Colombo
(AsiaNews) - A "tragedy waiting to happen", for
which the State is responsible as well as the owners of the tea plantations and the trade unions. This is according to Rev. Marimuttu Sathivel, Anglican and human
rights activist in comments to AsiaNews about the
mudslide in late October that swept an entire village in Meeriyabedda. Hundreds of people, all employees of the nearby plantations, were killed. According to the pastor, it was "the worst
natural disaster to take place in Sri Lanka after the 2004
tsunami."
"The problem - said Fr. Sativel, who is also a
member of the Christian Solidarity Movement (CSM) - is
that people were not warned of impending
floods, despite the fact that the
local government knew they were going to
happen".
According to the state authority in fact, days before
the disaster district officials had
received warning that the area
was in danger. But no competent body bothered to report it to the inhabitants. The same happened with the
warning launched by the National Building Resources Organization
(NBRO). "They all knew - added the activist -
the area is at high risk, but no
one gave the order to evacuate the area."
"Now that these people have lost everything - he concluded - who will take responsibility for what happened? Caring for the community was the duty of the overseers and
plantation owners, trade unions, government, politicians who made promises during
the election campaign but which they have failed to keep".
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