NEP Post Tsunami Response Final

North East Province
Post Tsunami
Response Programme
NEPC
February 2005
Chief Secretary's Office

Trincomalee
Contents
Abbreviations 2
Overview 4
Cross cutting strategies for recovery 9
Sectors
Resettlement 10
Housing 11
Fisheries 13
Agriculture 15
Livestock 17
Roads 18
Irrigation 19
Health 20
Education 22
Social Welfare 24
Women and Children 25
Co-operatives 27
Small and Medium Industries; Enterprise Development 28
Local Government 29
Urban Centre Development 31
Natural Resource Management and the Environment 32
Human Resource Development 34
Administration Services Infrastructure 36
Appendix
Schedule of Project Briefs 37
1
Abbreviations
ACCD Assistant Commissioner of Cooperative Development

ADA Assistant Director Agriculture
ADF Assistant Director Fisheries
AI Artificial Insemination
AI Agriculture Instructor
AMC Anti Malaria Campaign
AO Agricultural Officer
AP & H Animal Production and Health
BOQ Bill of Quantity
CAD Central Ayurvedic Dispensary
CBO Community Based Organisation
CD & MH Central Dispensary and Maternity Home
CEFE Competency based Economy through the Formation of Enterprise
CIRM Centre for Information Resource Management
CNO Centre for National Operations
DATC District Agricultural Training Centre
DH District Hospital
DOA Department of Agriculture
DPDHS Deputy Provincial Director of Health Services
DS Divisional Secretariat
FCS(S) Fisheries Cooperative Societies
FI Fisheries Inspector
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GHC Gramodaya Health Centre
GTZ German Technical Cooperation
HRD Human Resource Development
IDB Industrial Development Board
IDP Internally Displaced Persons
INGO International Non Governmental Organization
ITDG Intermediate Technology Development Group
LAA Local Authorities
LB Left Bank
LIBCO Livestock Breeders Cooperatives Organization
LTTE Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
MC Municipal Council
MDTD Management Development and Training Department
MIS Management Information System
MOH Ministry of Health
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MOMCH Medical Officer for Maternity & Child Health
MOU Memorandum of Understanding
MPCS Multi Purposes Cooperative Society
NAITA National Apprenticeship Industry Training Authority
NECORD North East Community Restoration and Development Project
NEHRP North East Housing Reconstruction Programme
NEIAP North East Irrigated Agriculture Project
NEP North East Province
NEPC North East Provincial Council
NGO Non Governmental Organization
NLDB National Livestock Development Board
OPD Out Patient Department
PASS Practical Answers for Sustainable Solutions
PDS Planning and Development Secretariat
PS Pradeshiya Sabha
PU Peripheral Unit
RB Right Bank
RBU Rural Bank Union
RDA Road Development Authority
RDD Road Development Department
RDS Rural Development Society
RE Regional Epidemiologist
RH Rural Hospital
RMO Registered Medical Officer
SLIDA Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration
SLITAD Sri Lanka Institute of Training and Development
SMO Social Mobilization Officer
SWE Salt Water Exclusion
TB Tuberculosis
TCCS Thrift and Credit Cooperatives Society
TO Technical Officer
TOT Training of Trainers
TRO Tamils Rehabilitation Organization
UC Urban Council
VTA Vocational Training Authority
WHO World Health Organization
WRDS Women's Rural Development Society
WUSC World University Services of Canada
ZDE Zonal Director of Education
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NEP Post Tsunami Response Programme
Overview
Purpose
The North East Province Post Tsunami Response Programme is a post-conflict, post-tsunami
initiative for the region, to be followed up with medium and long term plans. It covers immediate
needs in 18 sectors concerning shelter, livelihoods, infrastructure and social institutions, and
focuses on a 3 - 18 month pre-transitional period from disaster relief to the first steps of
development.
The document provides a rational perspective on the current situation and presents policy makers
and donors with clear, executable concepts. By starting with what is manageable, the initial
response plans not only seek to build a firm base for reconstruction but also serve as a needs
analysis for deeper reaching change and development to come. In some cases the approach may
be unsustainable in the long term, yet this characterises the nature of the pre-transitional phase.
Analysis, strategies and activities within the remit of the North East Provincial Council are set
out here for investors to prioritise, expand, adapt and incorporate into projects. The list of
'doables' does not cover the non-devolved concerns of the central government.
It is important to understand how such an initiative fits in to the complex interplay of central and
provincial government, LTTE and donor agency inputs, strategies and requirements. The need
for coordination is more crucial now than ever before. Instead of dissipating assistance on
perceived needs or familiar sectors, donors and agencies should be working together for more
comprehensive sector coverage, providing components of a wider framework and, where
possible, contributing to longer term objectives. Inputs in this process need to be mutually
reinforcing, seeking synergy and maintaining momentum. There is a need to streamline, to share
aims and direction. By fitting the various national and international inputs into the same
framework, it is possible to identify the gaps, avoid duplication or inappropriateness and broaden
the scope.
A coordinated approach, elaborating on basics, enables the rehabilitation process to move

forward from a number of points consecutively. A more linear approach would be stifling and
too labour intensive, given the extent of the damage and the interlinked nature of the
consequences. If it is to work, multi tasking across sectors needs to include power sharing from
central to provincial level and a provisional structure that accommodates the LTTE in the
NEPC's planning and implementing process.
Situation
The tsunami that hit the coast of Sri Lanka on 26 December 2004 was of devastating intensity.
61% of the national damage was sustained in the North East Province (NEP), where over 23,000
people were accounted dead or missing, and over 330,000 were made homeless. In the six NEP
districts hardest hit, 52 health care buildings were damaged or destroyed, 124 schools, 31
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irrigation systems, 209 public buildings including market places, libraries, community centres,
and playgrounds, 1085 Km of coastal roads, 5,000 hectares of standing crops and cultivable land,
and nearly 77,000 dwellings. Natural resources and environmental protection were affected
along an 800 km stretch of coastline with damage extending as far as three kilometres inland in
some cases. The preliminary damage island wide as reported by the Centre for National
Operations on 31 January 2005 is summarized in figure 1 below. The table shows how damage
in the North East compares, on a proportional basis, with that in the South West.
North East North East South West South West Total

