Home > Programs
> Democracy
Now! > Wed., Dec. 28, 2005
Democracy Now!
ATTN: ALL STATIONS
From: Democracy Now!
Re: Rundown 12-28-05
PRSS Channel: A67.7
The Tsunami, One Year Later: More Than A Million Still Homeless
in Sri Lanka
Post-Tsunami Indonesia: As Armed Rebels Disband, Military
Still Controls Aceh
The Tsunami, One Year Later: More Than A Million
Still Homeless in Sri Lanka
On this first anniversary of the tsunami that devastated
South Asia, we look at the fallout for the people of Sri Lanka.
We speak with the Sri Lankan ambassador to the United Nations,
an anti-poverty activist in Sri Lanka, and a physician treating
Tamil refugees. [includes rush
transcript]
Memorials are being held across the world this week to mark
the devastating tsunami that hit South Asia one year ago.
It was one of the world's worst-ever natural disasters.
On the morning of a December 26 scientists recorded one of
the world's most powerful earthquakes ever off the coast of
the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Scientists soon realized
the earthquake could form a deadly tsunami. But, unlike the
Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean region had no tsunami warning
system. The results were catastrophic. Within hours some 218,000
people had died across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and
India. Nearly 2 million were left homeless. And the effects
will be felt for years.
A new survey from Oxfam found that 80% of the 1.8 million
people left homeless by the disaster were still without satisfactory
permanent housing. On the Indonesia island of Sumatra, all
residents are still living in tents or shelters. Overall Oxfam
estimates some 300,000 new houses still need to be built in
India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
We begin in Sri Lanka where more than 31,000 people died
in the tsunami. The United Nations has reported Sri Lanka
alone needs 100,000 homes - only about 6,000 have been built
so far.
- Prasad Kariyawasam, Ambassador from Sri Lanka and the
Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations.
- Dr. Karunyan Arul, a physician who works with Tamil refugees
and other war victims.
Post-Tsunami Indonesia: As Armed Rebels Disband,
Military Still Controls Aceh
The Aceh region of Indonesia was ground zero for the tsunami.
The death toll there has been estimated at up to 200,000 people.
We speak with Ed McWilliams, a former State Department official
in Jakarta about the humanitarian disaster and political fallout
between the armed GAM rebels and the Indonesian government.
[includes rush
transcript]
We turn now to look at Indonesia - the hardest hit country
by last year's tsunami. On Monday hundreds gathered in Aceh
to mark the anniversary of the tsunami. At 8:16 a.m. sirens
from the region's new early warning system were sounded to
mark the exact time the tsunami hit the coast. A minute of
silence was then observed.
Hundreds of white-clad Acehnese held a morning memorial at
the Grand Mosque which was one of the area's only structures
to remain standing after the tsunami. The death toll in Aceh
is staggering. It is estimated between 170,000 and 200,000
people died in the region alone.
Following the tsunami, humanitarian officials and human rights
groups said the Indonesian military actively prevented aid
from being distributed to Aceh. For years the Indonesian military
had operated in Aceh in an attempt to quell an independence
movement led by the Free Aceh Movement or the GAM. The military
reportedly killed upwards of 10,000 in Aceh but exact figures
have never been known because Indonesia closed off Aceh from
outside observers and put it under martial law. Following
the tsunami, both sides entered talks to discuss how to end
the 29-year pro-independence uprising. On Tuesday the leaders
of GAM officially announced the disarmament of their military
wing.
- Irwandi Yusuf, Free Aceh Movement
The agreement has been criticized by some because it will
leave close to 25,000 Indonesian soldiers and police in Aceh.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said he
is opimistic about the outcome of the agreement.
- Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, president of Indonesia
Relief efforts in the immediate aftermath of the tsunami
were hindered by the politics of the region. Journalist and
activist Allan Nairn spent a good deal of time in the devastated
region of Aceh.
- Allan Nairn, speaking on Democracy Now! after he returned
from Aceh just after the tsunami.
- Ed McWilliams, former State Department official who headed
the political section of the U.S. embassy in Jakarta from
1996 to 1999.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
|
Listen
to the show
Help
whole
show
