LACNET: Leaders indifferent to the people in the East- Chancellor, Eastern University, by Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo, SLT 7.00 P.M Tuesday 29 March 2005.
Chancellor of the Eastern University, Jezima Ismail says that the people who matter have been indifferent to the people in the east after tsunami and the leaders are still divided and there is no proper support from them to get back to their lives. The Chancellor alleged that the leaders were not responsive and sensitive enough for the suffering of the people. She said "Tsunami has absolutely wrecked the east. They have to become safe and secure like any other villages in Sri Lanka. Nothing proper happened in the east even after 22 days. Its true people were working but, things were not moving. Tents came only after 42 days. How could people live in those igloo like tents provided by UNICEF.
"She blamed certain sections of the government for giving prominence to international non governmental organisations. "I saw silver jeeps with INGO aerials and those people going up and down. But, nothing much was happening from their side. It was the locals who did everything including the burials and they are still carrying on with their work with commitment. The government did not recognise the local nongovernmental organisations but, gave special treatment to these INGOS" said the Chancellor.
Chancellor Ismail, who is a well respected educationist in the country, said that the psychosocial programmes must be handled by Sri Lankan nationals only. She said "What the people need is love, commitment and quality time with them. It is useless if we cannot give that to them. "The Chancellor has rallied around number of people in Colombo to develop eighteen villages in the east.
