Thursday, February 24, 2005

Sri Lanka tsunami suffering may inspire Sting song

Report in the Daily News, Colombo


COLOMBO, Wednesday (Reuters) Pop icon Sting has been deeply moved by the suffering of Sri Lankan children who lost parents to Asia's tsunami and may pen a song about the island's worst natural disaster, his wife said on Wednesday.

Sting and his actress wife Trudie Styler, who is an ambassador for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), are visiting devastated seaside towns and villages along Sri Lanka's tsunami-battered southern coast.

"Sting ... has been very moved and saddened by the plight of the people in Sri Lanka," Styler told Reuters by telephone from the remains of the southern fishing town of Hambantota. "What he has seen will definitely influence his work, a song in the future maybe."

Sting was to visit Sri Lanka as a part of his world tour earlier this year, but the gig was called off after the Dec. 26 tsunami ploughed into the island's palm-fringed south, east and nothern coastline killing nearly 40,000 people.

"A song or a performance, in whatever way Sting can help, he will always be there," Styler said. "(It) is going to take the rest of our lifetime and more to rebuild the countries that have been affected."

Sunday, February 20, 2005

Data on tsunami-hit disabled people in Sri Lanka not available

An article by Nimna Edirisinghe (Sunday Island)
20th February 2005

No one has so far collected data on disabled people who have been affected by the tsunami and a long term rehabilitation programme had not been introduced for their welfare, Premadasa Dissanayake, president of Rehab Lanka claimed at a press conference on ‘Equity in Development’ organised by Development with Disabled Network.

"The tsunami disaster affected disabled persons in many ways. They have lost their loved ones who took care of them and they are now neglected among the displaced population. They have also lost their assistive devices and their health care programmes have been interrupted," he said pointing out that most of these disabled victims have difficulties in accessing the emergency registration systems.

"In addition, these disabled persons have lost their livelihood and people who provided for them. Most of them are facing mental trauma. We must do something for them", he said blaming governmental institutions of neglecting these issues.

"At present, any consideration for physically handicapped people had been merely restricted to collecting information. This is an unfortunate situation as they seem to consider us as secondary citizens," he said.

"Information is a vital component in long term planning. Still relief and rebuilding plans have not been given any emphasis to reach and fulfil basic and specific needs of many affected disabled persons. Most disabled tsunami victims have moved to houses of their relatives or hospitals as the camps for displaced does not cater to their needs. Lack of information and difficulties in accessing them are the main reasons for this," Dissanayake said.

He emphasised the necessity to share the information available in different NGOs and ensure that people with disabilities are integrated to society and the mainstream of development.

"If proper attention is not paid to around 16,000 people injured and around 15,000 pregnant mothers affected by tsunami, the number of people with disabilities in Sri Lanka could rapidly increase," he warned stressing that a dialogue on issues, needs and the importance of inclusion of disabled people in the rebuilding process should be initiated.

"People with disabilities should actively involve in the development process by promoting employment opportunities for them. Ensuring education for children with disabilities and effective implementation of the National Policy on Disability are also important. Rebuilding efforts can be used as an opportunity to address access mobility issues of disabled people."

A consortium of Disability Organisations comprising of the Disability Organisations Joint Front, Motivation, The Spinal Injuries Association, Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG), Handicap International, Christoffel Blindenmission (CBM) and John Grooms has launched ‘Access for All’ campaign to promote the inclusion of disabled people in all relief, reconstruction and development programmes in the wake of tsunami. They plan to meet all the political party chief organisers to raise awareness on the importance of architectural access in all construction and take measures to make it legally enforceable.

The consortium urged that steps be taken to incorporate the regulation on accessibility for persons with disabilities into legislature, which had not been done so far though the amendment to Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act No. 28 of 1996 was approved by Parliament in October 2003.

US Presidents Bush, Clinton to gain first-hand information on tsunami

Washington D.C. - Former President George H.W. Bush, father of incumbent US President George W. Bush, and former President Bill Clinton, are scheduled to visit Sri Lanka on 20-21 February, to assess damage caused by the Tsunami disaster and explore opportunities for cooperation with Sri Lanka in rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. They are undertaking this visit at the request of the U.S. President George W. Bush.

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga will welcome the two former US Presidents, and have discussions with them at a meeting scheduled for Sunday 20th February. During the visit, the two former US Presidents will visit Matara to gain first-hand information on the devastation wrought by the December 26 Tsunami and ongoing relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. Their visit to affected areas will include a site visit to a debris clearing project where USAID is providing cash-for-work and equipment to Tsunami affected people to help expedite the clean up operation.