Affected Families 15,947 132,443 148,390 63% 62,252 23,379 85,631 37% 234,021
Displaced Families 16,962 72,625 89,587 82% 7,572 12,503 20,075 18% 109,662
Displaced Persons
In Welfare Centers 22,496 109,069 131,565 90% 6,002 9,394 15,396 10% 146,961
With Relatives/friends 41,781 160,523 202,304 50% 149,411 53,899 203,310 50% 405,614
Deaths 6,200 14,354 20,554 66% 10,060 341 10,401 34% 30,955
Missing 974 2,165 3,139 58% 2,129 172 2,301 42% 5,440
Injured 4,907 8,740 13,647 64% 7,326 467 7,793 36% 21,440
Schools Affected
Completely Damaged 17 13 30 73% 9 2 11 27% 41
Partially Damaged 7 37 44 62% 22 5 27 38% 71
Used as Welfare
Centers 40 101 141 51% 87 47 134 49% 275
Houses Affected
Completely Damaged 12,367 35,854 48,221 74% 10,635 6,470 17,105 26% 65,326
Partially Damaged 5,665 22,875 28,540 59% 13,932 5,633 19,565 41% 48,105
Welfare Centers 42 160 202 66% 60 45 105 34% 307
figure 1
In terms of human suffering, nearly 3,000 children lost one or both parents and at least 2,000
men and women became single heads of households. At the time of writing 131,565 people are
living in camps, and 202,304 with relatives or friends, their homes, livelihoods and income for
the foreseeable future lost. Many people displaced by the tsunami had been conflict displaced
before. This double blow was something unique to the NEP. 57,725 of the families in Batticaloa
and Trincomalee districts made homeless on 26 December 2004 were returnees who, in the space
of a couple of hours, lost the hard earned gains they had made over the past three years since the
cease-fire agreement. The psycho-social effects of the disaster on the population in NEP are
difficult to measure and the term 'trauma' is being used to cover a range of psychological and
physiological states. Those who lost more than one immediate family member and those
involved in handling the dead bodies are the most vulnerable but there is also a pervasive
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depression emanating from the wide spread destruction that has a chronically debilitating effect
on communities.
Impact on the North East Province
For the conflict affected areas of the NEP, the tsunami was in effect the third wave to beat back a
population already struggling to emerge from poverty. The first wave was development
deprivation dating back to Independence. The second wave was twenty years of civil conflict
resulting in 64,000 lives lost, over 800,000 internally displaced people, widespread lack of skills,
reduced opportunities, social exclusion and a precarious peace. In addition, the structure of
governance the conflict induced created impediments to poverty alleviation within the legal
framework and the state institutions themselves.
The tsunami - the third wave – swept away any gains NEP had made as a conflict emerging
society with a paradigm to operate from. This makes the current situation in NEP unique, in
economic, social and familial terms. The impact is vertical rather than horizontal. Successful
recovery from the huge knock-on effect of vertical damage will require change to the very fabric
of society. Rebuilding the north east requires the fundamental rethinking of institutions,
mechanisms and governance.
A paradigm shift
The post conflict, post tsunami environment requires a reassessment of traditional policies and a
departure form the late twentieth century development practices which were heavily influenced
by the thinking of the national framework. The aftermath of the tsunami sends a clear message
that many past approaches are no longer appropriate and marks the end of a development era.
The equation has changed. Reconstruction is not just a case of clearing up and reinvesting. It
must include institutional change if it is to succeed. Such redesign fundamentally precludes
recuperating old systems. Reviving the sectoral repertoires of the past is expecting a socio-
economic solution from a model thirty years out of date. What is needed is change in the
governance structure and the legal framework so that community capacity and enterprise can
develop, and new products and practices grow. At the same time intervention must avoid
creating further vulnerability and dependency.
From Disaster to Development: staying within the positive realm
The MOU and ensuing two years have given the NEP an opportunity to test development
initiatives, inputs and implementation and there are many lessons learnt. In figure 2 below, the
NEP is currently sitting in the lower left hand quadrant, 'Disasters set back development'.
The main opportunity through a response programme is to reposition the NEP in the bottom right
hand quadrant, 'Disasters provide development opportunities'. The main threat is to allow
uncoordinated national and international relief efforts to reposition the NEP in the top left hand
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quadrant, 'Development increases vulnerability'. (Indeed, many may argue that the post conflict
pre tsunami development scenario had put NEP in this quadrant already.)
Development Realm
Development Development
increases reduces
vulnerability vulnerability
Negative Realm
Positive Realm
Disasters provide
development
Disasters set back opportunities
development
Disaster Realm
figure 2
It is important to stay within the positive realm. The post tsunami environment is open in a way
that it has not been for twenty years, and however fragile, the possibility of capitalising on that
openness exists. It is time for bold initiatives, a time to go beyond national considerations, to
think out of the box.
Such an approach is easy to undermine. In the short term, the institutional system is too
cumbersome to accommodate cross sectoral initiatives or to change its way of working, and this
inflexibility may become self cancelling. From an international point of view, loss of momentum
will engender loss of support. Insistence on traditional approaches by the recipient government
may undermine the open forum that exists now. Enthusiasm may dissipate and the good will and
generosity of donors and implementers may dry up. From a national-to-regional point of view,
the traditional practices of the line ministries may subvert inputs and implementation may fall
between stools in a system where authority and responsibility are scattered across too many
institutions.
Towards implementation
There are certain pre-requisites if this programme is to succeed. These include an appropriate
administrative structure, more room at the regional level to make decisions, devolvement of
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funds to the NEP, and an integrated approach across sectors in the recovery process. In addition,
special attention must be paid to legal issues with specific reference to lost certificates of birth,
marriage, death, and education, lost land deeds and boat registration, and the cases of those who
were unregistered or unauthorised in some way prior to the tsunami.
Many of the details of this response programme suffer from the standard thinking of the line
agencies. There will be gaps and perhaps an over emphasis on physical repairs to the detriment
of strategies for new processes and systems. Nonetheless without a move from the general to the
specific, there can be no move to action. The NEP's Post Tsunami Response Programme seeks
to provide that starting point.
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Cross cutting strategies for recovery
The following principles are those the NEPC espouses. They form the basis from which
interventions should operate. They have been be grouped into strategies that concern people and
participation, 'do no harm' approaches, governance and the planning process, implementation and
coordination, and capacity related issues.
The NEP's post tsunami response seeks to
operate in a people centred, collaborative way with decisions made through consultation at
community level and interventions that are clearly in response to affected communities'
expressed needs;
give priority to and provide special care for the most vulnerable;
revive communities with as little 'limbo' time as possible, focussing on livelihoods and social
networks supported by rebuilding institutions and infrastructure;
rehabilitate with sensitivity to security issues, land rights, livelihoods, cultural values,
environment, and neighbouring communities;
maintain the peace agreement and decrease political tensions; at least do no harm; at best
strengthen the peace process;
distribute interventions equitably to both government and LTTE controlled areas, based on
needs not politics, religion, ethnicity or gender;
deal with tsunami issues in relation to their additional impact on the conflict affected
situation, not in isolation;
provide what is needed, not replace what is lost, commensurate to parallel communities in the
rest of the country;
insist on good governance for all interventions: transparency, effective mechanisms and
monitoring for decision making and implementation, equity, transparency, accountability
with access by communities to information, policies, entitlements, and procedures;
provide systems that permit feedback and grievance redress with implementing authorities;
account for spending at all levels - to provincial government, donors, partners, civil society
and the affected communities themselves;
be co-ordinated at government, LTTE, INGO, NGO, civil society, and private sector levels to
amalgamate donor inputs and avoid duplication;
use holistic and discrete approaches to interventions simultaneously, analysing individual
interventions in terms of internal integrity as well as best fit in the larger framework;
let interventions be guided by best practice and lessons learnt from other disaster recovery
scenarios and by international standards;
implement each activity at the lowest competent level of government with the central
government focussing on overall strategies and standards while local, appropriate regional
solutions, policies, funds and activities are channelled through provincial and district
structures;
use local capacity wherever possible and take every opportunity to build local capacity
through interventions;
reduce vulnerability to future disasters by including cost effective protection from floods,
cyclones and tidal waves in building and public awareness programmes.
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Resettlement
Sector analysis
In post conflict NEP, options for resettlement are narrowed by the proliferation of landmines, open
land disputes, security and high security zones, deteriorated local roads and irrigation schemes, lack
of coastal roads/coastal access, water, sanitation, and electricity. Tsunami damage has narrowed
options still further on the coast with more destruction to already war torn harbours, anchorages, ice
plants, fuel supply depots, homes and homesteads and coastal farming land.
After the MOU and government and donor funded resettlement projects, 40% of the NEP’s 800,000
displaced people returned to their places of origin, to private land originally owned by them and to
state owned land allocated under the land development ordinance. Many of the resettlements close to
the shoreline, especially in the north, were subject to a double hit - conflict displaced and
rehabilitated, these coastal communities were then tsunami displaced.
Of the 333,869 people displaced from the coast in seven districts of the NEP, 131,565 are in camps at
the time of writing and a further 202,304 with friends and relations. The 202 camps set up to
accommodate tsunami displaced people offer basic shelter, sanitation and food.
There is inadequate institutional capacity to manage such large scale displacement and reconstruction,
in terms of sourcing new land, planning and managing resettlement. There are no NEP organisations,
institutions or private sector in the immediate coastal hinterland to support coastal communities.
Whether state or private owned, the government is imposing a 200m construction-free coastline zone
and this strip will be evacuated, no new housing built there, and alternative land found. However,
many shoreline communities have no alternative but to build their houses within the 200m strip, due
to geography, lack of alternatives and livelihood needs. In addition the restriction adversely affects
the existing housing programme (NEHRP).
Resettlement of fishing communities poses issues of its own. Their particular social structure makes
integration into non fishing communities problematic. More importantly, for security’s sake, they
need immediate access to their boats, motors, nets and equipment. If they are resettled inland, in a
very few months they will have moved back to the coast in order to look after their gear.
Strategies
Deal with double-displaced communities first because they are the most vulnerable.
Pursue a collaborative, people-centred approach to planning, implementing, monitoring and
resettlement.
Identify new land and carry out relocation assessments with a view to the social development,
livelihoods, environment, land rights, governance, gender, conflict and security dimensions -
especially in regard to ethnic and administrative divisions - as well as the technical aspects.
Resettle people in planned communities where water, sanitation, electricity and access roads are
provided based on a proper physical plan; rebuild at least to the same standards as the rest of the
country, not on an as-was basis, with attention to safety in human and environmental terms.
Strengthen capacity at divisional level to help identify and compensate beneficiaries, to promote
private sector partnerships for building projects, to set up systems for arbitration, streamlining,
grievance procedures and keeping people informed.
Relocate public buildings – schools, health care centres, temples etc. - inland in accordance with the
200m coastal ordinance but relocate personal dwellings on a settlement by settlement basis.
Begin rebuilding the 200-500m coastal strip while waiting to settle the more problematic 200m strip
so as to avoid 'limbo' time.
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Housing
Sector analysis
290,615 housing units were damaged or destroyed in the civil conflict: 58% of the NEP's housing
stock. 130,000 damaged or destroyed houses are owned by NEP IDP's of whom 18,500 belong to
vulnerable groups: landless, single heads of household, elderly and high security zone families.
The conflict has contributed to slum populations, an acute shortage of building materials and skilled
labour, inflated prices, and a whole series of complex problems related to land ownership and legal
issues – loss of title deeds, encroachment, building regulations, defaulting on loans, customary
inheritance laws, squatting etc.
76,761 houses and huts in six districts were damaged or destroyed by the tsunami, affecting more
than 148,000 families. Many conflict displaced families resettled on the coast are now double-
displaced and have lost their newly constructed homes. This devastation has increased the housing
reconstruction load by an estimated 15% but proper estimates for reconstruction, factoring in labour,
materials and machinery have not yet been done at national, provincial or district level.
There is inadequate provision of materials and skilled labour for such a large rebuilding programme.
In the past skilled labour was often hired from the south but because of the tsunami reconstruction
needs there, workers will not be available.
In principle, the size, cost and finish of houses to be reconstructed should be consistent throughout
NEP for reasons of equity. House construction should require some measure of owner input for
sustainability. However there is still a lack of consensus about what the standard intervention and
support should be.
The government is enforcing a 200m construction free shoreline zone which makes it necessary to
find alternative land for housing as well as adversely affecting the NEHRP housing programme
already in operation.
Strategies
Deal with housing for double-displaced families first.

