Dr

Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby

Sri Lanka Emergency Aid Mission

connect with page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

BITS AND PIECES

Communications, unfortunately, have been dire. It's hard to even get phone calls through to the capital, never mind post to the Web. In general terms let me say we are winning; the immediate emergency is over - supplies are getting through, several truckloads a day, flying the flags of different helper organizations, from the UN to the local Marxist group. There are queues, of course.

It's even been expressed as a concern by my colleague, sociologist, David Morgan, that people are being de-motivated from helping themselves. Certainly I have seen instances of people throwing away their own old clothes, to pick up new aid garments. The way some women pick over the donations, you would suspect they are looking for something more fashionable. Can't blame them too much I suppose.

Here I am with Azmi Thassim. He's a Muslim businessman and head of the local Chamber of Commerce. He had a far better grasp of the situation than the local government officials we found.

This is the local Chief of Police (seconded from Colombo). I asked for this tourist picture because it's not often you see a smiling policeman (a joke). He's been very good at calming the situation and rivalries.

HERE ARE 3- 4 PICTURES ON A LIGHTER NOTE

Amongst all the pain and fear, the "boys" at the hotel find time to decorate my bed each night with leaves! A pretty touch.

Last night a full grown (wild) bull elephant walked into my hotel, through reception, took a sniff at the snooker table and walked out via the pool area. I've seen the tusker outside my chalet before and had been warned not to use flash, which angers him, and so there is no photo. The only "proof" I have of this preposterous story is the large whallop of dung left just outside the snooker area, the green roof which you see in the distance!

There are wild boar too. These hogs have a reputation for being mean and dangerous when aroused. This shot was less than 50 yards from my front door and he wasn't posing for the camera, that's for sure.

This makes the point that food is plentiful further inland, as I was saying (page3). These bananas are en route for Colombo, not for the disaster zone.

I thought this would make a good subject for a caption competition. I've got a couple to get you started: "I thought Bananarama was a pop group?" or (best) "Let's give these folks a hand!" - get it?

FINALLY, ON A THOUGHTFUL NOTE

There are many many stories emerging. But I'd like to share this man's tale with you.

He is a waiter with ambition: he had just completed building his own restaurant on the beach front in Hambantota, it was scheduled to open on the 15th of January. It has been obliterated. He escaped because he was at work in the only hotel which survived. His wife and kids had gone to Galle but had, without any real reason, got off the bus a stop early - the tsunami devasted Galle just minutes later, before they arrived! His mother survived because she was at the temple praying.

However his brother was drowned, shopping for vegetables in the market. Altogether, this man has lost 56 members of his extended family. Yet here he is at work, serving lunch to our mobile team.

Tomorrow I have to go to Colombo (7 hours drive) to meet a consignment from the US, so hopefully there will be scope for more postings and e-mail responses.