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Why
Green Hope The
tsunami diary
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French site) . For news before sept 26th 2005, read more from the French version of the diary |
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April 22 - 2 PM - France Cazouls of Herault... A small quiet, peaceful village of Languedoc. One of these villages
which one likes, bringing back memories of childhood of an happy
summer, far from the city, where each one can be himself, with characters,
old persons, children passing by, like a flight of birds, and with
the laughter of fountain... a French village, with narrow streets,
plane trees, the Town hall. Today, Henri, the mayor placed this
morning the flag of Sri Lanka, on the frontage of the Town Hall. Our friends Sri Lanka, would be very proud of such an honour. A small village of France, strong of its republican values, the attention towards the other, even at the end of the world, a land of welcome, a ground of asylum... One dreams there could be more villages like this one... the flag of Sri Lanka floats in the fresh air and blue, the weather is nice... Already, neighbours arrive from everywhere, with cakes, tapenades, the men with the good tannic wine which . All associations are present, the craftsmen as well... There is so many people at the "House of the People" that one leaves to seek chairs... Myriam, moved, like us, whispers us with the ear: "that is the human adventure, our neighbours become our friends, Sri Lanka links us all together."... We speak, in front of a such attentive audience that we are intimidated by it. Carole, Dominique, Dylan then arrive and project their super diaporama. The room applauds... After the questions fuse, beautiful questions, human altruistic, as one would ask for news of a cousin, of a distant cousin... Afterwards, we left the large tables on the terrace, the grannies satisfied, leave to rest. On drinks the good wine from here, and eats the cakes of the families under the clear moon... One already thinks of organizing a trip, Henri, the Mayor speaks to us about the regional sport, the "tambourine" which is played with tambourines rackets and, formerly, a ball in goatskin, there are championships, one also plays in Italy, but Cazouls is well placed and gained several cups. Henri proposes to create a team in Sri Lanka. We speak longy with Amandine, the teacher of the Marie Rouanet de Cazouls of Herault School, and decide a "pot twinning" between her pupils and those of the school of Pathuwattha: it will offer seeds to us which we will sow over there, in June, we will bring back seeds of over there that the children will sow by protecting them from the cold, in the class: exchanges of seeds, exchanges of life... a beautiful idea to be continued... small plants to tell humble quivering, breathing of the ground........ As of today you can First of all receive on your premise the tee-shirt of "green-hope".... A small story: Cazouls almost lost its Post office some time ago. The inhabitants fought, they were heard: this Post office is essential for the life, the contacts of the village, the proof: it is of this Post office of Cazouls that all the sendings to Sri-Lanka will leave.
Instructions: Write to Myriam and to Serge Fornet/14, Place of the Fountain/34120 - Cazouls of Herault. Write the address where you wish to receive, (or to offer) the T-shirt(s) plus a cheque to the order of "green-hope" of 12,50 € per tee-shirt, mailing included... If you wish to buy it on line, it is simple as well: 10€... Available sizes are : L,XL,M Tomorrow, we will give you the addresses and contacts of the first correspondents of "green-hope", by area.
April 18 and April 19 - 10 PM - France From Carole, Dominique and Dylan's home one can see the infinite sea. On sand, there are some who play volley-ball, while laughing in the fresh wind. Further, in the handle of the Gulf of Lions, of the ascensionnary parachutes, a blue sky, large white clouds, a Saint-Sulpician sky... one thinks of course of the Pope who has just been selected... For three days, we did not find a not a minute free to write... Yesterday evening, we were really too exhausted to open the computer again... We have received many splendid messages: of those who we already met, of invitations for the days to come... Our planning starts to be quite full, but we always seek solutions, knowing we are so happy of your active presences and knowing that you are decided to continue with us the "green hope"... programs. Of course, often, our arrival is not announced in the newspaper, but on the other hand the press is quite present to follow our meetings... we will make you follow the articles... l Since April 1, we have hit the roads, and by next 4th of June, we will have stopped in around fifty villages or towns. Tomorrow, for example, we will have a great meeting in the Town hall of Sète, in the honour of "green hope", with pictures projections, associations exchanges with our friends: Sète de Coeur, Sétois Ski-club, Sri Lanka Urgency of Grau du Roi, Inter Associations of Cazouls of Herault... You all are and invited, the Mayor, Sir François Commeinhes will honour us of his presence... We will try to be at the height of such a reception! Those and those which will come will be pleased to be the first to discover our new Tee-shirt, (thanks to you Martine) and to leave with our first stickers, thanks to Sabine. And since three days, what did we do? We spent one delicious moment with Anne and Franck at Saint- Tropez, who had supported us with the schools, and are always there to help us... we met Valè and Domi in La Crau, evoking of course the moving moments at the dispensary, or at the orphanage... but we also evoked the future, with a passionate project which they will soon present in the heading initiatives of the site, finally the good news: their arrival, with their binoculars, next February... and then, being well like long date friends, the head and the heart filled with desires of going on further, together. We did not sleep much, but quite advanced on many tracks... This night was too short, the next morning we had to go and seek the T-Shirts in Lavandou...There will be very soon some information on the way to purchase the t-shirts.. While making this turn, we are now convinced that we should organize small offices with correspondents(e)s in the areas... If you are interested... Finally late yesterday evening, we arrived at Carole, Dominique, Dylan.
