Month on, Sri Lanka press mourns

Ceremonies to remember the dead have been widespread in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's newspapers take a solemn overview of events, exactly one month after the Asian tsunami struck, killing over 30,000 people there.

The distribution of aid is an issue of concern in several dailies, while some papers reflect on the enormity of the disaster by focusing on the damage caused to livelihoods and families.

"The country mourns" reads a headline in Colombo's Lankadeepa. "Today is the 30th day since the devastating tsunami struck its catastrophic blow," it continues, echoing most Sri Lankan front pages.

"One month elapses today since the tsunami havoc," Virakesari says, pointing out that thousands of people are still reported missing, and that accurate statistics are yet to be compiled in many of the affected countries.

As we have passed 30 days since the tsunami disaster, it is time to reflect Lakbima

Dinamina, a pro-government Sinhalese paper, praises both the national leadership and opposition for pulling together in a time of crisis. Reconstruction is going ahead in a "proper and effective manner", it says.

The mass-circulation Sinhalese-language daily Lakbima takes a more circumspect view.

"As we have passed 30 days since the tsunami disaster, it is time to reflect and look over the steps taken to grant relief to the affected and to reconstruct the country as a whole."

Aid controversy

Noting that there are still complaints about relief not reaching the needy, Lakbima adds that the committees tasked with reconstruction efforts "should be streamlined to ensure maximum efficiency".

"Attention is needed to wipe out corruption and fraud in the distribution of aid and the implementation of various reconstruction programmes," it concludes.

The Tamil Verakesari also laments what it sees as the uneven distribution of aid, saying "it is sad to note that affected areas in the north-east are continuing to be discriminated against in the distribution of aid".

However, the newspaper regarded as the voice of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Sudar Oli, praises moves to ensure equal aid distribution.

"It is fortunate that even at this late hour, the government and the LTTE have reached an agreement to monitor the equitable distribution of relief goods among the affected people."

Personal tragedies

The particularly harsh plight of Sri Lanka's fisherman is highlighted by the Tamil Thinakkural newspaper, which urges caution on the government following its decision to ban the construction of any buildings within 100 metres of the coast.

"The government must take into consideration the interests of the fishing community, which is a major component of the affected families. If the people are forcibly resettled in places other than where they wish to live, there will be a dangerous crisis."

Stories of personal tragedy have become commonplace in the Sri Lankan press over the past month. Lankadeepa reports on 30 children who lost both parents in the flooding.

When one door closes, another opens Thinakaran

"Due to their fear of being in the places where they used to live before the tsunami," the report says, "they have been taken over for care by the Probation and Child Care Department, and many have been housed in children's homes."

Despite the events of the past month, the Tamil newspaper Thinakaran strikes a more optimistic note.

"We have received a massive quantity of relief goods and aid from several foreign countries, with which we can rebuild this country. To this end, we should enter the next stage of operations with clear vision.

"When one door closes, another opens," it says. "This applies not only to individuals but also to a country as well."

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