Have you benefited in any way from the Tsunami?
1. Immediately following the tsunami disaster –
The desire to help those affected by the tsunami disaster united this country in a manner that one may have never previously thought possible. Conflicts (ethnic, religious, financial, etc.) and apathy that plagued this country and its people for decades were immediately replaced by solidarity, compassion and generosity. Possibly every person and entity in Sri Lanka had one thought or goal, to help those affected by the tsunami disaster.
I am a member of the private sector. A true believer in capitalism. The relief organization I am a part of, distributed food to a village called Komari in Ampara. The community was one hundred percent Tamil.
When our lorry arrived with food items, we had no way of unloading these items quickly as we were few in number. There were members of the JVP that were doing some relief work in the area. They came to our assistance immediately. I was a little hesitant being a member of the private sector. They too knew we were essentially a private sector relief organization. But we both had one goal to help the affected in Komari.
The result was significant and almost unimaginable. Private sector relief was being unloaded by the JVP and distributed to a hundred percent Tamil Community.
A reporter from an American Newspaper was present at the time. He was moved by what he saw. He also thought that what was taking place before his eyes, if continued in the same way, for the months and years to come, will possibly be a fitting legacy to the tsunami episode. Sri Lanka was coping with the loss of life, destroyed homes and livelihood, the displaced, etc the only way it should. The only way it could.
2. The Situation Now -
The solidarity, compassion and generosity may have now been replaced by the conflict and apathy that plagued this country previously. People’s thoughts may no longer be about the affected. Their thoughts are possibly about themselves. It may be about doing your ‘bit’ or having done your bit and, now moving on.
Example -
Tourism –
The tourist industry has been badly affected by the disaster. The damage unimaginable. Strangely, we may probably see, in the near future, an influx of tourist to the affected areas taking photographs and providing relief to the affected population. The tourist industry, may possibly bounce back much sooner than anticipated. The income generated through disaster tourism and the presence of relief organization workers may be used to compensate the losses. In some cases there may even be a significant profit. i.e. Insurance claims may have been settled and used for rebuilding and the income generated by disaster tourism may ultimately turn into profit (over and above the forecasted profit prior to the disaster).
Should one forget that over thirty thousand people have died, hundreds of thousands have been displaced and have lost their lives in order for disaster tourism to turn into a business. Disaster tourism was never though of prior to the disaster (even though we had IDP centers, war torn areas, etc in the Country that may have been visited). Is it now possible that disaster tourism is an exploitation of the misery of hundreds and thousands of people who may never enjoy the benefits of the revenue generated by disaster tourism even though its being generated at their expense.
Illustration -
- If a hotel, let’s say lost Rs. 1,000,000 due to destruction and loss of revenue as a result of the disaster.
- Many hotel employees and guests have died in the disaster
- Rs. 500,000 of it has been recovered by way of insurance claims.
- The hotel also loses all its bookings for the next few months. The loss of revenue is further increased by Rs. 5,000,000.
- The hotel has contributed Rs. 2,000,000 towards relief work.
What may happen in the future -
- As a result of disaster tourism and overseas relief workers, the hotel, let’s say, generates Rs. 20,000,000 in revenue during next few months or years which is totally unconnected to the patrons it may normally have.
- It is also possible that once the dust settles, tourist that have cancelled their bookings previously may now seek to honour them. It is therefore possible that the hotel will generate revenue from the business it was intending to generate prior to the disaster.
- The hotel ends up with a significant profit at the end of it all. A profit that far exceeds what was contemplated or forecasted prior to the disaster. This may be justified by the loss the hotel has suffered and its relief contributions and effort. But is there an equitable set-off. Can you justify this to the families of the employees and patrons that lost their lives to the disaster? Can you justify this to the tens and thousands that have lost their lives and the hundreds and thousands that have been affected by the disaster? Can you create a flourishing business out of the misery of the affected population?
Disaster tourism and the influx of foreign relief workers will generate income for the travel trade and other businesses connected to the hotel industry. But what about a hotel in Kandy or Habarana that is not a part of an ownership chain (ie. No sister hotels in affected areas). They have also lost their bookings.
Is it not possible to contribute a portion of the excess revenue (ie. revenue that has been generated as a result of the tsunami) to the relief effort. A realistic portion, which when compared to profit, seems equitable. Is it not possible to work out a system based on the welfare of the affected population and at the same time generate an equitable profit (taking into consideration the expectations prior to the disaster.
3. General Principle -
If you apply the same thinking to any industry, you may find that companies and individuals have either knowingly or unknowingly benefited from the disaster.
• Expectations prior to the disaster – ie. Forecasted profit
• Expectations now – have you benefited
• Compare both these elements with you contribution to reliefIf all these elements are balanced, equity may prevail. If not iniquitous enrichment may have resulted from the disaster. Is this just?
If you lost a family member or your livelihood, will you find it acceptable that a person completely unaffected has benefited from your loss?
4. Application of these principles -
Supermarkets –
Pre-disaster -
What was the status quo
Post disaster – immediate
Contributions to relief and sale of goods at a discount
Post disaster – presently
Substantial profits from sale of food and non-food items for affected population.
The questions to ask -
Is this acceptable? – has there been a benefit? Is the benefit connected to the disaster?
Employment Generation connected to relief -
Employment has been generated through the relief effort, for persons unaffected by the disaster. The salaries are possibly much higher than what these individuals received prior to the disaster.
Pre-disaster -
What was the status quo – salary and expectations
Post disaster – immediate
Contributions to relief
Post disaster – presently
Salary and emoluments being received. If you are a lawyer and received a lawyer’s salary prior to the disaster and you have no idea about disaster management (but possible a knowledge on the ground situation) do you think it is acceptable that you are now being paid a substantially higher salary and provided emoluments in connection with the latter?
The questions to ask -
Is this acceptable? – has there been a benefit? Is the benefit connected to the disaster? Is it fair that funds that have been donated to these relief organizations (for the affected persons) by donors are being used to confer a benefit on an unaffected person?
5. These principles may be applied to professionals, construction industry (ie. Cement, sand, raw materials, etc), transport, etc.
These principles may also be applied to the sphere of politics and religion.
Pre-disaster -
What was the status quo
Post disaster – immediate
Contributions to relief
Post disaster – presently
Have you increased your vote base?
The questions to ask -
Has you positioned changed post tsunami? Have you benefited?
SDS – Relief Worker