ABSTRACT
The broadly based committee that was formed in Hambantota within days of the disaster played an important role in ensuring that all the survivors got the aid they needed and that they were treated with due respect by authorities and external agencies. It is very important to ensure equity in the delivery of relief aid and in the assessment of needs for long-term assistance. It is very important that external people who are involved in the transition from immediate relief to rehabilitation receive adequate briefings on the history and character of the communities concerned. Disaster survivors may need to manage in purpose-built temporary accommodation for several years in a region that has witnessed widespread destruction of homes and other infrastructure. Poor people and communities often create their own coping mechanisms. Home gardens and community gardens can deliver greater food security to poor households, especially in times when food prices increase, often for global reasons.