There too, had much to tell us... and have plenty new projects, shared reflexions... We can say to you that "green hope" is quite alive, and for a long time... ... We found time to lunch with a group of friends in Montpellier among of which Catherine, a painter, who lived in Sri Lanka and will connect us with Sri lankais artists on the spot, within the framework of the creation of exchange of knowing of the future residence of artists.... Since the beginning of the writing of this day, the sun lengthened on the sea, ready to lie down, the wind erased the few clouds and one clearly sees far the Saint Clair Mount, of not far from Sète where we will be tomorrow, the Pic Saint Lou, Palavas, Frontignan... And across the seas, and oceans, there are our friends of over there, who must sleep at this hour …
Yesterday, we were invited to lunch by Marie Helene and Baudouin, in Montauroux, in the Var, who created the Association "Solidarity Asia Pays of Fayence", for a long time the Rural Country organizes humanitary building of sites each year. An association decided to rebuild the school of Kuchchavali and will give a concert of chamber music at the Vault of Montauroux on April 27, at 5 PM, to the benefit of this rebuilding... The evening, we were in Nice with Catherine, director of a nursery school, who, since the beginning linked her school with "green hope"... This midday, we were in Opio, to find the Bourgeon tribe, Nouche, his/her son Camille, his mother, who also followed us since the beginning, gathering, collecting, informing, not sparing any effort to help us... the tribe Bourgeon, it is a little the family, one should not forget as well Thierry and Roger... We had envisaged a barbecue, it was a wooden fire in the chimney... Provence shivers, the summits are powdered of snow, however the sheets of the olive-trees, preserves its green and blue and this beautiful trunk of bark of ash
Tonight, we will be in Gordes. The day was bathed by a sensual light, accessory to the small valleys and mounts, this soft valley of flowers as many butterflies fluttering around the fruit-lofts, haloed blue of the lavenders to come, heart of the blossoming of spring that one knows so near here. All is pastel, fair caresses, pale green, and the sky is of a gracious azure which protects and reassures the innocent landscape of waste lands and of vines and the shades draw draped hills to humble vaults, russet-red villages, perched... It is there, in the old house which belonged to Althusser, the philosopher, that Elisabeth and Francois, live in perfect harmony with this universe, happy, quite simply, the heart filled with love, of the least stone, the least flower, of a history, peacefully crossing time on felted steps... There we meet Dany, with who we exchanged much mails. Dany is Principal of the Barbara Hendrix College in Orange. The 700 pupils largely supported the action of "green hope" since the tsunami, particularly the club solidarity. They made collections, sold jewels, clocks manufactured by them, printed postcards with the photographs of the site.
Furthermore, the College would wish a twinning, like that of Chatelard and Seenigama and Dany hopes to join Nicole the next days... a new data-processing connection between the young people of the two countries... We received from François pictures of the new boats, here for you... they are very beautiful! Here Francois, on board with Kumara Preparation of the boat. The small port of Hikkaduwa It seems that we can finally find a solution for the drugs...
Alain sent a whole series of beautiful sentences to us. We finished the evening with Dany, Elisabeth, Philippe by listening to the fourth movement of the quintet for piano in minor ground, opus 57, of Shostakovich... a sublime moment of emotion, and we thought of the one of the sentences sent by Alain: "Made that the dream devours your life so that your life does not devour your dream." Saint-Exupery....
Here history if moving on by Nathalie. Nathalie lost a part of her family during the tsunami. Her mother returned to Sri-Lanka at the end of December, but none as of the members of her family was found... Back to France, the pain is there, like a cramp in the heart which tightens the throat... Since the beginning of January, Nathalie sometimes writes to us. We wanted to hear her voice, and Nathalie called us today. Nathalie works with the Dental University of Toulouse, which decided to compose of the bunches of flowers and to sell them to help "green hope"... Next Friday, at 7.30 PM, at the Town Hall of Toulouse, there is the Official reception of the Dental University. Nathalie will compose of the pink bunchs and will sell them to support our actions... All these flowers so humbly proposed, we are infinitely proud and are highly moved by it..... If you want to help Nathalie, it asked us to entrust his mail address to you: nat.delfort@voila.fr...
Célia interviews François on the building site of Ahangam. See their project Tomorrow, for our Savoyard friends, on Radio Bleu of Savoy at 8 AM and 8.20 AM... there will be also an article in Dauphiné Libéré... tomorrow we leave this area for the south. Tomorrow it is New Year's day in Sri Lanka. You can send messages of good year on the permanent address of the office of "green hope" to Hikkaduwa, to: pierre@bellmail.lk, that will give well pleasure with all our small team there low
Tomorrow, at 10.30 AM, in France, the press photographers will pose on ground their cameras. One minute in respect of our friend Jean Marc Ayral of the Gama Agency who decided to leave us, last week... well too early for us. This evening, we want a thought for him, Sophie, her daughter. He had the beauty of innocence, the elegance of the shifted life, the infinite tenderness of Utopia... April 12 - 3 PM France We courageously typed this text during the night in the deserted college of the Beauges. It was yesterday evening, (one could write presently). We remember only the last sentence: "it is 2h49 morning, it is time seriously to go slept" and then " send" and then "impossible to post this page". Bad memories of a nights without an end, when we lost the connections unceasingly, in Sri Lanka. Yesterday was a beautiful day. At midday, Sophie had organized a lunch with ophthalmologists and opticians of the area of Chambéry. We set up visual tracking. Sophie will come first, at the end of June, at the beginning of July, to carry out a first evaluation. Our Savoyard friends already succeeded in finding 400 glasses and 330 mountings. It is necessary for us to find more, but our friend Paul, from Trawl-net, will surely manage, like always, to find us solutions. Afterwards, faithful to start again the local economy, we will forward glasses and mountings (but not out of container!) then on the spot let us meet local opticians for the assembly. Carole will come in October to continue this action and we have the intention of a follow-up with professionals, every four months, during at least five years. On the photograph: Benoit, Carole which will come in October, another Carole, Sophie and Michel.
