Not like usual, the year ended with muted sobriety and 2005 began with mourning. It has been three weeks since the tsunami shook our lives with its sweeping devastation. The number of individual lives lost rose each day as our imagination is persistently baffled from the unfolding extent of this tragedy. Almost everyone who has heard the news is touched by this event. We fear for the safety of our friends, relatives and family and demonstrate an encouraging amount of compassion and generosity through our thoughts, prayers, aid and donations. But time goes on, and with it, life. It can become easy to forget and carry on with the urgency of daily personal crises. Particularly when this issue no longer dominates the headlines.

Needless to say, it is imperative that we do not allow ourselves to lapse into complete amnesia in a few months' time. The effects of this quake do not end with the lives immediately lost. Livelihoods are affected as assets and properties invested and laboured through time are destroyed. Infrastructure like telecommunications, water, electricity and medical facilities require a lot of commitment, resources and funding to rebuilt. Meanwhile, the people whose lives were spared on 26th December have to continue with daily survival, even as they mourn over the loss of loved ones and life as they knew it. This will take a lot more than an initial spurt of aid to reconstruct.

It is hard to fathom what needs to be done when new losses keep unfolding with time. Imagine a family who lost their home, their source of income and a few family members. When RM5000 is received from the National Disaster Fund (NDF) in attempt to craft a new house, how will they continue to live? Perhaps the mother who was responsible for making the nasi lemak to sell for daily 'rezeki' died from the tragedy and left behind three children who now can no longer carry on in schools because they have to work for a living. Or a father who lost his daughter that helped to take care of his younger children when he went to work. Their individual contributions to the country's economy are lost as the state struggles to rebuild basic infrastructural need and cope with the loss of income through perhaps, foreign investment in tourism. Because the tsunami affected the poorest areas the worst, these are the lives that have the least to fall back on in times of need.

Perhaps when the NDF is no longer in operation with a deadline as intimated by the Deputy Prime Minister, we can think of other ways to ensure our support is consistent and sustainable. Not for profit organisations, from civil society movements to faith-based networks have set up various operations to facilitate public support to affected areas. When mass media have moved on to other topical issues, we should still keep an eye out for information on the reconstruction of these places. As for the millions of ringgit and clothing that have now been accumulated for aid, demand for accountability.

How is the money spent? What is the process to ensure that the aid reaches the people who are affected? In what ways are current crisis funds planning to further their support for the affected areas? How are these organisations, networks and funds reporting back to the multitude of donors who are gravely concerned by the pain faced by tsunami survivors? How can we ensure that we do not extend our help just for the moment, when it can take a lifetime to rebuild?

The special needs of women and girls also cannot be overlooked in this respect. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) stressed that, "[a]mong the affected are tens of thousands of pregnant and nursing women, who are especially susceptible to waterborne diseases and may require supplementary feeding, prenatal care and delivery assistance." Further, in some areas where food, water and other forms of aid are given, those who are strongest and most able to fight for the scarce resources are mainly young men. This leaves the elderly and disabled in need. Also, the gender roles which places expectations on women to be less forward can also work to their disadvantage in this instance. Logistical problems which lead to funds being channeled to a community through its chief, questions need to be asked if women who are not attached to men or have lost the male members of their family are also equally receiving support. As such, short, medium and long term relief planning must bear in mind gender relations at play in a particular context to ensure that their objectives do not unintentionally exclude half of the people affected.

Most importantly, we cannot afford to forget. When the news is replaced by other urgent matters, spare a moment to remind ourselves and reflect that day by day, the struggle to rebuild life back to 'normal' is still carrying on by the women and men affected by this devastation.

Jaclyn Kee
9 January 2005

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Fortnightly Column by WAO on Sunday Mail