Ambassador Devinda R. Subasinghe, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States said "Sri Lanka is pleased to welcome this historic visit of two former Presidents, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, who are very distinguished and enjoy wide respect, to gain a first-hand account of the devastation caused by this unprecedented tragedy. Their visit reflects the U.S. pledge to stay engaged in Sri Lanka in the long haul and, the leadership they provide, will no doubt, inspire Americans, to stay engaged with the reconstruction and recovery effort."

Soon after the disaster, President Bush named former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush to lead a nationwide private fund-raising effort to encourage private-sector financial support for Tsunami relief to help countries devastated by the Tsunami saying, "I have asked two of America’s most distinguished private citizens to head a nationwide charitable fund-raising effort." Immediately after the announcement, President George W. Bush, together with former Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and First Lady visited the Sri Lanka Embassy to sign the Book of Condolence. They also discussed with Ambassador Subasinghe the extent of the Tsunami disaster and, relief and rehabilitation needs.

Former Presidents Bush and Clinton launched a joint effort in a bi-partisan manner to raise money for victims of the devastating Indian Ocean Tsunami after the White House initiated them in January to lead an effort to drum up private donations. It was estimated that the total pledge of assistance from American private donations stood at US$800 million, and is expected to reach US$900 million shortly.

President Bush has requested the U.S. Congress for US$950-million for relief and rebuilding in the aftermath of the Tsunami. The funds will go to help affected countries restore roads, bridges and other damaged infrastructure and also to defray the cost of U.S. military relief efforts and build an early warning system for future tsunamis and typhoons. Sri Lanka also will be eligible for as much grant funding from the Millennium Challenge Account as required for infrastructure, micro-finance, and other activities.

U.S. humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka, included search and rescue missions, debris clearing operations and the distribution of emergency supplies such as, food, drinking water, clothing and medical supplies. The US Government, military, NGOs, individuals and the corporate sector contributed immensely to the US Tsunami relief effort.

—Embassy of Sri Lanka, Washington D.C.

Sunday, February 13, 2005

Two tsunami songs mentioned in the British parliament with kudos to Nimal Mendis

Article published in the 'Sunday Island' newspaper in Colombo
13th January 2005

by Nan

I mentioned in a previous article the fact that Nimal Mendis was so moved by the destruction and destitution caused by the tsunami that he inspirationally composed a song of the sea-caused tragedy. That was his way of coming to terms with what had happened to his homeland, which he loves so well. Nimal, needless to mention, is the composer of both the lyric and music for that wonderful plea of a tea plantation worker for justice from his British Periaya Dorai. Master Sir was the theme song of the film Kalu Diya Dahara (correct me if I am wrong on the film’s title), which song has remained perennially popular. In fact a popular singer uses it as the title of her concerts, with no by-your-leave, copyright permission or whatever from Mendis. Such are the liberties taken by our folk, through sheer inconsideration or ignorance. I tend to feel it’s the former for we as a nation are thick-skinned about appropriating what is not ours, for our benefit. So intellectual property rights are cast overboard with no compunction.

Feelings that prompted NM’s song

Coming back to my subject, Nimal Mendis composed his tsunami song as his way of saying he felt one with the people who suffered. This is his family’s special contribution. The song has already won fame. It has been translated to Tamil and Sinhala and would soon be heard by us.

According to Nimal: "I was stunned by the tsunami. Even though I was not there, I underwent the trauma of a man losing his grip on his child and the child being swept away by the water. That is what led me to write the song in ten minutes. I did not write the song for myself I wrote it for them who suffered and even as I say this, my eyes fill with tears.

"I now think of men getting drunk, taking to drugs, and isolating their women because of the suffering in their minds. I think of children and mothers and another extra great tragedy they have to cope with now, greater than the poverty and struggle they always went through in their lives, whether they be in the south, the north or east or some parts of the west. They are all our people and they are suffering and its time people do not tempt fate. As I ask in my song, ‘Did you need the Tsunami to leave wars behind?’ Each and everyone must ask this of oneself irrespective of ethnicity. It is to awake from this great slumber some Sri Lankans indulge in more than others. Do we need war and do we need another tsunami?