Nicole presents to us splendid a diaporama carried out with her photographs taken over there and the discussion engages and fuses. The room of the College is full: Teachers, pupils' parents, representatives of association, children and the General Adviser Albert Darvey. We speak about music, circus, medical check-up, of data processing, to share our cultures, to exchange our knowledge. Nicole presents the group to us which will leave this summer with it: Fatima, the English teacher, Monique, the teacher of music, Delphine and David acrobats and jugglers of the school of the circus, Sophie, the president of the parents of pupils, school nurse, of the children. It will be fantastic this summer, all these meetings with Christelle, Jean-Christophe, their accordionist friend.
At the end of the meeting, we speak about the microcredits, often spoken about. Virginia proposes to launch a consultation on the site to join together those and those which are interested to come. Already 10 PM, we are invited to dine with Sophie and Philippe. A vVeterinary surgeon, Philippe one is impassioned of the cows. On their premises there is cows everywhere, they are beautiful, with their pace of divas, their deer,dresses their made up glance of kohl, their slowness dilettante, their slightly given up opulent grace, as offered to the life of the mountain pastures and the fields, of the trains which pass. They are moving the cows, attaching almost, (but almost then) desirable.
The day had started well, we awaited impatiently the visit of Enrica, arrived of Geneva to meet us. A timid sun dazzled the mountains... Then we received a mail of Francois, our correspondent of Colombo... François went to Colombo this morning. For two weeks the social department had asked for new increasingly administrative documents to recover the nets which the fishermen of Cannes sent to us.
When François asked where the container was for which he had been convened, the social department started by answering that all had been given to the victims but without being able to answer where, and by who... François then had noticed whereas they had the letter given at the beginning of March mentioning that the contents were to be given to the fishermen of Hikkaduwa. There, it was answered to him that nothing still had been delivered and was some share in this hangar, and that one would recontact it in 10 days... François goes on: "This container is thus definitively lost, I think, like many others... When thinking about time passed people to collect, I feel really sad anything over... ". We answered François how much we were also sad.. we feel impotent, far from him, only, and think strongly of him, his determination, hyis courage... Sometimes, the arms would be lowered, then one thinks of you all and all. One thinks of Enrica who leaves at the end the month to offer the bicycles to the most stripped villages. One thinks of Christelle who will present to you soon on the site the first prototypes of the objects that we wish to carry out with the women of the future co-operative. One thinks of the book which will tell our beautiful history. One thinks of the project of the film which must be turned on "green hope". One thinks of all those and those which will devote their holidays to the actions of "green hope" this summer. One thinks of those and those which we like there low who hope in our projects... then, one breathes a great blow, one knows that tomorrow midday we will meet ophthalmologists and opticians during a lunch in Chambéry, with the project splendid to equip several hundreds with young people of the schools of glasses, that the evening, we will be with Nicole to prepare the festival of of Châtelard... One thinks "HOPE", hope, and green like always new spring, more extremely than the coldness of the winter, the young still fragile growths which will become large strong trees with the deep roots... The 13 at midnight, the site changes of look to celebrate New Year's day which will take place in Sri Lanka on April 14, the moment to send messages of friendships to those and those of over there, on the Gold Book of the site, for example... A moment also to make wishes on the gold book. omorrow, Célia, from Radio France comes to spend one week with the team of "green hope". She comes to make reports that the channels will diffuse... François will accompany him to visit the hangar... Patiently, like small ants, we reach that point and it is not tomorrow, not definitely, that we will lower the arms. You will see, Francois, all this time will be never wasted time. Time lost that does not exist. Time passes, sometimes in front of a mountain, a dead end, then time continues to pass, and the angle of cliffs, of the hardest rocks, end up blunting, softening. It happens that a very small insane grass crack a fortress... Pierre & Quentin are back in France, where they will be touring and visiting the numerous members of Green-Hope, until the end of May, when they will be going back to Sri-Lanka. April 9 - 11 PM in France This morning, it was winter in Aix les Bains. The mountains were powdered like a Japanese actor, a fine talc on the summits, which softened the mountains. The drawing of the fine branches, the alders, the Le Bourget lake of dark and deep added to this impression of decoration of a Japanese folding screen... also these frail sheets of spring by this time of molten snow... an unreal atmosphere... we went by the motorway to the annual assembly of the association, in Grenoble. Quentin presented the moral assessment, such as you can read it on the 20th of each month on the website. The balance sheet on December 31, 2004 was approved insofar as few movements were entered on this date. It was decided, for more transparency, to entrust to a Certified Public Accountant firm to establish the annual statements and, moreover, to establish an intermediate countable situation on June 30, 2005. This assessment of accounts will be available on the site within three months following the closing date of application. The moral and financial assessments being approved, the annual assembly was closed. This evening, in your many messages, there was a mail of "our" publishor, who announces to us that the contract will reach us on next April 18th. We will have diner together on May 17, to advance on, choices of page-setting of texts, photographs and drawings. Pierre and Julie telephoned to us to announce a possible project of film based on our adventure and the book... As for next week, Domenic will expose his photographs in the hall of the Town hall of Sète to prepare the evening of April 20... We also found time to make a turn in Chambéry, to discover the fountain of the Elephants and to make a turn at the edge of the lake, in Aix les Bains, which very appeared like an out of date seaside resort, obsolete, victorian and charming, swept by a wind of ice... We dined with Nelly, a "green hoper", who is impassioned and lives a small apartment on the heights of Aix. One would say a small country house, filled with flowers, memories. We liked to hear her speak about her life, with her opulent tenderness, and her passion of the moment... Of this fantastic universe of this day, accounts, forms, snows of April, we think while writing to you of this sentence of Pablo Picasso: "There is nothing more difficult than to draw a line "...!
