despite the cruelty towards the victims of the tsunami of 26th December 2004.
Posted by: Jag | February 14, 2005 at 07:34 AM