"As I told you, being here I prefer to crawl into a hole and cover my head and think it all is a bad dream. My only wish is that however small the funds got from my song are, it will go towards easing, if it ever can, the fragile minds that have been shattered by this disaster suffered by all - young and old, men, women and children. All of them who have been left behind to cope with bereavement that will linger on in their lives until memory fades. In an apparition of The Blessed Virgin, She once said: ‘There will come a time when the living will envy the dead."

That was Nimal speaking his heart out, not expecting to be quoted in print. But I got his permission to write about his song and the other.

The motion in the British Parliament

On February 6, it was reported in the media that British MPs deplored the racist Tsunami Song aired over Hot 97, the hip hop radio station in New York.

"Parliamentarians of all parties have objected to the tsunami song aired for over a week on Hot 97 and sung by Miss Jones and a team. Two members of the team have been fired by Emmis Radio. The song has angered people all over the world — including tsunami hit countries.

"British MPs of all parties have signed the early day motion 638 sponsored by the highly influential British Parliamentarian, Linda Perham, MP for Ilford North. EDM 638 reads thus:

‘Hot 97’s Racist Tsunami Song

That this House deplores the racist Tsunami Song aired on Hot 97 radio station in New York, calls upon Richard Cummings, President of Emmis Radio, to take firm action against those who aired the song beyond the temporary suspension, and commends the heartfelt tsunami song composed by British-Sri Lankan Nimal Mendis.

Let’s repeat that last section in the decision taken by that most prestigious body of legislators, the British Parliament: "commends the heartfelt tsunami song composed by British-Sri Lankan Nimal Mendis". Isn’t that a great honour for the composer and his country?

Many are calling for the resignation of Miss Jones. The US President has been urged to take action over Emmis Radio and Hot 97 as they have brought America into disrepute.

The two songs

I will give you the two lyrics.

The first is the Tsunami Song, aired between 18 and 27 January with DJs Miss Jones and Todd Lynn.

There was a time, when the sun was shining bright,

So I went down to the beach to catch me a tan,

Then the next thing I knew

A wave 20 feet high came and wash your country away

And all at once, you can hear the screaming Chinks.

And then no one was save from the wave

There was Africans drowning, little Chinaman swept away.

You can heard God laughing, swim you *(censored)* swim

So now you’re screwed. It’s the tsunami.

You better run and kiss your ass awake, go find you mommy

I just saw her float by, a tree right through her head

And now your children will be sold to child slavery

(imitating Michael Jackson)

Oh no, please not the kids. I’ll pay for all the kids.

All the little Indonesian kids, the little Asian kids, the Chinese kids,

The black, oh well, not the Black kids.

The white kids, the Puerto Ricon kids.

I love them all. I’ll pay for everything.

I promise, I won’t touch them."

Disgusting racism, innuendo and sheer bad taste. Thank goodness a vigilant British MP brought the disrespect to light and had the offenders duly punished for their incredible bad taste; and the song withdrawn.

In contrast is Nimal Mendis’ song, composed as he said in ten minutes. His son Paulmarie had come over for a weekend to Paris from London and was on Internet, when Nimal, getting up from an afternoon nap, told Paulmarie to word process what he was going to say. And thus was the song written with no later editing.

First verse

Oh see the foam/ The foam-crested wave

Everyone is dying/ No one to save

Rising terror thirty feet/ Crashing on the shore

Rolling horror on the land/ Destroying door to door

Did you need the tsunami/ To leave war behind

To come together/ Love each other

My child I cannot find

Chorus

Tsunami tsunami / Can I forget this day

My hand has lost its grip /My child is washed away

Tsunami tsunami/ From the bottom of the quake

Why have you done this?

Hundreds and thousands to take.

The sea speaks to you man/ The sea speaks to you

I’m cleansing your sins man /And all of your motherland

2nd verse

I was watching the sea gull/ Diving for the fish

It caught the swimming eel/ Out of the deep

I remembered the bullet/ Past my ear with a swish

I grabbed my child, saved ourselves

With one mighty leap.

Give me an answer/ You transgressed the law

What is in your mind now /My child is no more.


And what are we doing?

I have a rude answer to that of two words "b...a...!"

Its disgusting, disturbing.......

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Prince Charles to see tsunami devastation in Sri Lanka

Britain's Prince Charles is to visit Sri Lanka later this month to see first-hand the devastation left by the December 26 tsunami, his press office said Tuesday.

No specific dates have been fixed, but the visit will take place ahead of the Prince of Wales's tour of Australia, New Zealand and Fiji scheduled for February 28 to March 11.