Promote owner driven housing construction at all levels. Consult affected house owners/beneficiaries
and seek their participation and contribution. Reinstate the dignity and confidence of a conflict
affected, tsunami affected population through this process.
Ensure consistency in interventions balancing central government requirements with on-going
housing programmes already in place, in terms of selection of beneficiaries, amount of grant, floor
size, finish etc.
Disseminate housing plan alternatives including outright grants for independent construction,
community driven models on a grant basis with committee decisions, combinations of grants and soft
loans for individuals, and provision of housing on a turn-key basis for vulnerable communities and
communities in areas where land is an issue.
Phase in community infrastructure construction, owner driven construction and contractor built
housing. Provide temporary shelter for owner managed construction.
Expedite and enforce municipal, urban and rural building regulations and building permits.
Use local building materials wherever possible, purchased in bulk at community level to reduce cost
and promote construction technology alternatives including technology to adapt natural resources for
building materials.
Provide skills development training in masonry, carpentry, welding, and aluminium fitting.
Safe guard against future natural disasters by providing mechanisms for house insurance and building
houses able that withstand extreme conditions including cyclones.
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Capture the opportunity to build up the construction industry within the rehabilitation process by
- providing facilities for private sector development and small scale entrepreneurs;
- removing impediments to production and procurement of building materials;
- developing a friendly banking system and banking culture;
- establishing an institutional approach to skills development and entrepreneur development,
targeting a more educated group within the population to increase construction skill levels
and elevating the status of skilled workers by recognition through certification and career
structure.
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Fisheries
Sector analysis
1055 km of coastal belt and nearly 110,000 hectares of brackish water make fisheries the second
biggest economic activity in NEP. If it were in fully operating order, 60% of Sri Lanka's catch could
be obtained in these waters.
Central Government remains responsible for fisheries at district level and this accounts for the lack of
capacity in the system: 32 vacant posts for ADFs and fisheries inspectors. Administration facilities
and systems are inadequate to carry out meaningful development work.
During the war fishing was banned for security reasons in Northern Province and restricted in Eastern
Province with direct negative impact on livelihoods and fishermen's cooperatives. Fishing grounds
were encroached by outsiders. Fishermen were displaced by the conflict and resettled after the MOU,
many to their original villages. People in these resettled coastal fishing communities are the most
affected because of the double hit.
7,826 mechanized and non mechanized fishing craft were lost during the war years. Then, in one day,
13,968 fishing vessels were destroyed by the tsunami; 10470 items of fishing gear such as nets and
tackle and 1,273 engines were damaged or lost. 42,999 fishing families were affected. 2,952 were
killed and 1,459 injured. 19,037 fishing community houses were lost and 190 fishermen co-
operatives were badly affected.
Lessons learnt from the reactivation of the fisheries sector in Jaffna, the 44 fresh water and 47 marine
fisheries co-operative societies now registered, 7 district level fisheries unions and the coordinating
role of the Department of Provincial Co-operatives, will be valuable in post tsunami response and
longer term fisheries development initiatives.
Strategies
Resettle displaced fishing communities with land and house allocations in safe areas and planned
community infrastructure as the first step to reactivating fishing industries.
Use fishermen cooperative societies as the main engine of rehabilitation. Re establish and strengthen
190+ active and non active co-ops and provide further inputs into cooperative management, book
keeping and fisheries management
Pursue a plan of rights based provision, balancing immediate needs (mainly the repair and supply of
canoes) with longer term efficiency by supporting local fishermen in the use of multi day boats, new
technology and gear.
Rebuild and develop fishermen's institutions, infrastructure and new technology with credit through
coop banks.
Include piers, beacon lights, anchorages, resting sheds, deltas, landing points, harbour facilities, ice
plants, sales and service centres in the rebuilding plans so that fishing vessels sustain less damage,
repair overheads go down and the infrastructure has the potential to deal with much higher
productivity.
Encourage and support local private sector and fisheries support industries, such as boat building
yards and fishing gear production, by creating long term credit, low interest incentives.
Pursue devolution as much as possible and fill government vacancies as soon as possible so that
fisheries can be managed at a regional and local level.
Rehabilitate training, research and development for the fisheries industry including strengthening
departments in the NEP universities, providing coastline studies courses in universities and schools,
researching and cataloguing available marine resources and fish migration/dynamics for future
regulated use and zoning.
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Proposed activities
Provide funds and assistance for rehabilitating fishing communities (see sectors on Housing and
Resettlement).
Replace lost and damaged boats and gear including canoes, fibre glass multi day boats, outboard
motors and nets through loans and grants for fishermen in 7 districts selected through the Fishermen's
Co-operative Societies.
Provide mobile coolers for Fishermen's Co-operative Societies in 7 districts.
Develop training in fishing technology for younger fishermen to replace lost skills of more
experienced fishermen killed by the tsunami.
Fill existing vacancies at central and provincial level as soon as possible so that a meaningful
rehabilitation programme can be carried out.
Enforce fishing water regulations to prevent illegal fishing/encroachment.
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Agriculture
Sector analysis
88% of the population of NEP live outside principal towns where livelihoods depend on fishing,
agriculture and subsistence farming. The traditional crops they grow and their way of working needs
modernizing in the short term and re evaluating in the long term for agro industrial development.
The effects of the conflict on the agricultural sector include loss of farm assets, exodus or
displacement of farmers and farm labourers, female head of household farmers, destruction of
irrigation systems and wells, loss of topsoil in lands bulldozed to make security bunds, loss of
traditional crop varieties through lost seed material during displacement, landmines in cultivable land,
perennial crops and live fences destroyed, lack of storage and co-operative facilities, lack of school
leaver retention in the agricultural sector, lack of marketing for surplus agricultural products. The
result is reduced production, investment decline, lack of private sector participation, loss of
agricultural skills, lack of technological progress and unemployment.
Overall tsunami damage to agriculture was less than that done to fisheries. Nonetheless, 2500
hectares of standing crops were damaged in four districts: Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and
Jaffna. A further 2500 hectares of cultivable lands along the coastal areas in the same four districts
were salinated by the waves. The problem of salination is long term in the paddy land not the sandy
soil areas which will wash out with the next rains. 171 public wells had salt intrusion and
approximately 2,000 home gardens got washed away.
The Department of Agriculture NEP sustained tsunami damage to office buildings and staff quarters.
Strategies
Work with coastal area farmers in a participatory way to reclaim tsunami salinated and other
inherently saline land in NEP for immediate use, and to choose appropriate crops for cultivation.
Strengthen capacity of the service provider with better agricultural data, provision for Agriculture
Instructors accommodation in the field, refurbished/repaired tsunami-damaged quarters, offices and
vehicles. Focus on providing services to conflict-affected, tsunami-affected Kilinochchi and
Mullaitivu.
Strengthen provision of effective field and institution based training for farmers with new courses and
materials, residential provision for agricultural instructors in difficult areas and model units for
demonstration crops.
Proposed activities
Provide soil and water salinity testing equipment for the coastal areas and help farmers select
measures for reclamation and suitable crops.
Supply saline tolerant rice and vegetable varieties, produce and supply seeds and seedlings, compost
materials and compost making devices to coastal belt farmers.
Remove toxic materials in low lying cultivated areas where drainage systems are blocked; unblock
drainage systems in preparation for the next rainy season.
Re-establish integrated homesteads programme to support home gardening, home fruit crops
(including cadju and coconut on the coastal belt) and livestock homesteads.
Create farmer field training curricula and materials to strengthen effective farm practices. Develop
training materials to deal with location specific problems and store materials electronically so that
training manuals can be updated on an ongoing basis.
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Create a range of agriculture training programmes for institutional delivery at the District Agriculture
Training Centre for farmers and technical staff. Produce curricula and training manuals. Run
awareness workshops for farmers so that they understand the benefit of attending such courses.
Strengthen the Agriculture Information database by creating an agriculture MIS system and updating
village level information.
Repair tsunami damaged staff quarters and vehicle in Kallady. Construct offices and staff quarters
for Agriculture Instructors, staff attached to the DOA and ADA staff in Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, and
Vavuniya. Set up the AI's residence and office as a model unit and maintain demonstration crops
there.
Fill staff vacancies across the sector to build capacity to carry out a meaningful rehabilitation
programme.
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Livestock
Sector analysis
NEP produces one third of the country's cattle population and nearly half the goat population. NEP is
a major source of meat and live cattle are transported to Colombo. Despite this, in coastal areas the
livestock sector is not well organised or commercially oriented. People raise livestock for secondary
income. Lack of high quality breeds, commercial feeds, and marketing networks inhibit commercial
development.
Tsunami damage has crippled supply, production, services and marketing in the livestock sector and
includes the loss of 6,400 cattle, 2,089 goats and 62,900 poultry in Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee,
Mullaitivu, Jaffna and Kilinochchi. Local government sanitation services have completed the removal
of dead animal bodies.
Loss of domestic livestock from homesteads impacts directly on poor coastal families, removing their
safety net against crop failure, their secondary income and daily nutritional inputs.
Many private farm holdings were damaged by the tsunami. Grazing lands and ponds were
contaminated with salt water and are now unfit for livestock feed and water.
The destruction of the milk collecting centre and collection network at Pottuvil has created a loss of
6000 litres a day in an area where milk production provides a steady income for many farmers.
Strategies
Re-establish tsunami damaged production and strengthen it to create food security and income
generation through marketing of healthy livestock products (milk, meat and eggs).
Re-establish and extend veterinary services to support on-going and new income generation livestock
projects.
Re-establish and extend training for livestock farmers.
Re-establish tsunami affected Department of Animal Production and Health assets in order to support
the sector at this time of crisis.
Proposed activities
Relocate and reconstruct the veterinary dispensaries at Pottuvil and Mullaitivu so that they can
provide services and livestock farmer training for newly resettled villagers in key livestock issues
such as artificial insemination, disease control, and the issue of breeding material.
Relocate and reconstruct the milk collecting centre and collection network at Pottuvil to support
livestock farmers' daily income.
Relocate to a suitable environment and construct the poultry farm and training centre that used to be
at Kallady. Install equipment, furniture and library facilities and resources. Restart supply of day-old
chicks. Provide training courses for farmers on a regular basis.
Supply high quality breeds of livestock to 8 districts to replenish and increase animal stock in tsunami
affected areas.
Replace salt water damaged electronic equipment at the Provincial Director's Office Trincomalee and
other Department of Animal Production and Health offices in Batticaloa, Kalmunai, Pottuvil and
Mullaitivu.
Fill staff vacancies to build capacity to carry out a meaningful rehabilitation programme.
17
Roads
Sector analysis
The Road Development Department is responsible for the construction and maintenance of 2,800km
of provincial C, D and E class roads in NEP. Class C roads link provincial and district centres to the
national highways and class D and E roads provide secondary and tertiary links to smaller towns and
villages.
The road infrastructure in NEP is seriously dilapidated due to the conflict, lack of maintenance, and
the tsunami. Pre-tsunami, there was already a 20 year development gap between NEP highway
provision and the rest of the country. Carriageway, shoulder and verge widths are less than the
national standard; all paved surfaces have deteriorated and some sealed road surfaces have entirely
disappeared; bridges and culverts have been destroyed and there is no maintenance. Only 10-15% of
the road surface is estimated to be intact.
Poor quality rural C and D roads prevent access for displaced and resettled communities to
transportation, income generation and good quality services. During the post tsunami relief work,
deteriorated roads have had a direct impact on slowing down the disbursement of aid from the main
centres, with serious access difficulties to communities on tsunami hit coastal roads. 75 roads were
damaged by the waves in Ampara, Batticaloa, Mullaitvu, Trincomalee and Jaffna and urgent
temporary repairs in the first three districts were carried out to allow the traffic to flow.
Strategies
Temporary solutions must be followed up with permanent repairs.