From the house where we will sleep, one sees downwards Aix the Bains, and the high mountains of Belledonne. We are with good friends, Solange and Marcel, friends of long date... The history of "green hope" definitely sounds like a fairy tale... the love is stronger than all... while on the phone, we look at the very high mountains and give an account of this day: all these everywhere friends who phone us, Nicole who awaits us for a beautiful evening, Sophie who prepares the visual tracking, and if one is a little cold on the terrace which dominates the plain, one is delighted by all the meetings to come... soon towards the south, with Elisabeth, Valè and Domi to see …. . Splendid news today: we found an editor, a good person who wants to make a beautiful book of the story of "green hope" with the texts, photographs, drawings. As of now you can reserve the book which will be edited in October... as of now you can write to A contrario/13, street Lamartine/71250 Cluny, Frannce or telephone: (00. 33) 03 85 59 81 46 or mail: emoulron@acontrario.fr... The whole of benefits of the sale will go, of course, to the association.... the book will be the very simple history of our Tribe, this newspaper held since the tsunami, which accounts of your history, your generosity, the first boats, the co-operative, the projects... There is magic in all that... the Tribe of "green hope", they are simple, tender people, who believe in a beautiful humanity, of solidarity, of hope... and the magic functions, better than the large humane bureaucratic machineries. With hearts this magic crosses the borders and nothing can stop it... Thanks to you, we are happy this evening, we were right to believe in humanity ... Thank you!
It is a beautiful house full opened on the beautiful countryside of Clunysois, a house which smells good softness and generosity. It is there that we shared the dinner with Annie, Michel and their daughter Cécile, whom we wanted to know so much. We had met them at our precedent passage in France, with the great organized festival of Rully. Annie and Michel were in Merissa on the southern coast, when they were surprised by the tsunami which took them almost everything. When we had met them, they were still very shaked by the horror of this experience, fragile, with the desire to turn over there, and to offer a part of their life in rememberance with of a Sri Lanka Child. Those who follow our web paper remember the meeting which we organized with Ishan that they sponsor now. Yesterday evening, we found them filled with hope and happy like children: they will return for Christmas to Sri Lanka. Ishan wrote to them, they think strong about him and are more determined than ever to enable him to grow, constant by them. Thanks to Annie, Michel, undoubtedly the dream of Ishan will be carried out one day: he wants to become doctor to look after those which suffer in his country. We know it, he will be a wonderful doctor. As always, when we meet you, we have the impression to know you for a long time. Yesterday evening, we thus dined with long date friends, with so much of common points, shared desires...
Already we prepare to carry on our road: tomorrow, we will be in Aix les Bains, the day after in Grenoble... We leave Burgundy with a small pinch in the heart, we will move away, for a time, our so faithful friends, those of the website which is the breathing of "green hope"... But to discover other friends, and to dream with them of a possible, simple world and a good.... small secrecy, because it is you!: we have return tomorrow morning with a very interested editor to publish the newspaper of the tidal wave... You will be told...
The day had been so beautiful. Jean Claude had drawn up long tables outside under small coloured lights. The small group of the first hour was all there, those of the first steps of "green hope"... Each one had brought some good things to be divided and we had dinner outside. The heart hot by one icy night!... The Mayor of Rully was also there (he is at the extreme left on the picture), then of course, we spoke about boats and the pre-class of Katukoliya... One moment we moved away with Jean Christophe and Alain so that they presented to us the new website, which will be launched next Monday. Jean Christophe promised: at midnight. The new site will be more coloured, more ventilated, with true pages for the Tribe where we will find, the initiatives, the portraits and the actions of other associations throughout the world... There will be also a new heading for the numerous young people among us, with information articles written by them and of the possible exchanges of projects, of actions and why not, as of the re-entry, with young people of colleges ... We seek a name for this new heading, your ideas will be welcome... New heading also: "Seen abroad" which will publish dispatches of press on the Sri Lanka context in general... The generic page will be clearer and practical to connect more quickly on the desired heading... We ended all up returning in the large living room of the house of Jean Claude, it was really too cold outside, the sky was filled with stars... But we were not able to split then... one caught a guitar, we sang
ourselves songs, texts, of Cadou, Caussimon... of "my lover
of the Saint John " and others. We had these small happiness
of the life, very simple moments of friendships, as we hope to share
with many others during our voyage to your meet you during the month
which comes... ...
