Acting up in SriLanka

another day at the office

Three months in to my year in Sri Lanka and somethings are becoming just a bit too routine....got up, got out of bed....coffee, fruit and in to the office around 8.30am. Open up my emails and spend the next few hours glued to a laptop.  Lunch is a 'packet' of cooked rice, dhal and assorted vegetables.  Several cups of 'plain' tea (black tea - no coffee!) and home around 5pm. Assorted staff meetings, coordination meetings with other ACT members, report- writing.... I need to get out more!

At my old flat the three-wheelers were waiting outside to grab you and I couldn't resist - but the end of my new road is a major bus stop - not going in my direction... so I've taken to calling a taxi.  They cost the same as a three-wheeler... sometimes cheaper as they have a meter and it's harder to 'up' the amount especially as I'm familiar enough with the route to know when we're going on a long detour.  The key is always to have enough change.... it doesn't matter what time of the day they drivers rarely have the change you need - a sort of subsidised support mechanism.

I'm also learning some key Sinhalese phrases 'how much' and 'that's too much' are essential for travel - but to be polite I've also learnt to say 'how are you' first!

But good news from the YWCA - they have finally managed to purchase the land for their housing project and so plans can finally go forward.  65 families will benefit including those who aren't entitled to state help - if you didn't own your own house and rented before the tsunami you aren't entitled to a new one - the owner gets it - but YMCA have worked in this area for over five years with 23 of the beneficiaries and have included them in their programme. It really is good news.

I'm back in the UK from July 20 to August 5 so a weekly service will resume after that.

downpours and depression

I think I'm glad I'm not in the UK at the moment - I don't think I could bear to read the newspapers after the defeat on Saturday - although if I was I could attend our daughter's graduation.  She has done a degree within her medical degree... and got a First - I had to choose because our son, Zac, also graduates this July and I can only afford to come home to the UK once.  I chose his as I will be back for Aisha's graduation as a doctor in 2007.  She goes on holiday on Tuesday for 7 weeks so I won't see her when I'm home at the end of July - but she's booked her flight to Sri Lanka for Christmas!  Romy went back on Friday and so he'll be there.  I spoke to them this morning on Skype so I feel a little better.

The weather here is actually a bit cooler than in the UK according to the news - it is only 29C here as we've had some heavy downpours ... it gets rid of the humidity for a few hours.  In the past week I have moved into a bigger flat - same price as the other one but with two bedrooms.  It means I can have people to stay, as long as the security situation improves. After the killing of the Army General last week everyone is nervous - the NCCSL closed it's offices on the afternoon of the funeral because the roads were closed and all goods vehicles coming from the North and East are being searched and checked as they enter Colombo. There are lots of checkpoints which don't really bother us - but if you're a Tamil be prepared for a lot of stop and searches - A Tamil staff member of the Diocese of Colombo was working just south of the City but the buses were so crowded she was having difficulty getting back.  She rang the office and they said they'd come and pick her up.  After about half-an-hour  and a few phone calls to ascertain where exactly she was they called her again to tell her to cross the road as they would wait on the other side.  As she got into the van they were surrounded by police - a three-wheeler driver had reported her talking on her mobile and 'hanging around watching' - they suspected a suicide bomber.  They searched them all and the van and checked everyones ID - which states your ethnic origin on it.   A frightening experience for all of them.

Inevitably there are lots of meetings on the security and it's impact on Tsunami reconstruction.  The ACT members had a meeting on Livelihood programmes.  The upshot is that in the North and East, where fishing is the main cource of income, fishing communities are being badly affected by restrictions on going out to sea imposed by the SL Army - but it's not just them.  We met a fisherman from Hambantota in the south - normally at this time of the year the monsoon makes fishing in the South and West very limited - so they have an agreement with fishing societies in the East to go and fish there.... and they in turn come South when conditions are poor in the North East - but now they can't.  To try and alleviate it the JDCSI have decided to give the beneficiaries of their housing project milking cows so they can have an alternative source of income. 

But we also know that if people have to flee the first thing they will do is sell their assets to pay for travel and food.  You can't have economic security without political security ..... poverty and conflict are inextricably linked.  The work goes on - but it isn't easy for field staff when it is only safe to travel in these areas between 8am and 2pm.  Once schools finish everyone goes home and closes the door.