On the fourth anniversary of the tsunami that struck Indonesia and Sri Lanka on Boxing Day 2004, the Canadian Federation of Municipalities (CFM) is giving itself a pat on the back for its contribution to reconstruction efforts in both countries.
“More than 4,000 days of work by Canadian municipal volunteers, elected and non-elected, over a three-year span produced lasting results in Sri Lanka and Indonesia,” said CFM president and mayor of Sherbrooke, Jean Perrault, in a news release.
Funding from CIDA with in-kind support from FCM members provided the foundation for the $11.4 million Canada/Sri Lanka Municipal Cooperation Program and the $10 million Canada/Aceh Local Government Assistance Program.
Aiming to respond directly to needs identified by local authorities, the programs targeted five of the hardest-hit districts in Sri Lanka and three in Aceh, Indonesia.
Along with their counterparts in both regions, more than 50 Canadian volunteers worked to improve services such as garbage collection, repair and maintenance, road construction, financial and strategic planning, and library services.
“When communities lose basic services, access to markets and a productive livelihood, as happened in Sri Lanka and Aceh, their municipal governments are key when it comes to responding to natural disasters of this magnitude. However, they are often overlooked,” said Berry Vrbanovic, councillor of Kitchener, Ontario and CFM’s third vice-president.
Canadian municipalities also provided over $280,000 in direct funding for reconstruction. As a result, stated the release, “libraries have books, markets have stalls, maternity clinics have beds, children have playgrounds, and basic equipment like photocopiers and computers are now available in offices.”
Said to be one of the world’s worst natural disasters, the tsunami killed more than 220,000 people in Sri Lanka, Thailand, and India, and led to an outpouring of international aid.
In Indonesia, the country hardest hit, at least 168,000 people were killed when walls of water smashed into Nias Island and Aceh province. Sri Lanka had a death toll of close to 50,000, with several thousand injured and over 1.5 million displaced.
Drawing heavily on the expertise of its membership, CFM helped local governments organize, establish credibility, and advocate on behalf of their communities with other levels of government on a range of local needs.
“The combined efforts of CFM and CIDA on the tsunami reconstruction efforts are a prime example of how two orders of government can work together toward the betterment of other citizens in the world,” said Mayor Perrault.
Canadian municipal relief efforts are set to conclude in March 2009.
