Recovering From Tragedy: Lessons of Tsunami Reconstruction After Two Years
[Tuesday, 12.26.06] marks two years since the 2004 tsunami unleashed untold suffering and devastation upon Indian Ocean coastal communities. The tragic toll still resonates: more than 200,000 dead; 2 million people displaced; 370,000 homes destroyed or damaged; some 5,000 miles of coastline devastated; and 2,000 miles of roads ruined. The tsunami was also unprecedented in the magnitude of the response by donors, the affected governments and their everyday citizens. The homeless received shelter, the hungry were fed, disease was prevented and substantial recovery has been achieved over the past 22 months. Nearly 150,000 homes have been rebuilt or repaired and 80,000 more are being reconstructed. More than 1,600 schools and health centers have been rebuilt or are under construction, tourists are returning to the region in large numbers, and economic growth rates have improved substantially. At the same time, the tasks ahead are significant in scope and cost.
Far too many Americans are far too willing to condemn Bill Clinton out of hand without so much as a second thought. While I don’t condone his moral failings as evidenced in l’affair Lewinsky, neither should it overshadow and negate the reality that Clinton was one of the greatest, most effective Presidents of our time. While the words “Bill Clinton” induce reflexive, frothing-at-the-mouth hatred from self-righteous Red Meat Conservatives, the man could lead. He had vision, he could speak and inspire (and in complete sentences, unlike the current mediocrity in the White House), and he was committed to making this country and the world a better place. To those of you who find fulfillment in Clinton-bashing, well…y’all can kiss my @$$. Such rank hypocrisy is something that any reasonable person would be ashamed of…but then no one would accuse you of being reasonable, would they?
My admiration for Clinton has only grown since he left the White House in January, 2001. In his “sunset years”, Clinton has worked tirelessly on the causes that he cares about, and in doing so he really has done more than most to make our world a better and brighter place.
Nothing represents his success and his philanthropy more than his work in the tsunami-ravaged areas of Southeast Asia. Over the past two years, Bill Clinton has helped to direct hundreds of millions of charitable dollars to rebuild homes, schools, economies- everything that needs to be done in order to get areas that have been completely devastated back on their collective feet.
Two years after the terrible day, Clinton’s work is coming to an end. There is still much work to be done, but his mandate will be passing to the United Nations and it’s various agencies. What he has to share from his experience in Southeast Asia can, and should be, viewed as a blueprint for how we can more effectively deal with future disasters and the associated recovery efforts. The lessons he seeks to impart are simple, yet they could significantly reduce both the loss of life and the sheer devastation resulting from future natural disasters.
First, we must get better at managing risk. Over the past two years, a lot of progress has been made on developing and streamlining a tsunami early-warning system for Southeast Asia, and indeed much of the Pacific Ocean. While this is certainly a step in the right direction, funding has been and remains difficult to come by. Creating and maintaining a truly effective early warning system that protects even remote coastal areas will require a significant commitment of money, manpower, and expertise from governments in the region. Human nature being what it is, this sort of spending is a much tougher sell than disaster relief. Prevention isn’t very sexy….
Second, we should pursue recovery practices that promote equity and help break patterns of underdevelopment. Where you live, your social status, and/or your economic condition shouldn’t determine whether you live or die in a natural disaster. Governments and NGOs in the region must work towards ensuring that lower-status citizens have the same access to the means necessary to enhance survivability as the more financially well-off and socially well-connected.
Third, we must recognize that peace is critical to any recovery process. In any country, particularly in the Third World, war drains precious resources from the people and areas most in need. No stable economy can flourish in an atmosphere of armed conflict and constant political upheaval. Governments cannot create the systems needed to enhance the survivability of their populace when they’re busy putting down coups or staging repressive military actions against their own people.
Finally, we must do more to harness the talents of local entrepreneurs and established businesses, domestic and foreign, in relaunching economies. First World governments, corporations, and NGOs can only do so much to put a country and it’s people back on their feet. Eventually, throwing money at the problem only becomes counterproductive. A local economy will only thrive and function effectively when local entrepreneurs and established businesses have access to capital, resources, and a legislative environment that allows them to do what they do best.
Two years ago, hundreds of thousands died in the tsunami. Much has been learned since then, and much has been done to repair the damage. Thanks to people like Bill Clinton (and George H.W. Bush), hundreds of millions of dollars have poured into the most heavily-damaged areas. While it will be years before things return to anything resembling normal in the most remote and heavily-impacted regions, progress has definitely been made. We can only hope that the momentum gained and the lessons learned will not be lost to expedience, donor fatigue, and leaders lacking commitment and vision. The people of Southeast Asia deserve better.
