Red Cross Ends Kolhufushi Work

The British Red Cross has permanently withdrawn from a major tsunami reconstruction project on Kolhufushi Island (Meemu Atoll) due to lack of agreement over rebuilding between the government and the people.

The decision was taken on January 16, and a statement released to Minivan five days later said it had “not been taken lightly.” Funds totalling $3.7m will now be reallocated to other Red Cross projects and the statement says options for where the money is reallocated are currently under discussion with the government.

The British Red Cross cited, “persistent and unresolved constraints as well as our donor deadline of having to spend tsunami funds by the end of 2007” as the primary reasons for their decision to abandon the Kolhufushi project. The aid organisation says experience shows it takes one year to build 50 houses, and with 55 planned for Kolhufushi, it had become clear they could not complete their work by the end of 2007.

“While the government has made serious efforts to address various constraints it has become impossible to reach agreement to date, particularly between the communities living on Kolhufushi and the Government on both the number of houses to be rebuild and importantly the allocation of land – where to build houses.”

The Red Cross has agreed to leave all building materials already on the island, thought to be worth around $200 000, and a generator. The organisation has said it will now provide technical support to the government, which will take over the tsunami recovery effort.

The government’s plans for rebuilding the island involve combining two settlements, one in the north and one in the south, into one large village in the middle of the island on land that was previously used for cultivation.

But having filled in the marshy ground and cut down many trees, the governments plans were frustrated by the objections of a handful of families in each settlement whose houses had not been destroyed by the tsunami. They said they wanted to stay where they are.

But the government insists that cannot happen. They say all residents must move to the new site and that the houses of the objectors are in the way. The ensuing postponement of building work on the island has frustrated many residents, who are currently stuck in tiny temporary shelters with very poor facilities such as basic sanitation.

The stalemate has led to some conflict on the island and a number of protests. Earlier this month the Island Office was blockaded with tree branches as residents protested about the government’s inability to come up with a viable compromise.

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