CPArts Activities in October -November 2007

In the aftermath of the Tsunami on 26th December 2004 which affected the coastal areas of the North, East and South not only over 40,000 people lost their lives but also almost million were displaced as their homes,belongings, business places , fishing boats and nets etc. were destroyed. This has caused a sense of hopelessness and deep mental depression and trauma not only in the affected people but also among the general population.

The CPArts members got activated within hours of the disaster and rendered first aid, did humanitarian work and provided relief to the coastal communities in Panadura, Hambantota, Galle, Matara, Batticaloa, Trincomallee, Mullaitivu, Vadamaraachi and Thenmaraachi.

On the 26th itself Jaffna CPArts members visited Pallai and Yakkachi (Northern Province) and engaged in humanitarian work such as distribution of food and clothes and in dispatching the injured to hospital. Next day they distributed relief goods donated by CPArts members and their families.

Batticaloa CPArts members became active in their own areas of Kalladi and Dutch Bar. They distributed foods and clothes and were involved in searching and buring dead bodies. The Ratnapura CPArts members travelled to Matara and the Panadura CPArts members travelled to and performed humanitarian work. Panadura CPArts looked after Tsunami affected families for some time. It should be mentioned that 10 CPArts family members from Batticaloa including two children who took part in the Christmas programme were washed away.

On the 28th, the Haputale CPArts collected relief goods from the poor estate population and distributed them in Batticaloa. On the same day the Kandy CPArts based in the Heeresgala Buddhist temple together with the Buddhist Monk travelled to Batticaloa. They took cook food and shared it with Batticaloa CPArts members. Then they visited camps and gave their own midday meal which they brought with them to the camp inmates. The Panadura CPArts travelled often up to Matara for humanitarian and relief work. On the 30th the Co-ordinating office staff went to Batticaloa and the Trinco CPArts visited Nellaveli-Vhellur for the same purpose. On 5th January 2005 the Co-ordinating staff was in Trinco for humanitarian work and distribution of Medicine. On the same day and also on the following day they visited Galle and Matara CPArts centres and distributed relief goods collected from friends. A Psychosocial training programme was held also for CPArts Co-ordinators in Vavuniya on 8th & 9th January.

The Trinco CPArts visited Mutthur and Verugal Coastal villages and distributed relief goods on the 11th. On the following day Jaffna CPArts held a Bhajan (Meditation) service at Madurankeni and Aaliyawalai. The co-ordinating Office organized a psychosocial training programme for Zones of Peace (ZOP) animators at Colombo Y.M.C.A on January 15th & 16th. On the 21st, Trinco CPArts visited Muttur ( Malaimundal and Ilakandai) for distribution of relief goods. Bhajan service was conducted at Mathrankeni and Aaliyawalai by the Jaffna CPArts on the 23rd.

On January 26th one month after the Tsunami a remembrance inter-religious Bhajan service was held by the Jaffna and Batticaloa CPArts at the open air stage in Jaffna and at Gandi Nagar in Batticaloa . The latter was join by Monaragala and Hambantota CPArts members.

Mullaitivu was very badly affected and almost totally destroyed. It was the first area to be hit by the Tsunami. These families lost every thing. A Bhajan service held here on the 31st January by the Jaffna CPArts. The Avissawella and Panadura CPArts members visited the Chally and Selvanayagapuram camps in Trinco and held cultural performances on the 29th and 30th. On January 30th the Jaffna CPArts held a Bhajan service at Mathrankeni and Aaliyawalai.

