Newsletter International Side By Side Sri Lanka January 2005

Urgent appeal from Sri Lanka

The children accommodated in the refuge.

Effected area Total Deaths 30,615 Total No. Injured 16,236 Total No. Displaced 572,578 (These are January 10th statistics)

December 26, 2004: Massive tidal waves (tsunami) triggered by earthquakes crashed into Sri Lankan towns and villages along a wide stretch of the coast on Sunday, killing at least 30,000 people and displacing half a million others. Over 1,500,000 houses were destroyed. Multitudes of people became homeless, many of them sheltering in schools and temples.

We are very busy with the relief work. If you can help us, we would greatly appreciate it.

All houses along the seashore were demolished. Over 1,500,000 houses were destroyed all over Sri Lanka (Moratuwa)	The water covered everything for 1 km from the seashore and stayed for 3 hours. You can see the water mark on the wall behind the policeman.
Three fishing boats that were caught by the Tsunami wave were dragged on to the main road. (Beruwela)	Mr. Furuya and a friend at what used to be a bus terminal (Galle)

Children and adults already scarred by Sri Lanka's civil war are struggling to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones in the Asian tsunami.

Already counselors are dealing with several men who want to commit suicide or are resorting to alcohol to deaden their pain. Thirty-year-old Anton lies on a bed - he was injured in the back but it is his mental anguish that is most noticeable. He has trouble talking - the words just do not seem to come out normally.
He used to transport fish and was doing his accounts at home when the tsunami struck. "I can't describe it - it was just like a dream," he says describing the advancing wave as like a cloud of black smoke.
He grabbed his children and started to run but they were dragged out to sea while he clung to a tree. Anton's children were five years old, three years old and a baby of just 14 days.
"The children used to sit on my lap and say daddy daddy daddy; they would ask me to get things for them," he says breaking down in tears. Anton also lost his wife, his father, a brother and a sister. Only two of the bodies were ever recovered.

The doctor surveying the situation treats their injuries.	Children are very happy watching the balloon show.
Mr. Furuya handing out cookies to each of the children.	A girl taking care of her little brother, Negombo.
Medical treatment continued under the light of car headlights at night.	Thanuya (center) smiling in spite of the tragedy.

January7-8, 2005: Mr. and Mrs. Furuya traveled to Weligama (on the south coast of Sri Lanka, 1600 km from their home in Colombo) with a medical team (2 doctors and 2 nurses) to provide free medical care for tsunami victims. This area hosts 28 refuge camps and 100550 refugees.

Here most fisher men lost their houses and boats during the Tsunami attack. They desperately need boats to be able to work again.

We helped to set up three sections of medical care, medical examination, medication and treatment. While medical care was given, we cheered up the children through distribution of biscuits and over 300 balloon sculptures Mrs. Furuya created for them.

Mr. Furuya encouraged victims in Sinhala (Sri Lankan Common language), who were surprised to meet a Japanese speaking their language and didn't let him go. One of the women, Thanuja, told him that she didn't have a job and showed her atrophied legs.

We felt deep compassion for them and want to give more help. We have contacted several agencies and are planning on teaming up with some of them to help distribute aid to affected villagers.