Important roads should be rehabilitated to a usable and maintainable condition which accommodates
the demands of returning populations, development and economic growth.
Road rehabilitation should bring roads up to standard where their maintenance is affordable and
sustainable. Recurring maintenance costs should be built in to all budgets.
Access provided by restored C, D, and E roads should be considered as the key to poverty alleviation
and economic development in terms of providing cheaper, better transportation; access to higher
priced urban markets, food processing industries for farmers and fishermen, education and social
services; incentives to produce higher value perishable goods and seek opportunities outside the
immediate community.
Proposed activities
Rehabilitate 400 km of the most important C, D and E road structures in NEP – roughly 15% of the
secondary roads. Bring them up to a usable and maintainable condition with side drains, improved
road base and sealing, and the construction of culverts, bridges and ferry ramps.
Draw up a plan for funding and reconstructing a further 1,600km of C, D and E roads.
Establish a road maintenance fund.
Reconstruct the eastern coastal road.
18
Irrigation
Sector analysis
The Provincial Irrigation Department is responsible for all the major and medium sized irrigation
schemes in the NEP with the exception of the inter-provincial schemes – a network that irrigates
98,284 acres and the drainage schemes and salt water exclusion schemes that go with it.
The NEP irrigation infrastructure is heavily dilapidated after two decades of conflict, inadequate
funds for operation and maintenance and lack of access. Severe damage was sustained by heavy
floods in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2004. The tsunami worsened the situation and some of the schemes
are hazardous, requiring urgent attention before they cause further financial damage and loss of life.
Lack of vehicles results in lack of works inspection, delayed instructions, inferior quality work and
low outputs. Lack of staff quarters, facilities, and equipment, and a shortage of engineers reduce the
efficiency of the sector too. Low resources and management capacity in the sector prohibit heavy
initial outlays required for the construction of new irrigation facilities that will enable agriculture to
shift from monoculture farming to an export oriented agro industrial structure. As a result there has
been a shift back to renovating obsolete systems to increase productivity of existing land.
Damage to anicuts, irrigation roads and salt water exclusion schemes directly impacts on farmers'
livelihoods because they cannot irrigate or desalinate or access their lands.
Low storage capacity of damaged irrigation schemes puts unnecessary pressure on ground water
resources which should be conserved for future generations.
Strategies
Have a clear, short term plan which focuses on rehabilitation of major and medium irrigation schemes
which are in urgent need of repairs, including flood protection, drainage, tanks, bunds, salt water
exclusion, the Jaffna lagoon scheme, and irrigation roads. Increase productivity of existing schemes
to increase productivity of existing farmland.
Enhance quality control through capacity building and works inspection.
Introduce an operation and maintenance system based on the participation of beneficiary farmers.
Proposed activities
Reconstruct, improve, or carry out major repairs to water schemes, head works, tanks, anicuts, inlets,
feeder tanks, irrigation roads, causeways etc. in 8 districts, as specified in the project briefs in the
appendix.
Provide vehicles for the Provincial Irrigation department to increase site inspections, speed up
supervision, reduce negligence in remote areas and increase productivity.
Repair irrigation buildings to provide an appropriate working environment for implementing post
tsunami response programmes.
19
Health
Sector analysis
According to WHO 2004 health indicators, the health status of the population of NEP (2.8 million
people) is lower than the rest of the country, mainly due to twenty years of conflict and neglect.
The tsunami disaster has severely disrupted life in six districts with Kalmunai and Batticaloa the
hardest hit. It has pushed people to the limit – physically and psychologically – with the high death
figures, massive damage, displacement of people, water and sanitation problems and psychosocial
problems.
30 health care institutions and were completely destroyed by the tsunami and a further 22 partially
damaged. Lack of skilled labour, equipment and resources prevented speedy rebuilding of the NEP
health sector after the MOU and now the large number of tsunami destroyed and damaged hospitals,
dispensaries, health care buildings, medical staff quarters and MOH buildings increases the
rehabilitation problem enormously.
In some places where buildings were spared, the hospitals are out of action because equipment and
supplies were destroyed. In still others, skilled personnel were so affected by the tsunami that they
are unable to continue work in a location so close to the sea for fear of another natural disaster.
Vehicles damaged or destroyed by the waves include ambulances and pickups and this has caused
major problems in transferring patients in a critical state to nearby hospitals, running mobile clinics
and carrying out field inspections.
Severe shortage of human resources and extensive damage to buildings, furniture, equipment,
supplies, amenities and infrastructure has, in many places, brought basic health care provision to a
standstill. The NEP health services face huge problems in providing curative medicine and mental
health care, preventing outbreaks of communicable diseases, and carrying out promotional and
rehabilitative health care work among an extremely vulnerable, displaced population.
Strategies
Refurbish first, in terms of hospital furniture, equipment, medical supplies, to create a functioning
environment and then rehabilitate affected health care buildings.
Relocate buildings on land away from the stipulated danger zone.
Plan and construct health care buildings as purpose-built units, not simply replacing what was there
before. Design them to provide optimum patient care and proper staff quarters, to maintain and
safeguard drugs and equipment, and to withstand natural disaster and civil disturbance.
Increase the mobility of the health services with provision of ambulances and other vehicles.
Design and deliver mental health programmes in order to return a traumatised population to normal
life and improved earning capacity as soon as possible. Use mobile teams to provide mental health
care at community level.
Increase capacity in disaster preparedness with advanced warning systems, disaster management
training and co-ordination systems in place.
Proposed activities
Refurbish patient care institutions, Gramodaya health centres and MOH offices in priority order and
provide outpatient department, lab, ward, and MOH medical equipment for them in six DPDHS
regions, in priority order.
20
Reconstruct district hospitals: outpatient department blocks, ward complexes, and quarters for nurses,
midwives, paramedics, and other hospital employees in nine DPDHS regions in all eight NEP
districts.
Reconstruct or renovate rural hospitals, peripheral units, central dispensaries and maternity homes in
nine DPDHS regions in all eight NEP districts, including repairs to wards, water tanks, laboratories,
staff quarters etc.
Renovate and refurbish three central Ayurvedic dispensaries in Batticaloa and Kalmunai.
Provide ambulances for patient care institutions, 30 supplied immediately with the balance in
staggered instalments in tandem with reconstruction of facilities, establishment of vehicle
maintenance capacity and staff availability.
Provide vehicles for MOH offices: passenger vans for mental health care teams, motorbikes and
scooters for field staff, public health nursing sisters and supervising public health midwives, and pick-
ups for MOH staff to carry out field inspections, provide mobile clinics, promote health awareness
programmes etc.
Reconstruct MOH offices with staff quarters and Gramodaya health centres with mid wife quarters in
four districts in order to provide preventative care services to vulnerable communities in the area.
21
Education
Sector analysis
Of 2006 schools in NEP many are damaged or displaced from years of civil conflict, and more than
350 schools operate from temporary huts. There is an acute shortage of primary level teachers and
secondary level teachers for Maths, Science and English. Systems in the NEP for teacher
appointments, deployment, transfers, in-service training and retention urgently need streamlining,
with particular reference to Tamil medium, Muslim and rural schools and schools in difficult areas.
Lack of staff accommodation contributes to lack of teacher retention and action is being taken to
construct cluster quarters.
Nine education zones in the NEP were seriously affected by the tsunami: Vadamaradchi, Mullaitivu,
Trincomalee, Muthur, Batticaloa, Kalkudah, Paddiruppu, Kalmunai and Akkaraipattu with 54 schools
completely destroyed, 70 schools damaged (30 destroyed and 44 damaged according to the CNO
figures on page 5, figure 1) and 200 pre schools affected. Furniture, books, resources, lab, office and
other equipment, facilities, educational documentation, administration records etc. were wrecked or
washed away. Sanitation systems, toilets and safe drinking water sources have been destroyed,
posing particular health hazards.
2392 students and 29 teachers and education staff in NEP were killed by the tsunami. Students whose
houses were destroyed lost their school uniforms, school things, exam course notes etc. Loss of
family members, school friends, homes and possessions is causing acute distress, and in many cases,
trauma, amongst school children and staff. Psycho-social counsellors and school advisers are being
trained and deployed to support teachers and students in camps.
A further 141 schools are being used as camps for tsunami displaced people and cannot function as
schools until alternative locations are designated. Solutions such as using other schools on a double
shift system are being explored in an attempt to get as many children as possible back to school.
Many children have not returned to school for other reasons: expensive transport to temporary
schools, lack of uniforms and school things, fear of family separation, older children of one parent
families caring for younger siblings.
Refurbishment of schools used as welfare centres is more extensive than originally expected, with
school furniture burnt as firewood, toilet facilities broken etc.
Plans have been drawn up to incorporate NGO and INGO inputs into child friendly, environmentally
safe school design with funding for school rebuilding coordinated by the central ministry.
Strategies
Get students back to school as soon as possible in order to normalise their day, provide familiar
routines, stability and a sense of security in the aftermath of crisis. With the help of NGOs,
disseminate a rationale for 'back to school' importance and create 'back to school' awareness among
parents with incentives such as school kits and transport.
Focus on child well-being in terms of their on-going physical and mental health.
Work with the central ministry to acquire land for new schools and relocate buildings away from the
coastal danger zone. Carefully consider new locations for schools in terms of access. Prioritise and
rebuild, repair, refurbish, equip and resource affected schools and pre schools. Provide properly
functioning sanitation and clean water systems as a matter of course. Build with emergency
preparedness in mind, e.g. stronger foundations, open pillared ground floor areas, toilets upstairs for
emergency provision, evacuation exits etc.
Pass on student-to-parent messages on environment, hygiene and safety issues through education
programmes in school. Inform parents of trauma related special learning needs.
22
Proposed activities
Provide safe water and sanitation to schools in tsunami affected areas.

