Lets mourn for the victims of Koslanda - fly a white flag

[Andrew Devadason]

My Dear friends

Koslanda catastrophe that has rendered the worst tragedy on the plantation community in the history of landslides is so saddening.  The unofficial figures from the ground states about 500 are missing. Those 75 children who went to school escaped the landslide only to become orphans overnight. Sad and it is very sad.

Fr. Sathy made a good suggestion that in all our estates that we fly a white flag. I think it is a great suggestion. Lets pass this suggestion to the grassroots in estates that we work. Lets share the sadness in solidarity.

Andrew 

--

Rev. Fr. Andrew Devadason, MA
Church of Ceylon (The Anglican Church), Diocese of Colombo.
Resident Priest, St. Marks Church Badulla with 
Christ Church Demodara,

" Be a Partner: Give Hope to the Estate  Community"

CALL : 0552225049 / 0776764251

St. Marks Church, Badulla, Sri Lanka

Button for your Web page

Google Groups
Estate community Solidarity
Visit this group

[Emil van der Poorten]

Thank you for that, Andrew.

That is a really good idea and, even if it does not undo the terrible tragedy, displays the fact that we really do care about this awful loss.

Emil

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Estate Community Solidarity" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to estate-community-so...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to estate-commun...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/estate-community-solidarity.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[skcltd]

 

 

 

From: ip...@sltnet.lk [mailto:ip...@sltnet.lk]
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2014 8:21 PM
To: skcltd
Subject: Re: Lets mourn for the victims of Koslanda - fly a white flag

 

Dear Fr.Andrew,

Why not send the suggestion to all our clergy in the plantation areas throughout the Island.

Regards.Paulraj

 

From: skcltd

Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2014 7:40 AM

To: ip...@sltnet.lk

Subject: FW: Lets mourn for the victims of Koslanda - fly a white flag

 

[Cathedral Institute Diocese of Colombo]

Thanks mail noted father,
In+

Bala

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Estate Community Solidarity" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to estate-community-so...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to estate-commun...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/estate-community-solidarity.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

--

S. Balasundaram
Co-ordinator
Cathedral Institute for Education and Formation
368/03, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo-07
Sri Lanka

Tel 011-4040260 Fax - 0112 - 684811

[Esther Siromani]

Noted and we shall honor it at our residence. Still unable to accept this disaster deeply sadden.

Jeeva 

[Emil van der Poorten]

What I find most sad about this catastrophe is that, while what nature has caused is terrible almost beyond words that a bunch of absolutely unscrupulous and unprincipled people have tried to "spin" the truth to escape some very ugly realities which placed all of these victims in harm's way.

Shame on these unmentionables and I hope that all right-thinking people will remember who they are and make sure that they receive the punishment that is due them.

Thank you for all those who've risen to this terrible challenge and helped the victims in so many ways.  The gifts and donations of those who have so very little themselves was very touching, to say the least.

And thank you, Andrew, for starting this conversation.

[Andrew Devadason]

Dear Mr. Emil

Thanks for your mail with your usual flavor of looking deep inside the mud. Yes...i agree with you fully. Still no one knows the exact name list of the people who were engulfed with the mud. The warning was given in 2009 and 2011 but they were not reloacted. nobody wants to take the responsibility.  The so called leaders who represent this community says they were not told. Funny but difficult to laugh. Today 300 odd people are with their cattles (about 40 cows) and belongings are buried permanetly. Who will take responsibility of these deaths. No records, no death certificates. Only when animals are dead a death certificate is not important. We need to think deeply. We need to think about the 1million platation worker community in Sri Lanka. They need no sympathy - they need liberation.

Andrew

[Emil van der Poorten]

I can't agree with you more fully, Andrew and it is up to those of us who have the commitment to carry this fight forward.

[Jude Thavarajah]

Dear Far.Andrew:

Many e-mails are flying here & there with regard to the man made and man blamed, disaster happened last week.

I have copied below the statement I put in FB about the  responses we did immediately after the incident.

I would like to share some photos of the recent emergency response work we did at Koslanda and poonagala- World Vision Bogawanthalawa and Badulla Teams reached ...there on the same evening (29th)which the disaster struck with 2 lorries full of  Non Food items, Hygiene Packs, Mattresses and water Cans worth Rs. 2.5 million. We distributed them with the support of Disaster Management Center By 1.00am to Poonagala Camp (115 families) and by 5.00am to Koslanda Camp (143 families).

My kind request is to come forward and assist these people-specially the children-right now everyone is there with aids and provisions-but couple of weeks from here-there won't be anyone- Then only NEED YOUR valuable support and assistance-to restore their lives, console, to strengthen their already shatterd minds etc-more long term psychological approches needed to heal minds of these families-especially 60 odd children who lost their parents-Thanks -Jude Thavarajah-Manager,World vision Lanka-Bogawanthalawa Program and Focul Person for Disaster & Relief- central province for World Vision.
 
This has been put by me  on 1st of November after returning from Koslanda, but  sad to say -up to now only 2 people were given their concerns regarding the future of the children, thinking of having a long term, sustainable program for them as well as  in re-locating them in a safer place etc.

Nevertheless, many people and Organizations came forward in assisting these people and by  this day, there are stuff stored at school main hall  which will be enough  for
at least another 2 months.  What ever you take, will be grabbed by the Army and they store them separately. People are  like prisoners there and the coordination/camp management
is very poor. Officials still do not know for exact how many are really affected, the no of children lost their parents  etc. This really is  a pathetic situation. The so called peoples'
representatives should've taken the lead and put their members as coordinators along with the Govt officials-where, at least the language gap could've  eased. That also
not happened and  still the people are  suffering  from lack of  toilets, insufficient  running water, covered places to change dress (for ladies/girls)  etc.

I have attached some photos taken during the response.



Thanks,
With Regards,

S Manoj Jude Thavarajah Manager – Bogowanthalawa ADP World Vision Lanka Address: A89 No 4, Aariyapura,Bogawanthalawa, Sri Lanka Phone: +94-52-2267648, Mobile: +94-724970592/773178906 , Fax: 94-52-226 7583 | Website : WV Lanka – www.worldvision.lk  , WV International - www.wvi.org World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Disclaimer: This e-mail and files herewith are intended for the use of the addressee only. Views represented by the author, do not necessarily represent World Vision Lanka. Contents herein are confidential, free of viruses/malicious codes and may not be disclosed under applicable law. If received erroneously, please notify the sender and discard all contents.

 



From:        Andrew Devadason <andre...@gmail.com>
To:        "estate-commun...@googlegroups.com" <estate-commun...@googlegroups.com>,
Date:        11/04/2014 10:58 AM
Subject:        Re: Lets mourn for the victims of Koslanda - fly a white flag

[Andrew Devadason]

Dear Jude

Thanks to World Vision and to you Jude for the excellent leadership you give at times like this. Perhaps the time has come for the ECS to meet and plan out some strategies.

Andrew

[Centre BSR]

For your information and to see what we can do from our part to minimize the impact of disasters in future. May be advocacy is a essential role in these kind of situations.

 

Regards

 

Binnu

Coordinator

 

Church of Ceylon

---

This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.