(We are publishing here a statement issued by the Central Committee of CPI(ML) - New Democracy on December 29, 2004 – Editor)

On Sunday December 26, 2004, Tsunami caused by a massive earthquake in the sea near Sumatra (Indonesia) raced to Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, and several other countries spreading death and destruction in its wake. The body count of the dead in various countries is approaching 1 lakh and is continuously rising. Tens of thousands have been lost to the seawaters; the count will cross 2 lakhs when all are called in. Over and above, millions are rendered homeless, jobless, destitute and orphaned. The plight of sufferers knows no bounds.

In India the worst affected are the states of Tamilnadu and Andaman Nicobar Islands while eastern coastal areas of Kerala, AP and some others states too have suffered. In Andaman and Nicobar Islands some indigenous groups, already in very small numbers, are in the danger of being wiped out of existence. Some areas, particularly of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, still remain unapproached.

In the aftermath of Tsunami devastation, starvation, thirst and fast approaching communicable diseases are likely to raise the tally of death and human misery. The scale of devastation and misery is very large and it calls for all out efforts to provide relief to the people affected by this.

CPI(ML) - New Democracy calls upon the Government of India to immediately declare a national calamity and mobilize all resources. Tardiness in government relief measures should be urgently overcome.

The immediate issue is of providing relief and rehabilitating the victims of this enormous calamity. We call on all party members and sympathizers to endeavour to collect medicines, money and other necessary materials and to send the same to affected areas. We appeal to the people to donate generously for the unfortunate victims of this enormous calamity.

While earthquakes and its devastating effects like Tsunami may yet not be under human control, its damaging effects are to a great degree influenced by human endeavour. Despite several hours between the earthquake and Tsunami reaching the Indian coasts, no warning was issued to the people. There is such a great talk of our country’s success in harnessing modern technology, but when it comes to helping the people, there is a wide gap. There will be some talk of this for some time, and again it will be life as usual for the powers that be.

Effects of sea waves like Tsunami can be much diluted by dense mangroves, which are normally there along the coasts. Sand dunes too help mitigate such effects. But the forests have been cut down by contractors and sand carted away for building purposes. While natural defenses are denuded and no alternative defenses put in place, people are left to pay with their lives for the profit hunger of the greedy moneymakers. Were not many of these lessons forced on agenda during the Orissa Supercyclone? But our shortsighted rulers refuse to learn any lesson, and except for paying homilies till the attention is focused there, they turn to serve the very forces which are out to use everything for their short-term gains. The policies pursued by the governments of Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia with regard to the interests of their people are not basically different from those followed by Government of India.

In the long term, homes must be rebuilt, employment opportunities rejuvenated if people are not to be rendered destitute. All out efforts are needed for ensuring the education and upkeep of children orphaned by the Tsunami.

The government must announce and implement a time bound scheme for reforestation of Indian coastline, extend clampdown on coastline shrimp culture and stop all moves to dilute the coastal regulation zone norms and strengthen these norms.

The horrendous natural calamity has brought forward a plethora of examples of human self-sacrificing spirit for fellow human beings. A number of youth have sacrificed their lives saving the lives of others. We salute these martyrs to a noble cause.