Provide temporary school structures away from the danger zone.
Permanently reconstruct and repair schools and pre schools which belong to the Education
Department, the local government and other CBOs as child friendly schools not only in the design of
the buildings and activity spaces but also in terms of child friendly teaching methodology.
Provide furniture, equipment, resources and facilities for affected classrooms, labs, libraries, staff
rooms, and school offices.
Create school maintenance funds to sustain and replace new equipment and facilities.
Extend pre school hours to incorporate day care programmes for children of single parent families;
train pre school teachers to recognise and refer children with post tsunami trauma symptoms.
Extend the midday meals programme and health care to all tsunami affected and conflict affected
schools and focus on vulnerable, displaced students.
Train teachers to use writing, drawing, story telling and listening techniques to help students come to
terms with what has happened. Train teachers to recognise post tsunami stress disorders in children
and be able to offer basic counselling, referral, confidentiality and special needs teaching.
Use culture and sports activities to build children's confidence, sense of community, security, and role
in society.
Design curricula, teaching materials and teacher training workshops for a student-to-parent education
component on environmental safety (e.g. coastal erosion; dynamite fishing), hygiene (e.g. first aid;
spread of disease) and disaster preparedness (e.g. evacuation plans; safety drills).
Ensure tsunami affected students are not disadvantaged in terms of learning needs by providing
special catch-up classes, conducive study environments and replaced course notes for GCE 'O' and 'A'
level candidates.
Repair ZDE offices and vehicles in 5 tsunami affected education zones and build staff quarters for
teachers and principals.
23
Social Welfare
Sector analysis
The need for social welfare services – providing shelter, living allowances, and health care assistance
to the most disadvantaged sections of society – has increased over two decades of conflict as the
numbers of conflict-created orphans, widows, landless, disabled, and elderly without family have
grown. These groups have become increasingly vulnerable because there are fewer support structures,
allowances or social networks available for them than for the same groups in the non conflict poverty
sector.
Long term or terminal TB, leprosy, cancer and thalasimiya patients become marginalised because the
human suffering and health care needs of the 'ordinarily well' take precedence during war or disaster.
The resource pool for social services in a protracted conflict environment is constantly shrinking.
Much of the work of the Department of Social Welfare relies on voluntary services and is conducted
with limited finances, from a temporary building without proper facilities.
707 children in NEP lost both parents and 2089 lost one parent in the tsunami. Thousands of families
struggling on the poverty line have now been pushed below it. This significantly increases the number
of those dependent on the state, eligible for child care, housing, and supplementary income
allowances, not only in this emergency phase but in the long term also.
Orphans and the elderly are looked after in homes. Those homes hit by the tsunami sustained high
losses because of the disproportionate ratio of residents to carers and the fact that they were too old or
too young to protect themselves. 10 of the 25 residents at Onthachchimadam Elders Home were
killed and the survivors made homeless. 50 children at St Mary's Boys Home in Pandiruppu were
made homeless.
Strategies
Increase the volunteer network to provide support for displaced orphans and the elderly in camps.
Maintain a high profile so that vulnerable groups on social welfare who have no powerful lobby
behind them are not marginalised further.
Identify vulnerable individuals and groups for longer term sustainable support and plan a support
programme for them that includes concessionary loans, micro finance services, educational
scholarships and loan schemes, skills development, income generation and employment opportunities.
Rebuild child/old person friendly homes away from the restricted coastline area and provide facilities
and furnishings that accommodate the real needs of the residents.
Increase the capacity of the Department of Social Welfare by raising the profile and providing them
with a permanent building.
Slot in INGO and NGO inputs into an umbrella plan for social welfare groups and resources.
Proposed activities
Disseminate information about fostering in remote areas, provide subsidies and training for foster
parents.
Resettle the Onthachchimadam Elders Home, Batticaloa away from the shoreline, rebuild and
refurbish it in an old-person friendly way.
Resettle the St Mary's Boys Home, Kalmunai away from the shoreline, rebuild and refurbish it in a
child-friendly way.
Construct a building for the Department of Social Welfare in Trincomalee and furnish it to
accommodate staff offices and stores.
24
Post Tsunami Response Programme
Women and Children
Sector analysis
There are an estimated 30,000 war widows and 300,000 displaced children in NEP, where both the
school dropout rate and the infant mortality rate are twice the national average, and maternal
mortality rate is three times the national average.
Conflict related gender issues include increased workload for women, role reversals with high
numbers of female headed households, poverty, exploitation, increased violence against women, a
sense of insecurity, loss of support networks, conflict dispersed children, and low status of widows,
landless women and the elderly. In a context where women generally play a subordinate role in
society, these issues have marginalised women and increased their vulnerability.
Over a decade of programmes for women have focussed on women’s livelihoods and gender
awareness training at community level. Enterprise development projects for women include training
in micro finance, entrepreneurial, technical, marketing and business skills, with special attention to
female headed households in fishing and farming communities.
More women were killed by the tsunami than men so there is a new phenomenon of widowers having
to look after children – something society has not prepared them for.
Tsunami displaced women and children are suffering from increased anxiety, insecurity, and trauma
especially women from recently resettled areas. The unplanned nature of some of the camps
unnecessarily compromises women’s privacy and security and exacerbates their anxiety.
There is no mechanism to ensure women have proper representation on the camp committees. In
many cases women are excluded from decision making processes concerning community, relocation
in relation to livelihoods (women’s livelihoods often being different from men’s), and compensation.
The need for child care provision, facilities, allowances and access has significantly increased due to
the increase of single headed households.
707 children in NEP lost both parents and 2089 lost one parent in the tsunami. Child protection,
physical and mental health needs have increased as a result.
Strategies
In the camps, prevent violence, protect women and children. Provide women only areas for bathing,
healthcare, child care; have women staff in government / donor / relief agencies deliver women's
items including contraception; have women receive and be in charge of storage of women's items.
Adopt a rights based approach; bring women into the decision making process at all levels: monitor
relief camps (including those run by NGO’s who want exclusivity), disaster relief management
committees, district and divisional level decisions, including policy planning, consultation, planning,
and implementation. Decide on a proportion of representation by women, e.g. 30% and ensure it.
Ensure communities and families stay together so kinship / support networks are sustained, especially
when formulating decisions for the transitional period.
Consider, include, and monitor new male and female head of households and other vulnerable groups
such as disabled and elderly in terms of land rights, housing, shelter benefits and in employment,
reestablishment of livelihoods, training and livelihood support.
Extend child care services to support widows and widowers.
25
Proposed activities
Extend child care benefits and day care facilities for children of single working heads of households.
Provide longer term assurance funds for orphans for their security, education and future livelihood
development.
Provide land rights training and tsunami benefits training for women; give women strategies for
dealing with and operating within the district and divisional disaster response committees.
Provide awareness training for women with the assistance of experts on how to evaluate relocation
and resettlement choices that directly affect their livelihoods.
Provide business counselling for women in how to exploit new opportunities in their relocated areas;
provide income generation training for women in finance, banking, marketing, intermediate
technology skills e.g. food technology for women head of households in fishing communities.
Provide leadership training for women.
Encourage more inclusive, positive images of women, girls and widowhood in the media – especially
post tsunami media reports. Use media for public awareness messages about education opportunities
for women, women entrepreneur role models, alcoholism and domestic violence in the tsunami
aftermath etc.
Promote women customer awareness training for the business / financial sector.
Set up resource groups and training for counselling and gender awareness teams.
26
Co-operatives
Sector analysis
The co-operative society sector in NEP organises rural and coastal production sectors by providing
investment, insurance and credit services, production centres, product outlets and distribution,
including the distribution of food items through a network of branch outlets and wholesale depots.
The Fishermen's Cooperative Societies (FCS) were affected by the tsunami the worst, with loss of
assets - buildings, boats, fishing gear - totalling approximately Rs.631 million.
The cooperative societies have established distribution networks and consumer confidence which
should make them ideal for emergency relief distribution. However, tsunami damage to the co-
operative food distribution and administrative infrastructure crippled such services. The Multi-
purpose Cooperative Societies (MPCS) sustained damage to 91 branch outlets and 8 wholesale depots
in 6 divisions, vehicles in five divisions, and losses of nearly Rs.40 million of essential food items.
Damage to co-operative administration buildings, furniture and equipment in Ampara, Kalmunai,
Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Mullaitivu and Jaffna amounted to Rs.133.9 million.
The Palmyrah Development Cooperative societies were also hard hit in Jaffna and Mullaitivu
districts. Damage to a number of small productivity centres and nearly 10,000 palm trees affects the
27,232 members who are mainly toddy tappers and rely on the trees for their sustainable income.
Many Thrift and Credit Cooperative Societies have women only memberships and have successfully
established rural credit and income generating initiatives for women. This is a significant asset given
the number of tsunami created female headed households who are in need of financial support in the
aftermath of the disaster.
Strategies
Expand the distribution channel and border access to improve the performance and reliability of
consumer services.
Maintain financial stability and sustainable growth to enhance coop members' investments.
Introduce new equipment, technology, coastline infrastructure and markets to reactivate the fishing
sector through the Fishermen's Cooperative Societies (see Fisheries sector above).
Ensure both environmental protection and livelihoods for toddy tappers by re planting Palmyrah trees.
Add socio-economic value to displaced women and newly created women head of households by
establishing lines of credit for their small businesses.
Strengthen the administration of the cooperative sector by rebuilding/refurbishing damaged assets.
Proposed activities
Provide seed money for livelihood credit schemes: small business development, agriculture, fisheries
and livestock. Focus on income generating potential through entrepreneurship, vocational and
apprenticeship training. Enrol women members in cooperative credit schemes through the Thrift and
Credit Cooperative Society.
Reconstruct the MPCS outlets and depots, ensure supply to them, and establish mobile service units.
Reactivate the Fisheries Cooperative Societies (see Fisheries sector above) and form a marketing
network with facilities for marketing fish and fish products in new areas.
Reactivate the palm product and development cooperative societies. Replace jaggery production
equipment and replanting Palmyrah trees.
Provide facilities to strengthen cooperatives and build capacity.
27
Small and Medium Industries; Enterprise Development
Sector analysis
Twenty years of conflict has taken its toll on the economy of the NEP, severely depleting the skills
base, with a knock on effect of low incomes, widespread unemployment, disaffected youth and
subsistence level production. MOU resettled communities find it difficult to become self employed
because they have neither the skills nor the means to set up income generation projects.
The tsunami further depleted skills, assets and opportunities with an estimated 15,00 NEP jobs,
excluding fisheries, affected. Small industries, industrial units, micro enterprises, commercial
institutions and business activities have been destroyed, damaged or abandoned.
The manufacturing and service sectors have seen major disruptions through loss of life, sudden
creation of single parent households, personal injury, displacement of communities, degradation of
land and damage to facilities.
Industrial output from small and medium units has been reduced and there is now an even greater
shortage of skilled masons, electricians, carpenters, plumbers, welders, outboard motor mechanics,
technicians, supervisors and contractors.
Most people involved in small and medium industries have suffered heavy losses and cannot now
afford, put up the collateral, or wait for loans through the normal banking sector. They are also