"It's a country for which he has a particular affection," an aide to the heir to the British throne said.

"In the wake of the disaster he has been anxious to do what he can to help. He has been receiving briefings on what's going on and has given generously to the appeals."

Charles last visited Sri Lanka, a Commonwealth member country, in 1998.

Baby 81 in Sri Lanka

Baby 81 has hit the headlines all over the world. Baby 81 was called by that name because the baby was the 81st victim to be registered at Kalmunai Hospital on the east coast of Sri Lanka on December 26th 2004 after the tsunami hit the island. 9 couples had claimed the baby. Magistrates have now called for DNA testing to determine who were the genetic patents of the baby. One couple have gone to courts toclaim the baby who was found among corpses on the east coast of the island.

An editorial from the Daily News:

Baby 81

The moving story of Kalmunai's "Baby 81" has hugged the headlines during the last few days. The story could have come straight out of a film: a baby survives a tsunami, a passerby finds him, several couples claim to be the baby's parents and a court orders a DNA test to verify these claims.

Alas, the story is a real-life drama. It took an even more dramatic turn when a couple tried to snatch the baby from the hospital, where he is being looked after.

A court has ordered DNA testing on the four-month old baby as well as the purported parents to prove the veracity of the couple's claim. The physical destruction caused by the tsunami is all too clear.

Most of us have seen the enormous damage with our own eyes and television gave blanket coverage to the disaster, filling our living rooms with horrific pictures of death and destruction. But the emotional damage caused by the tsunami is not so visible. Those who have been left untouched by the waves cannot really feel it.

On the other hand, those who braved the waves and survived will carry the mental scars for the rest of their lives. The loss of parents and relatives as well as the fear induced by the tsunami itself will haunt them for life.

More than 800 children have lost both parents in the tragedy. Hundreds of other children have lost either mother or father. Many parents have lost one or all of their children.

The mental agony suffered by these children and parents is simply undescribable. In fact, many parents who lost children in the disaster have allegedly tried to snatch orphaned children in order to claim them as their own.

The Baby 81 incident indicates the need for a comprehensive national policy on the tsunami orphans. The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) and the Department of Probation and Childcare Services together with the Centre for National Operations (CNO) and the Task Force for Rescue and Relief (TAFRER) are now developing such a national policy. They have requested public help to gather further information.

The CNO and TAFRER has requested all relatives caring for children including surviving parents to register with the authorities; all unrelated persons including institutions/orphanages who have been caring for orphans to register with the authorities; and the public to provide information related to tsunami children as such information is necessary to identify missing children, provide future assistance, facilitate temporary foster care and adoptions and to provide educational needs and schooling.

Their future must not be bleak. We must ensure that they overcome the fear and insecurity to face the future with confidence.

Sunday, February 06, 2005

British MPs deplore Hot 97's cruel Tsunami Song

British Parliamentarians have raised the issue of the racist Tsunami Song aired over Hot 97 the hip hop radio station. The song was blatantly racist and was a slur against the Sri Lankan victims of the tsunami. Sri Lanka lost well over 40,000 people in the disaster. Over 2 million have been made homeless. No one is laughing in Sri Lanka and the song has angered Sri Lankans.

Hot 97's Tsunami Song laughed at the deaths of tens of thousands of people who perished as a result of the terrible tsunami of 26th December 2004 which devastated Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South India, Thailand, Maldives, Andaman Islands and even affected Malasiya and Myanmar. It was the world's worst natural disaster.

Sri Lankans all over the world joined with the Sri Lankan Community in New York, protesting against the racism of Hot 97.

US President George Bush has been urged to take action against Emmis Radio and Hot 97 for bringing America into disrepute.

Emmis Radio have only suspended Miss Jones for two weeks despite her racist outbursts and being a willing singer of the Tsunami Song. People in the UK are calling for the resignation of Miss Jones. Others have even called for the resignation of Richard Cummings, President of Emmis Radio for ignoring the cruel song which was aired for over a week on Hot 97 radio.

Now British parliamentarians- of all parties - have deplored the Tsunami Song in an early day motion tabled in the House of Commons in the Palace of Westminster.

EDM 638 states:

HOT 97'S RACIST TSUNAMI SONG

'That this House deplores the racist Tsunami Song aired on Hot 97 radio station in New York; calls upon Richard Cummings, President of Emmis Radio, to take firm action against those who aired the song beyond the temporary suspension; and commends the heartfelt tsunami song composed by British Sri-Lankan Nimal Mendis..... '

EDM 638 was sponsored by the highly influential British Parliamentarian, Linda Perham, MP for Ilford North.