It is a stoned red house of the south of Burgundy, we are not far from Chapaize. The fresh wind balances the first flowers of fruit-lofts of this wild garden. There, in this hamlet surrounded of fields and vines live Monique, Livia and Philippe who invited us today to one "green hope" rendez-vous, which can appear strange and which is however now obvious: a community of believers invited us to a mass in Cormatin. Today, for the catholics, it is the festival of the "mercies", initiated by Jean Paul II, and dedicated to thestripped, disadvantaged, insulated, forgotten... We spoke after the celebration to thank for a collection carried out by this parish for "green hope". We spoke about the repudiation of Caïn by Yahweh, after the death of Abel, driven out, not because he killed but because he "did not take care of his brother". The other, is so near which it is so easy to forget... "To take care", a simple, humble, affectionate, altruistic attention... We had lunch together after the mass, with the Priest, a rebel enthralling, atypical, reassuring for us because overflowing of human adventures all over the world, witness of God and his faith to the daily newspaper. (He wrote a book "a sandal in the desert" published at A contrario... this meeting gives us desire for reading...). We finished this peaceful moment in this insane grass garden of the days of spring, tasting a plum while speaking about music, of the sculptures of Monique, the next book to be published by Philippe. Livia, gracious like a butterfly, running in the vines.
After a lunch with our friends of always, Daniel and Catherine, we leave for the Saint Dominique Highschool, which follows, thanks to Catherine, the action of "green hope" since its beginning. We are awaited for 2 PM 30. Many children and parents for a lecture on "green hope", which was programmed in an intelligent manner for the open day. We are accommodated by the direction of the establishment, very cordially and go up to join the room where pupils prepared the expo. Simple, clear, intelligent and quite informed, with small means used in an intelligent manner.
Then the pupils posed in front of one of the panels of the expo (photo).
The school director gives us the cheque of the collection carried out in the College. We speak to thank and present association. We tightened a flag of Sri Lanka and we are also moved... Before being invited to a collation, we receive a call of Kumara. Francois, our correspondent, had already warned us: we have problems for the routing of the medicine which were to be carried out with the support of the embassy of France to Colombo... even if we know it, we continue to be sorry by the lack of assistance, coordination, effectiveness... It will be necessary, still, to only manage, otherwise: Kumara will charter a truck and will have to come to recover the medicine accompanied by a doctor from the Hospital of Hikkaduwa... For the container, François encounters also many difficulties, but we are determined and do not lose hope... The fact remains that if we had a real French representation on the spot to serve the Srilankais people, all that will be simpler and less painful... There is also good news: the co-operative functions well and we
will be able to give a premium of New Year's gift to each fisherman.
Moreover, Kumara gathered the teachers and the day offered to the
children of the villages in an animal park takes form... Lastly,
always thanks to the co-operative, we will be able to rebuild the
bus stops, on the main road, the Galle Road, which had been destroyed
by the tsunami... Our friends of Small-Crown with whom we will spend
the day of June 2 will be happy, their catamaran takes the sea tomorrow
(Beatrice also will be happy of this information...!). [..).
Stéphanie and Christian of FR3 left us this night. Their presence was of a great help for us, that of an attentive and generous humanity. While waiting for the three voluntaries of "Espoirs Sans Frontières", we find ourselves both alone... A voluntary French doctor must also come, not affiliated to any ONG, on the 12th or the 13th. Our work with him will be difficult, the government makes decisions which we do not understand, like delaying the rebuilding of the schools, prohibiting the rebuilding of fishermen houses on the seashore, or controlling the foreign medical visits... but we are not on our own land, and we prefer our determined and pacific assistance to intruding.... Early this morning, "green hope" opened its second class at the refugee camp d'Aluthwala. We arrive in tuk-tuk with all the school material. Shita, a beautiful and energetic woman is present with the two teachers. To each child we give: a school backpack, two pencils, a ballpoint pen, two books, a drawing book, a gum, a size pencil, a rule and pastels. Immediately, proud and courageous, the children carefully begin writing lines of letters, and drawing... School finally goes on. Another class is organizing itself, with older and more autonomous children. There is no material, it will be necessary to find more supplys, which we will do ... Thanks to Kumara, our "green-hope" coordinator, we translate
and understand. There was another school at the north of Hikkaduwa.
It has been torn into pieces in this completely devastated area.
We get there as quickly as possible. Immediately we leave again to buy the missing material. Tomorrow,
we will come back early to the camp to bring it. As soon as tomorrow, we will propose a concrete, precise, transparent sponsorship to you according to your will: sponsorship of a child, of a school, of a boat.