reluctant to take further risks in a climate so non- conducive to investment.
Strategies
Supply skilled human resources through technical / professional education and training in terms of
vocational training for handicrafts, self employment and technology transfer for small and medium
industry.
Reactivate industry, expand and diversify, encourage investment and new enterprise by creating a
positive financial climate through easily accessible soft loans.
Increase self employment and income generation opportunities, target unemployed youth and single
heads of households.
Proposed activities
Provide institutional and on the job vocational training in handicrafts, technology transfer, handloom
textiles and small industries for resettled communities, women heads of households and school
leavers in all districts of the NEP. (Department of Industries and Department or Rural Development)
Identify new market opportunities for tourism and tourist related handicrafts; design and run tourist
training courses. (Department of Industries and Management Development and Training Department)
Provide food technology training, staff, equipment (mobile training units for all NEP districts; lab
facilities and a training unit in Trincomalee), research and development for food processing and
agricultural based manufacturing industries, optimising available fruit and agro products.
Provide soft loans and substantial seed capital for revolving funds for rural banks, the Co-operative
Development Bank, thrift and credit co-operative societies, community based organisations and
Samurdhi banks in all NEP districts. (Department of Industries and Department or Rural
Development)
Set up an organisation that links successful business enterprises with local (potential) entrepreneurs
in small industry to realise business initiatives for development, as in Thailand's Thai Business
Initiatives for Rural Development. Create a mechanism for linking Sri Lankan businesses with
business initiatives for rural development.
28
Local Government
Sector analysis
Conflict related local government issues include increased isolation and lack of communication
between institutions, weakened government administration mechanisms in terms of planning and
implementing, and severely depleted infrastructure in terms of roads, markets, pre schools, libraries,
community centres, toilets and water supply.
Out of 71 local administration areas in NEP, 32 were affected by the tsunami, many devastated.
Damaged public property includes 243 wells, 5 rural electricity schemes, 1086 km of local roads and
road structures, and 204 public buildings: community centres, cemeteries, children's parks and
playgrounds, public toilets, markets, local authority offices, libraries, pre schools and other buildings.
District administration is in charge of the management of camps, removal of dead bodies and debris,
providing safe drinking water and sanitation. Manpower and machinery from non affected areas have
been transferred to the affected areas and additional water bowsers, tractors, water pumps and labour
have been obtained for the clean up operation. More machinery is required.
Water and sanitation remain key issues: water tanks have been installed in camps, water pumps
distributed and approximately 10% of the wells have been cleaned at the time of writing. In some
areas wells require technical inputs to remove salinity. Toilets have been supplied to nearly all the
camps but are not sufficient in some camps where the ground water level is near the surface.
About 15% of the debris has already been cleared but heavy machinery the LAA doesn't have
(tippers, front-end loaders etc.) is needed to remove concrete and heavy debris. In some cases debris
disposal has not yet started because the area is inaccessible for security reasons. Debris removed close
to the shoreline is being used for land fill and debris 500m back or more is being left where it is.
Strategies
Draw up proper physical plans for communities with water, sanitation, electricity and access roads,
once allocation of land for new coastal settlement or permission to rebuild on the same site is
established.
Locate public buildings – schools, health care centres, temples and churches, libraries, playgrounds -
inland in accordance with the new coastal building ordinances.
Consult and involve each affected community at every step in the rebuilding process.
Integrate mainstream district administration, the provincial system and the local government system
under one unified command.
Re-orient the activities of local government to create the right environment for social and economic
growth through management of local resources, planning for urban development and balanced
growth, reinstating and maintaining regulatory systems and privatising certain services e.g. solid
waste disposal. (See also the Urban Centre Development sector.)
Test and replicate best practices for delegation of authority, local level planning and implementation,
systems of accountability etc. and build local government capacity through targeted training.
Proposed activities
Reconstruct generator based electricity schemes in off-grid areas of 6 districts to supply electricity for
domestic and commercial use, to provide street lamps and to encourage industrial activities.
Repair or relocate wells to provide safe drinking water for municipal and urban councils and
predesiya sabas in 6 districts.
29
Reconstruct local roads and road infrastructure in 6 districts, including metal and tar surfaces, pipe
and box culverts, drainage, bridges, causeways and retaining walls.
Reconstruct community services and office administration buildings in municipal and urban councils
and predesiya sabas in 6 districts, provide office furniture and equipment, and make buildings more
public friendly with provision of public waiting rooms and toilets where necessary.
Supply machinery to service each area - road rollers, water bowsers, galley emptiers, tractors, water
pumps and vehicles.
Supply books to public libraries in municipal and urban councils and predesiya sabas in 6 districts.
Train local government staff in emergency response and natural disaster management and link them
to the national disaster management network.
30
Urban Centre Development
Sector analysis
Prior to the tsunami, there was already a strong demand from local communities for a plan for urban
centre development. In terms of post tsunami resettlement, there is an urgent need for communities to
know what the urban structure and the growth opportunities are going to be.
Investment from international organisations and NGOs and the influx of concepts from such projects
affect the physical structure of the area and the rural resource network. There is a danger that the
external project upsets the local balance and damages the local development structure.
Urban centre development is a long term plan needed immediately. Competing needs of relief work,
transitional measures and longer term plans may result in urban centre development being left un
tackled or developing in an unplanned way.
Strategies
Plan urban development under large, medium and small towns and satellite towns around growth
centres using a participatory approach with affected communities. Create a structure of urban
hierarchy and come up with a development plan which projects what the urban centre will look like in
25 years time and shows urban connectivity to service centres.
In each case, make a physical plan of the area and a resource plan which sets out which areas to
preserve, plant quarry, mine etc. (See Natural Resource Management and the Environment above.)
Work with national and international investors to coordinate inputs through this urban development
plan framework.
Reactivate local government law enforcement for urban development plans in terms of regulatory
systems and tax systems.
Strengthen local capacity and support local government departments to undertake urban planning,
manage interventions etc.
Proposed activities
Second staff from the government system to work with local authorities in situ; create a cascade of
skills and good governance.
Provide town planning training for local government departments/authorities.
Give every Pradeshiya Sabha a resource plan, train local authorities how to use it and how to keep
stock.
31
Natural Resource Management and the Environment
Sector analysis
Years of conflict have severely depleted natural resources found in marine, lagoon and land
environments in NEP and the livelihoods dependent on them. Denial of access to many coastal
ecosystems and over exploitation of others, environmentally destructive practices (e.g. sand mining,
removal of corals, dynamite fishing) and pollution are the result.
Environmental pressures have intensified since the cease-fire: lack of enforcement of environmental
laws has increased degradation of the natural resources base with reference to solid waste dumping,
sand and coral mining, mangrove destruction. NEPC has limited powers to protect the environment or
manage the natural resource base.
There was a direct link between tsunami damage and locations where there was coastal erosion (in
Kinniya and Muthur for example), dune encroachment, and destruction of reefs and coastal
plantations (mangroves, casuarinas, pandanus).
Up to 3km inland was affected by the tsunami with significant loss to biodiversity, extensive soil
erosion, flora die-back from sea water intrusion, and saline contamination of fresh water bodies and
fishery breeding grounds. Coral reefs were reduced to rubble and significant pollution from tsunami-
induced land run-off - waste, pollutants, debris, soil, and organic matter - has directly affected coastal
marine eco systems in inter tidal and sub tidal areas, with immediate loss of natural resources –
especially fish, lobsters and crabs. The sheer volume and cost of tsunami debris disposal has lead to
indiscriminate dumping in open fields, drainage ditches, waterways and on beaches. Surface and
ground water contamination by seepage from septic tanks and sea water penetration has made water
sources brackish and polluted.
The massive post tsunami rebuilding initiatives will be in conflict with coastline conservation with
particular reference to mining. Even though environmental destruction takes second place to human
tragedy, environmental issues are inherently linked to post tsunami decisions about livelihoods.
Strategies
Increase capacity of coastal communities to sustain natural assets with a participatory management
approach.
Strengthen capacity of the NEPC and local authorities to enforce coastal preservation and natural
resource management laws and regulations by getting appropriate authority delegated from the central
government agencies to local law enforcement authorities.
Address dumping of debris in inappropriate locations to prevent long term repercussions on food
control, waterway blockages, pollution of beaches etc.
Work across sectors on a scale above community level to establish a plan for NEP provincial coastal
resource rehabilitation and management, including planning for 200 metre shoreline clearing,
resettlement, replanting, conservation areas, coastal livelihoods and access for fishermen and tourism.
Educate NEP coastal populations in coastal preservation and management.
Proposed activities
Produce and distribute information on safe disposal of tsunami created debris. Recycle debris as base
material for road construction and keep it in a designated dumping area until such time as it is needed.
Carry out long term checks on wells to secure uncontaminated water supply.
32
Assess tsunami damage to ecologically significant areas on the east coast and draw up plans for
replanting or re-establishing mangroves, palmyrahs, casuarinas, reef, natural wildlife habitats and
natural buffers against sea, flooding and erosion. Re-do/update the resource mapping.
Provide participatory natural resource management training for NEPC and local government staff.
Implement public awareness programmes on, and provide facilities for, coastal
preservation/replanting, solid waste management, alternative power supply (solar), etc.
Design curricula, teaching materials and teacher training workshops for student-to-parent education
components in schools on environment, conservation and planned use of natural resources.
33
Human Resource Development
Sector analysis
Public administration and institutions in all eight districts of the NEP are under pressure to cope with
current rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. Many do not have the capacity to implement,
monitor, evaluate or report on new programmes or initiatives.
Public service staff and property losses have been sustained and in many cases senior and middle
level officials need to be appointed or seconded to ensure the proper functioning of management and
administration.
With the proliferation of central and provincial government, INGO, NGO and private sector driven
initiatives for rehabilitation and reconstruction in the NEP, there is an acute need for co-ordination
structures within the bureaucracy at the implementation level.
Current government policy for a more liberal economy emphasises the role of the private sector in the
development process. Managerial competence, business acumen and entrepreneurial skills are
required to revive and develop the industrial, business and service sectors.
Management and administration training, in both public and private sectors, needs to be further
reaching and more sustainable.
Strategies
Strengthen implementation capacity of the line agencies of all the departments involved in NEP
rehabilitation programmes at provincial and district level; make line agencies effective partners in the
rehabilitation process.
Provide training and training of trainers for effective management for response projects, rights based
participatory management skills for community development, entrepreneur skills for business
initiatives, communication and presentation skills to enhance co-ordination and co-operation between
stakeholders.
Expand the existing NEPC forum to co-ordinate activities within and across sectors to avoid
duplication of inputs, and encourage equity, balance and synergy.
Ensure equal participation/representation of women in management and business training, forums and
co-ordination.
Proposed activities
Deliver an Entrepreneur Development Training programme at all Divisional Secretariats to enhance

