The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Nagercoil News : Tsunami-hit fisherfolk coming to terms slowly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 23, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Nagercoil

Tsunami-hit fisherfolk coming to terms slowly

By P.S. Suresh Kumar

NAGERCOIL, JAN. 22. Thanks to `psychosocial care and support,' extended by the Kanyakumari district administration in co-operation with many non-governmental organisations and college students, the fisherfolk affected by the December-26 tsunami are slowly coming to grips with reality and are showing signs of recovery.

Housed in temporary shelters, they were a depressed lot and in a confused state of mind after losing their near and dear ones and belongings to tidal waves. Even though they recovered from the initial shock, they could not believe what they witnessed on the ill-fated day.

However, the Government and NGOs are involved in providing only group counselling to affected people at temporary shelters. It is felt that the Government must arrange for individual counselling by deputing experts, to instil confidence among the women, particularly widows and destitute, so that they could lead a normal life. And that it should be combined with the rehabilitation package.

The Centre for Social Education and Development, a NGO, conducted a drawing competition recently in a relief camp in order to help children give vent to their pent up feelings of their bitter tsunami-experience. More than 300 children participated and but for two children nobody wanted to draw about the seaside — of boats, fishing nets etc. It clearly showed that many are yet to overcome the shock.

Jatson (14), studying in St. Mary's Higher Secondary School, Colachel, asked the psychosocial trainer to give text and notebooks to his friend, only to be told that his friend had succumbed to tsunami. Immediately another boy asked the trainer whether his teacher was alive.

Those from non-governmental organisations and college students interacted with 20 well-built youths aged between 15 and 18 years.

Only ten of them expressed their desire to venture into sea for fishing and the rest preferred some other vocation citing they had lost everything. "It will take another 10 to 15 years to earn what we lost," said Davidson of Mela Manakudi.

Speaking to The Hindu , M. Bhaskar, programme co-ordinator, CSED, said after the tsunami tragedy, youths become easily enraged and are vengeful, expressing their helplessness by yelling and fighting or taking to alcohol.

It has been decided to motivate them to organise themselves in youth clubs which will undertake community activities.

Community participation and support of all its members will be the foundation for a speedy rehabilitation process.

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