Always about the camp of Maha Widyala: ... the camp receives, according to the authorities, 360 persons. We met local officials who told us they did not need anything. We asked to visit the health facilities. There were no showers, and only three toilets for all the camp. To avoid an epidemy, hygiene is essential. We then notice, a few small class chairs and some children, that is all that remain of a nursery school. We then meet two schoolteachers who go on giving classes in the camp, every morning, of from 9 AM until 11AM, without any school material. We promise to bring tomorrow morning the necessary items: books, pastels, pencils... and a school backpack for each child. During the afternoon, we will buy the promised material, that we will offer tomorrow morning. The teachers show us drawings which we reproduce on the site (see below). A small girl draws the wave, on the right, her carried house, in the flood, one drowned with is head blue, the corpses... It would be essential to set up psychological assistance and follow-ups in the humane missions of this type, as much for the populations traumatized that for those and those which surround them. This explains the necessity to enable with these children, to express, by their drawings the horror they have lived.
This morning, we ended up meeting, it will soon be two weeks this it happened, the first doctor of an international organization, Médecin of Monde. It is a Cyprus delegation: a doctor travelling with journalists... We leave for the Maha Widyalaya camp, located in a school, in Aluthwala, on the northern zone, most seriously touched by the tidal wave. The doctor accompanies us, and explains us that he has been in Sri Lanka since December29, that the government blocked the drugs (medecine) a long time, then ended up accepting the delivery of the material under the condition of paying taxes... since this doctor has lived in Bentota, which has not been touched by the catastrophe. He often goes to Galle, and has ended up arriving here this morning here... We are disturbed by the press which accompany him , particularly in the camp where their attitudes shock us......
January 7, 2005 (10 PM in
France) Tuesday evening, three voluntary of Espoirs Sans Frontières joined us. With them we will try to answer to your other requests, especially children sponsorships. Please be aware, before taking any engagement that sponsorship can only be long term, and must also take into account the situation of the child within its family, with their needs... The Medecins Sans Frontières, who still are not there, telephoned to us in order to ask to evaluate the needs for the refugee camps... but we are not doctors... At the end of the day, we went to the most important camp located in a school at north d'Hikkaduwa. There 52 families live, nearly 1000 people who lost everything. Onceagain, we are astonished by their courage, their decency, their dignity... The night has fallen, we noticed an important density, precarious living conditions, many children, but we will go back there tomorrow to evaluate better the elementary conditions of hygiene. These conditions are today two weeks after, to avoid epidemics. A last word: "green-hope", more than ever, these last days is a wonderful human adventure, fraternal, of which we are each, one of the links (more than 10 000 entries on the site yesterday!).We want to underline the admirable team work which since the beginning binds all these links, via the site. Thank you to the Iciplanet team . Pierre & Quentin." We have, as you already know, opened the school this morning. You
will be able to find the images on "Thalassa" FR3 Frnch
Television Channel, next 14 January. Then, we left for Matara, in
the south of the island (and not in Negombo) to buy the first two
boats and their engines. We want you to know exactly how we spend
your gifts: We wish to buy a 35 feet boat, for fishing in open sea, 8 to 10
days but our means do not allow it yet....
We have just sent three pictures, we send will some more later.
"School begins for the children of green-hope". We found
boats in Matara, we are just leaving to Matara. Espoir Sans Frontières
arrives Tuesday evening. Hugs p&q
L'école is opened, first start of the life which begins again. L'équipe de Thalassa filmed, you will be able to see this report in the next magazine on FR3. The first payment arrived on our account at Hikkaduwa, 2000?, d'autres payments will arrive, that functions, continue d'envoyer the gifts, thank you. We leave in Negombo, in a shipyard, with one of the fisherman, to take all the infos nécéssaire with l'achat d'un first boat, d'autres will follow, we will l'espérons. Many d'entre you wants to sponsor a child. If your promises are confirmed, we will help you to sponsor, while starting with the most stripped, those which very lost... (to be followed...) January 6, 2005 (12h France) Hitch: the doctors of the world who were to come Tuesday will come only Saturday and one does not know l'heure!!. One still has just found 20 dead in an indescribable state along the "Galle Road" between Hikkaduwa and Ambalangoda. An article on Green Hope and our newspaper in VSD of this day. News of the day transmitted by telephone: "Your messages moves
us, upsets us, thank you, continue. On the other hand, there is
no time to us to answer it. Yesterday: 12h last in front of a computer.
One stops. Be compréhensifs." Pierre and Quentin. Voluntary:
you like s'il: do not come!, not now, not in a spontaneous way,
even if your step is generous and admirable. We are not ready to
accomodate you: it misses of all here: one should not come immediately,
you would take the food of people who have besoin.Plus of it late,
much later one will see. We n'avons not received the transfer of
our bank, which must be, thanks to you all, consequent. One l'attend.
Hope without Border, the first organization to have helped us, arrives
Tuesday with 3 voluntary: a data-processing secretary and two people
who in charge of research with will be disappeared. A container
accompanies them. C'est also they which advance us l'argent daily
newspaper. Doctors of the World finally contacted us. One must meet
Tuesday morning a Cypriot delegation for an evaluation for a local
antenna. Boats: As soon as under arrive from our bank (tomorrow?)
one leaves for the boats. Here what we will do: initially, we buy
small boats: their handing-over with flood should take 3 to 5 day.
