Partner reports caste bias delays relief aid in India

The December tsunami affected hundreds of families in coastal villages in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu, India. Many survivors have been left out of the government relief process. In addition, internal conflicts within each village and differences, conflicts between the different castes and insensitive responses by key government officials are causing delay and confusion. The Annai Theresa Welfare Trust (ATWT), a partner of the UUA's Holdeen India program, is one organization that is responding to the needs of the survivors with support from the UUSC-UUA Tsunami Relief Fund.

The government plan to put up temporary shelter for survivors who lost their homes continues to raise concerns. The shelters are located kilometers away from the coast and the quality is lacking. Those who have gone to the temporary shelters have experienced great apprehension both for staying there and also returning home. They feel that unless they stay in the shelters, they may have trouble returning to their homes near the sea where their livelihood is based as well as that of their children's education.

Those who return to their former homes worry that they will not get relief and rehabilitation. Many of their fears are coming true, but ATWT is working to protect their rights and provide relief and livelihood restoration.

ATWT works among the poor and oppressed segments of society to empower them through a process of organization, social education, training and action toward issues affecting their lives and to protect their rights.

Immediately after the tsunami, ATWT provided relief supplies to survivors in each village that had not received any government relief. The survivors included Dalit (untouchable) women shell collectors, shrimp and crab collectors, salt-pan workers, and women who make fish baskets, dry fish sellers and other small traders belonging to Dalit communities.

Survivors fight for their rights

To protest the lack of relief and rehabilitation work by the district administrators for certain communities of people, ATWT organized a hunger strike in March. They expected 500 people to participate in the hunger strike but a crowd of over 2,000 survivors attended.

As the strike began, many survivors – most of whom were women – spoke out about the hardships they experienced after the tsunami. The survivors' hand-written petitions for relief were brought to the attention of the collector, who did not meet them until the end of the strike. The survivors passed a resolution stating that if the government fails to give relief, they are prepared to conduct the next strike using a different strategy.

Meenavar village, home to 223 families, is situated very close to the shore. All the houses in the village were badly damaged. ATWT distributed relief supplies and temporary shed materials. Since the children had no schools, they constructed a Children's Study Center out of hollow block, despite some opposition from local officials. A strong sense of unity can now be felt among the villagers and people are ready to fight for their land and development rights and government officials hurry to implement relief and rehabilitation efforts.

Regenerating livelihoods

The tsunami survivors in the villages are slowly returning to their lives and livelihoods. ATWT will continue to promote and strengthen occupation-based women's forums. They will also arrange appropriate training programs for women to learn alternative trade and self-employment skills for supplementary income generation, as well as organize consciousness-raising programs and workshops for women and girls.

In the district, there about 17 families engaged in shrimp and crab collection. Women work from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. in brackish sea water for less than $1 per day. They catch the shrimp in the shallow water with their bare hands. As part of their work routine, they hide their tools in nearby bushes, which led to many of them being washed away by the tsunami.

ATWT has helped with group with relief materials and tools such as palm baskets, buckets and bags which they selected for themselves. They are working with the group to explore safer and more productive work opportunities.

In other villages, women rely on shell collection – which can only be done from December to February – for their livelihoods. The shells are collected and accumulated near the shore and are then baked in limestone kilns built near the sea and turned into powdered lime which is used for various purposes. The collected shells and kilns were washed away by the tsunami. ATWT organized the shell collectors to form groups and now the groups are actively rebuilding the limestone kilns.

ATWT is also providing credit support for families involved in fishing and shell collection activities and other unorganized labor to rebuild their livelihood. Revolving credit funds have been set up for the women's forum in each village. These funds will be used by the women to repair occupational implements and provide other inputs to their respective occupations.

For other reports on tsunami relief efforts in India, visit Holdeen partners coordinate tsunami relief effort in India and How your relief donations are being used.

Posted May 31, 2005