managerial competence and entrepreneurial skills in a non conducive business environment.
(Department of Industries)
Deliver project management and implementation courses for NEPC line agency staff to upgrade their
skills in planning, communication, presentation skills, meeting skills, report writing, and systems
management. (Management Development and Training Department)
Train trainers for outreach courses in rights based management, community empowerment,
leadership, disaster management and communication skills. Provide follow up on the job.
(Management Development and Training Department)
Deliver leadership training programmes for rural development societies, targeting women in rural
development societies, to fill leadership gaps and participate fully in the management of their
communities. (Department of Rural Development)
Establish a database to monitor and evaluate HRD training inputs. (Management Development and
Training Department)
34
Reconstruct Rural Development Society buildings, Women's Rural Development Society buildings
and the Department of Rural Development building and quarters damaged by the tsunami so that they
can serve as centres for training, day care/crèches, meetings and rural development administration.
Link reconstruction with vocational training. Get the rural development societies in the respective
districts to organise the construction in order to build capacity and provide on the job training
opportunities for vocational skills courses. (Department of Rural Development)
Mobilise all front-line officers working in tsunami affected areas. Provide them with motorbikes so
that they can conduct needs analysis, project implementation, monitoring, and feedback and generally
improve the information flow from the provincial to the district level.
35
Administration Services Infrastructure
Sector analysis
The Departments of Agriculture, Animal Production and Health, Buildings, Education, Health,
Irrigation and Local Government sustained tsunami damage to their administration buildings, staff
quarters and support services.
Without residential provision, many of the satellite administration offices cannot be staffed properly
or provide the administrative, technical or extension services support expected of them.
Loss of or sea water damage to equipment, resources, furniture and fittings has crippled operational
capacity at a time when the tsunami recovery workload is at its highest.
Strategies
Get the offices, quarters, and equipment functioning as soon as possible