Then we pay the down payments for the order d'un large boat with
the shipyard of Negombo, the only one which still turns. To count
3 to 4 months for the delivery. The engines, one finds them in Matara
(southern l'île). The class will open, tomorrow with 9h00.
Great event. All the children will be there, those which were hospitalized
left, they will be there. The school material was repurchased, the
parents are prevented. FR3 which remained, will film, you will undoubtedly
see these images. One will send here, on this site, of the photographs. January 5, 2005 (6 PM in France) Here, further to your numerous messages, is a first answer. We had Sri Lanka by telephone and it should be known that our friends spent the day to treat the various requests they received, either by mall, or by "the livre d'or", under very hard conditions: bad Internet connections, tiredness and also to a certain extent, frustration to remain in front of a compute, when the action takes place outside. If the individual answers to your messages are in preparation, one considered it useful to draft a page of short answers to your principal requests. January 5, 2004 (7.30 AM inFrance) 3.000 Euros for a boat: January 5, 2004 (7 AM in
France) NB: It is pointed out that the high definition pictures are free of rights but that if you (the media) use them, a donation to Green Hope is welcome.
January 4, 2005 (11A.M in France) Nausea... To this man who said on the LCI TV Channel, yesterday evening at 7 p.m, that there wasn't any danger since the corpses are in the sea, we tell him that he should better leave his armchair and come here and see. The corpses are on the beach, under rubble of the houses, at the place where the train derailed, where we have been sooner today. That the tropical storms, since the tidal wave, cause broad brackish puddle pools where reign a dirty odor of death. Without taking into account the lagoon villages, which completely disappeared. This eminent person is a decision maker humanitarian administration. Therefore, it is not astonishing that we still received haven't received any help end ten days after... We lifted up of the train wagon still lying in the mud, and discovered horror... When will it be understood that associations in the area, are the best link, essential in the field of which they know the true needs. They merely act by love, with passion and are neither impotents, nor blocked by their heavy administration... Hope January 3, 2005 (6 a.m in France)
We missed of meals yesterday. Today, we try to deliver 1.000 more
meals (that is to say 4.500). We also added soaps and toothbrushes
as well as vegetables. This evening, we will join Galle for an on-air
news on French TV on the 19/20 FR3, "special edition".
You will also be able to see a report on the green-hope action.
In the touristic Hikkaduwa area three restaurants reopened yesterday evening, and this morning some tourists wander through the city. The road has been cleaned. The school will still open on January 10. On the other hand, Galle, where we went this year offers two faces: the popular and commercial city is completely devastated, on the other hand, the Fort and the old city do not appear to be touched by the tidal wave. The hospital and maternity have been deserted... As soon as possible, we will make you a precise financial point on your effective donations and our expenses. We remind you that the donations are completely used for first aid and assistances and will be controlled by an auditor. We all are voluntary. After 9 days since the catastrophe, there is still no international assistance. A dispensary in the village of Tiranaghama appeared accessible this morning. However, the medical centre d'Hikkaduwa, is always closed to. We have learned this morning that the French Secretary Of Health,
will be going to Matara, We are on his road, will he be taking news
of the only French association in place in this area? January 2, 2005 (1 PM in France) It happened last Sunday, one week already... One feels this morning like quivering, as if one would sew, with a fine wire to erase a hole. One finds known faces, that one feared had disappeared Hikkaduwa sole mechanical shovel cleans the principal street. Some wash linen, plastic furniture, gather rubble on the road. A child balances himself on a falling into pieces swing The delivery of food becomes difficult On the road people run after the truck, as soon as we stop, hundreds of people surround us. We really missed food this morning despite the 300 prepared meals. One should stop speaking to us about international, aid, in any case on the district We are absolutely cut off the world. We only see officials pass by in fancy jeeps, but no doctor, no nurse, and we start to miss bandages and of the most elementary... and of the essential medical follow-up of t he epileptics, diabetics, cardiac (it there much of heart cases and of deceases by hearts-breaks in this area)... People are willing to work hard, but they don't have any tools, nor money, nor help. What can they do?... The Galle hospital, the most important in this area is completely deserted. FR3 thought of making a report yesterday on this hospital, but they had to give up. There, is no doctor, nor personnel. People ended up returning home... It must be understood that this country has no medical care system: if you do not have enough money, you are not looked after. Two weeks ago, we tried to save a man of the villages who had lost his second kidney. We had even found a donor to save him, but there no doctor nor surgeon to operate, so he died... A friend announces to us that Douste Blazy (French Secretary of Health) will come, what if, like Barnier (French Foreign affaires Minister), he remains in a large hotel of Colombo to eat delicacies... If you know how to join our Secretary of Health, ask him to come here, we will receive him, he will accompany us, there, he will really understand the extent of horror here and will maybe be accompanied of doctors... Tomorrow evening a special evening is organized on the 19/20 newscast of FR3 (French Channel), you will see a long report there on our action... Thank you for your splendid dash of love, your donations, your