		Some Highlights of CPArts Tsunami Activities




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	In the aftermath of the Tsunami on 26th December 2004 which affected the coastal areas of the North, East and South not only over 40,000 people lost their lives but also almost million were displaced as their homes,belongings, business places , fishing boats and nets etc. were destroyed. This has caused a sense of hopelessness and deep mental depression and trauma not only in the affected people but also among the general population. The CPArts members got activated within hours of the disaster and rendered first aid, did humanitarian work and provided relief to the coastal communities in Panadura, Hambantota, Galle, Matara, Batticaloa, Trincomallee, Mullaitivu, Vadamaraachi and Thenmaraachi. On the 26th itself Jaffna CPArts members visited Pallai and Yakkachi (Northern Province) and engaged in humanitarian work such as distribution of food and clothes and in dispatching the injured to hospital. Next day they distributed relief goods donated by CPArts members and their families. Batticaloa CPArts members became active in their own areas of Kalladi and Dutch Bar. They distributed foods and clothes and were involved in searching and buring dead bodies. The Ratnapura CPArts members travelled to Matara and the Panadura CPArts members travelled to and performed humanitarian work. Panadura CPArts looked after Tsunami affected families for some time. It should be mentioned that 10 CPArts family members from Batticaloa including two children who took part in the Christmas programme were washed away. On the 28th, the Haputale CPArts collected relief goods from the poor estate population and distributed them in Batticaloa. On the same day the Kandy CPArts based in the Heeresgala Buddhist temple together with the Buddhist Monk travelled to Batticaloa. They took cook food and shared it with Batticaloa CPArts members. Then they visited camps and gave their own midday meal which they brought with them to the camp inmates. The Panadura CPArts travelled often up to Matara for humanitarian and relief work. On the 30th the Co-ordinating office staff went to Batticaloa and the Trinco CPArts visited Nellaveli-Vhellur for the same purpose. On 5th January 2005 the Co-ordinating staff was in Trinco for humanitarian work and distribution of Medicine. On the same day and also on the following day they visited Galle and Matara CPArts centres and distributed relief goods collected from friends. A Psychosocial training programme was held also for CPArts Co-ordinators in Vavuniya on 8th & 9th January. The Trinco CPArts visited Mutthur and Verugal Coastal villages and distributed relief goods on the 11th. On the following day Jaffna CPArts held a Bhajan (Meditation) service at Madurankeni and Aaliyawalai. The co-ordinating Office organized a psychosocial training programme for Zones of Peace (ZOP) animators at Colombo Y.M.C.A on January 15th & 16th. On the 21st, Trinco CPArts visited Muttur ( Malaimundal and Ilakandai) for distribution of relief goods. Bhajan service was conducted at Mathrankeni and Aaliyawalai by the Jaffna CPArts on the 23rd. On January 26th one month after the Tsunami a remembrance inter-religious Bhajan service was held by the Jaffna and Batticaloa CPArts at the open air stage in Jaffna and at Gandi Nagar in Batticaloa . The latter was join by Monaragala and Hambantota CPArts members. Mullaitivu was very badly affected and almost totally destroyed. It was the first area to be hit by the Tsunami. These families lost every thing. A Bhajan service held here on the 31st January by the Jaffna CPArts. The Avissawella and Panadura CPArts members visited the Chally and Selvanayagapuram camps in Trinco and held cultural performances on the 29th and 30th. On January 30th the Jaffna CPArts held a Bhajan service at Mathrankeni and Aaliyawalai. February On the 4th February the National Day of Sri Lanka, Jaffna CPArts had a Bhajan service in Mullaitivu. The Co-ordinating office organized a CPArts Women Animators Training in Vavuniya on the role of CPArts in safeguarding the rights of women victims of the Tsunami. This was on the 4th and 5th. A ZOP Women Animators Training programme was organized by the Co-ordinating office at Panadura on 11th and 12th. A Bhajan service and Magic show was held in Chally and UNHCR refugee camp in Trinco. The UNHCR camp was a war refugee camp and was partly damaged by the Tsunami rendering 55 families homeless for the second time in their lives. On the 18th and 19th Mannar CPArts together with Matara and Galle CPArts held cultural shows and made camp visits to the Matara Maha Vidyalaya and Lake House Tsunami Camps. During the same period, the Polonnaruwa CPArts held cultural shows and visited camps at Selvanayagapuram in Trinco together with Trinco CPArts members. Cultural shows and camp visits to UNHCR and Aadangonda Tsunami camps in Trinco was organized by the Ratnapura and Kandy CPArts on the 25th and 26th. On the following day, the Monaragala CPArts held a second month remembrance service at Wellawaya together with the Batticaloa, Haputale and Matara CPArts. Posters Two types of posters 24” x 14” in color specially printed by CPA in two languages on the theme “Let us Recover and Rebuild” were given to eight centres in the affected areas. These were put up in camps and roadsides to encourage people to have hope for the future. BACK Report by CPArts Team