2014 – 10th Tsunami Memorial Reception

Ten years have past since we first met but we have not forgotten. As we remember the Tsunami on Sunday, 26 December 2004 and those lives that were destroyed, let us now meditate on the spirit of benevolence.

Hatred never by hatred is appeased in this world. By love alone is it appeased. Through loving kindness (metta) ill-will is banished. Through compassion (karuna) cruelty is banished. Through gentleness (mudita) hard-heartedness is banished. Through equanimity (upekka) anxiety is banished. Lord Buddha.

When I was hungry you gave me food. When I was thirsty you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you made me welcome, naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you comforted me, in prison and you came to see me. In so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me. Matthew25:31-46.

It is not righteousness that you turn your face to the East or the West, but truly righteous is he who believes in Allah and the last day and the angels and the Book and the Prophets and spends his money for love of Him, on the kindred and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and those who seek charity. Koran 2:178. The reward of goodness is nothing but goodness. Koran 55:61. And of him who seeks thy help, chide not. Koran 93:11.
“The Sri Lankan Lawyers (UK) Tsunami Appeal” is a registered charity that was created in the aftermath of the 26th December 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka. The objects of our charity are the relief of suffering among victims of natural or other disasters, the alleviation of poverty and the advancement of education.

The cruel civil war in Sri Lanka that destroyed the lives of two generations of children was succeeded by the Tsunami that destroyed the lives of two more generations of children. Among the victims of this appalling tragedy were children with 20,000 killed and thousands seriously wounded and
traumatised. This disaster created orphans on an unparallel scale. The momentous events of the Tsunami opened ours eyes to things that we had barely contemplated. We determined that we would respond to the call of that distant land.

From its inception we provided support to Tsunami affected children in the Northern, Eastern, Western and Southern provinces of Sri Lanka, regardless of race, caste or religion. People who were living in desperate circumstances and complete uncertainty as to the future.
We believe that the most effective means of providing assistance is to channel aid through local organizations with local knowledge and experience. Thus through community based voluntary organisations, projects and orphanages, we have assisted the intended recipients from the poorest sections of society:-

• St Mary’s, Matara – 11 Tsunami affected children until they completed their full time education;
• The Prithipura Communities – an organisation dedicated to the care and assistance of children with disabilities that included children affected by the Tsunami;
• Senthalir project a children’s home in Udayarkuddu in the North East of Sri Lanka that was destroyed by the Tsunami when 111 children lost their lives.
• Coir workers who were affected by the Tsunami;
• Success Sri Lanka – a group of doctors committed in providing medical
  equipment to rural areas;
• Back to life Project, Ahangama to build a home for Tsunami victims.
• Collecting and sending books and science lab equipment to Tsunami affected areas and law books and financial aid to Tsunami affected lawyers;
• Flood disaster victims in Pakistan and Sri Lanka;
• Metha Foundation doctors charity that provides artificial limbs, physiotherapy equipment and rehabilitation to victims of the war of the war in Sri Lanka.
• Sri Lanka Public Library Law Project to provide legal knowledge, to enable access to justice and to promote the rule of law.

We are now embarking on a project to promote access to justice and to strengthen legal knowledge and the Rule of Law. Our aim is to provide a Law Library to each Public Library in all of the 19 Judicial Zones in Sri Lanka and to assist the development of Legal Aid Centres in Sri Lanka. We do so because of our collective belief in equal rights and justice. We will seek and we will find. When you know yourselves, then you will be known.

Lalith de Kauwe.
Barrister
28th November 2014
Sri Lankan Lawyers (UK) Tsunami Appeal is a registered charity No. 1108341