warm words. January 1, 2005 (1 p.m in France) Yesterday evening, the French national television team of FR3 joined us late. After the dinner, we left together on the district to discover how sri lankais would pass to this new year. You perhaps saw, with the infos of this midday, their beautiful report, true, simple, and moving. These women awaiting for hours the possible food aids, because a truck had stopped two days ago at this same place... Small candles of hope in the dark and major night... the bodies sleeping in the Temples... The visions of the streets of the deserted city. We are admire this journalist team, their generosity of heart, their courage. While returning, we symbolically celebrated the end of 2004 with some beers and cakes that our new friends had brought to us of Colombo. This morning, we delivered 3700 meals in another village of fisherman. We take also first emergency aid, several have wounds which are urgently necessary to disinfect. Always no international assistance, no medical aid, and the Galle hospital is saturated. FR3 filmed, you will be able to see this report to the 19/20 of Sunday or Monday on TV. The AFP passed to meet us for a dispatch and photographic illustration of our daily newspaper that VSD will publish in its next edition... Thank you for all your affectionate messages. Do not worry, we are doing ok. We just hope hope that after seven days of awaiting, the international aid announced in the media din finally will arrive at Hikkaduwa... December 31, 2004 (4 a.m in France)
December 31, 2004 (11a.m in France) We do not manage to send any more pictures. Here, a tropical storm is hitting the area, which amplifies the epidemic risks. The FR3 French television national team accommodated here as from this night. At midday French hour we intervene on the French Europe1 Radio. December 31, 2004 (8.30 a.m in France) We start to receive your donations, made quickly, in an extreme
urgency. December 31, 2004 (8a.m in France) Yesterday evening, the first riots appeared around the distributions
water and food. We decide during the night to occupy the green-hope
school for the meals, in vew of a safer control. Early this morning,
we leave as envisaged, to Patuwatha to distribute food. December 30, 2004 (7. p.m. in France) Through green-hope, we learn by its close relations that we are without news of a young French man of the area of Chalon- Sur-Saone since the tsunami. His name is Guillemard Didier. If any one have any info, please contacts us urgently. Thank you in advance" December 30, 2004 (3 p.m in France) Very early this morning, the green-hope team leaves to search food
in the inlands, knowing that food becomes increasingly rare. We
end up finding enough to make packs of food: sugar, milk, lenses...
We then leave to the village where is located the green-hope school.
At 1 p.m;, "Secourists Without Frontier" informs us of a risk of backlash of the sea. A wave without great amplitude has already hit Matara, at the south of the island. We had thought of delivering at Galle, which has been hardly touched (more than 4000 deaths). Now we carry the food in more secured places and wait... Then arrive two disabled German, the man having a very deep wound in his foot. They must be repatriated urgently, but they don't have anymore courage left. We deal with them, while remaking the bandage we manage to join the embassy, end up finding a transfer towards Colombo. A doctor will deal with them. One hour later, they have left, and its the beginning of the end of the nightmare. We are informed that the ground has trembled again, is it a rumor? We decide to wait for a confirmation... There is still no international aid in the area... Our bank sends a mail to us: we have only received 800 Euros and, the banks will be closed for New Year's day... The government decided a national mourning in Sri Lanka tomorrow, December 31... . December 30, 2004 (8 a.m in France) A new tidal wave is officially announced (by local TV, police forces...) The population leaves the coast. If possible let us give you infos on line this evening. "Secourists without Frontier" has just contacted us, their doctors are of the Burgundy area (France), and they are unabled to send e-mails. They are doing well, after 17h of road, they are in place in the area of Ampara, in Kalmunai, East coast. High definition pictures taken on December 29. The High Definition pictures are at the attention of the journalists who can use them to inform of what has happened in Hikkaduwa. The rights are free, however it would be appreciated that the newspapers which use these images make a donation to Green-Hope. Thank you P&Q. t
"This morning, Hikkaduwa is surprisingly silent. The ocean is, like a peaceful and satiated monster. We go through the city by bicycle. There are almost no tourists here, all left towards the mountains or the capital, Colombo. Small groups clear the ruins searching for the ridiculous, small remainders of the disappeared life. We arrive at the railway. A corpse, in the same place, at the foot of a tree is in a state of decomposition. Epidemics are announced. We carry masks. During the afternoon, we will transfer towards Colombo, in the minibus, the last French and Belgians lodged on our premises. The house appears empty, nature, the animals are silent. In the sky, helicopters fly over the disaster zone. There is still
no medical assistance . The police force and the army, in small
number, tries to manage with the crowd. People leave towards the
inlands. Yesterday evening, the police force with high speakers
asked the inhabitants to leave to 3 kilometers from the coast. The
curfew is decreted to avoid plunders. Local television announces
a new tidal wave around January 4... We do not want to believe the
rumors. Kumara, coordinator of green-hope leaves with buddies to
seek for milk, which misses upmost. The sky is gray, it rains over
this ruined season, there is thunder within the inland l interior,
which points out dirty memories. Donations continue to arrive, but
not enough in this urgency... the needs are now. Message of December 28
We start to receive your funds which are essential and urgent for
us. We prepared with our friends of the village where we have created
the school, 1000 meals which we have carried in the refugee camps
who are in the Temples and the schools. We have traveled by a truck
but the roads are almost impracticable. In certain devastated places,
there isn't anybody left anymore, nothing, only of the abandoned
corpses. We feel strong of all the heat of your friendship and your hearts
and try to answer you all, but the communications are difficult
and disconnect unceasingly... If you wish to help us, make now,
each minute counts to save lives. Now we invite you to act!
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