Prioritise the provision of staff quarters to facilitate recruitment, fill vacancies, and retain experienced
staff in the system.
Make buildings more public friendly with provision of public waiting areas and public toilets.
Proposed activities
Reconstruct and refurbish administration services infrastructure as described in the Project Briefs.
Ensure maintenance provision for electronic equipment, IT hardware and software, and vehicles.
36
Appendix
Schedule of Project Briefs
37

NEP Post Tsunami Response Final

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NEP Post Tsunami Response Final

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North East Province

Chief Secretary's Office

Cross cutting strategies for recovery 9

ACCD Assistant Commissioner of Cooperative Development

A coordinated approach, elaborating on basics, enables the rehabilitation process to move

North East North East South West South West Total

Welfare Centers 42 160 202 66% 60 45 105 34% 307

Impact on the North East Province

From Disaster to Development: staying within the positive realm

The NEP's post tsunami response seeks to

Deal with housing for double-displaced families first.

Temporary solutions must be followed up with permanent repairs.

Provide safe water and sanitation to schools in tsunami affected areas.

Deliver an Entrepreneur Development Training programme at all Divisional Secretariats to enhance

Get the offices, quarters, and equipment functioning as soon as possible

You might also like

NEP Post Tsunami Response Final

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

NEP Post Tsunami Response Final

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

North East Province

Chief Secretary's Office

Cross cutting strategies for recovery 9

ACCD Assistant Commissioner of Cooperative Development

A coordinated approach, elaborating on basics, enables the rehabilitation process to move

North East North East South West South West Total

Welfare Centers 42 160 202 66% 60 45 105 34% 307

Impact on the North East Province

From Disaster to Development: staying within the positive realm

The NEP's post tsunami response seeks to

 Deal with housing for double-displaced families first.

 Temporary solutions must be followed up with permanent repairs.

 Provide safe water and sanitation to schools in tsunami affected areas.

 Deliver an Entrepreneur Development Training programme at all Divisional Secretariats to enhance

 Get the offices, quarters, and equipment functioning as soon as possible

You might also like

Deal with housing for double-displaced families first.

Temporary solutions must be followed up with permanent repairs.

Provide safe water and sanitation to schools in tsunami affected areas.

Deliver an Entrepreneur Development Training programme at all Divisional Secretariats to enhance

Get the offices, quarters, and equipment functioning as soon as possible