Sri Lankans have been requested to send their protests in writing to:

Hot 97 WQHT-FM
395 Hudson Street, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10014
Phone: 212-229-9797
Fax: 212-929-8559
E-mail: jdimick@hot97.emmis.com
E-mail: hot97@hot97.com
E-mail: morningshow@hot97.com

Barry Mayo, General Manager, Hot 97 WQHT-FM
John Dimick, Program Director, Hot 97 WQHT-FM

Emmis Communications
One Emmis Plaza
40 Monument Circle, Suite 700
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: 317-266-0100
Fax: 317-631-3750
E-mail: IR@emmis.com

Jeffrey H Smulyan, Chairman and CEO, Emmis Communications

Federal Communications Commission
Enforcement Bureau, Investigations and Hearings Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554
Phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC
E-mail: fccinfo@fcc.gov
Web: www.fcc.gov/parents/content.html

To listen to Hot 97's Tsunami Song:
http://www.asianmediawatch.net/missjones/index.html

Thursday, February 03, 2005

Sri Lankans Protest at evil Hot 97 Tsunami Song

Sri Lankans all over the world have joined with the Sri Lankan Community in New York in denouncing the cruel and racist Tsunami Song by Miss Jones and Todd Lynn aired over Hot 97, the hip hop radio station in New York. Miss Jones who was only given a temporary suspension by Richard Cummings, President of Emmis Radio, is to get her job back in two weeks time. US President George Bush has been urged to take action against Emmis Radio. Cummings has been asked to visit Indonesia and Sri Lanka and see the devastation for himself.Sri Lankans in New York are calling for the resignation of President of Emmis Radio Richard Cummings and program presenter Miss.Jones.

The news of Hot 97's racist tsunami song is filtering through to the tsunami hit countries of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Thailand, South India. People are incensed at the song which goes beyond human decency. The governments of the tsunami hit region have been urged to take the matter up with the US Government as it insults the deaths of so many tsunami victims. Sri Lanka has lost over 40,000 people in the tsunami according to the latest count.

Sri Lankans have joined in the demonstrations in New York supported by New York City Councillors.

Here are the lyrics:

TSUNAMI SONG

Date aired: Morning of January 18TH-27TH 2005 (multiple airings)
Station call letters: WQHT-New York (Hot 97)
Offending DJs: Miss Jones and Todd Lynn
Offending lyrics:

“There was a time, when the sun was shining bright
So I went down to the beach to catch me a tan
Then the next thing I knew
A wave 20 feet high came and wash your country away
And all at once, you can hear the screaming chinks.
And then no one was save from the wave.
There was Africans drowning, little Chinaman swept away
You can heard god laughing, swim you bitches swim.

So now you're screwed, it's the tsunami,
You better run and kiss your ass awake, go find your mommy
I just saw her float by, a tree right through her head.
And now your children will be sold in child slavery.

(Imitating Micheal Jackson)
"Oh on, please not the kids. I'll pay for all the kids.
all the little Indonesian kid, the little Asian kids, the Chinese kids.
the black, oh well, not the Black kids.
the White kids, the Puerto Rican kids.
I love them all. I'll pay for everything.
I promise I won't touch them."

Sri Lankans all over the world wishing to protest are requested to write to their local American Embassy and to -

Hot 97 WQHT-FM
395 Hudson Street, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10014
Phone: 212-229-9797
Fax: 212-929-8559
E-mail: jdimick@hot97.emmis.com
E-mail: hot97@hot97.com
E-mail: morningshow@hot97.com

Barry Mayo, General Manager, Hot 97 WQHT-FM
John Dimick, Program Director, Hot 97 WQHT-FM

Emmis Communications
One Emmis Plaza
40 Monument Circle, Suite 700
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: 317-266-0100
Fax: 317-631-3750
E-mail: IR@emmis.com

Jeffrey H Smulyan, Chairman and CEO, Emmis Communications

Federal Communications Commission
Enforcement Bureau, Investigations and Hearings Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554
Phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC
E-mail: fccinfo@fcc.gov
Web: www.fcc.gov/parents/content.html

To listen to Hot 97's Tsunami Song:
http://www.asianmediawatchdog.com/missjones/extendedtsunami.mp3