After the storms hit the government took no steps to provide relief to the thousands of refugees until December 28. On December 27, amid media criticism of the slow response, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake summoned a meeting of government officials and announced an increase in relief funds. President Kumaratunga, speaking from London, also said that she was personally following relief efforts. After returning to Sri Lanka she visited cyclone-affected areas in North Central Province to try to quell growing dissatisfaction. The aid, however, remains small.
Smaller families receive less.
Government servants will only be given an interest free loan to rebuild. According to one press report, a street protest took place in Trincomalee on December 27 over the lack of aid. The demonstrations continued when Social Services Minister Milroy Fernando visited Trincomalee to explain the government's relief plans. Most of the victims are poor farmers and fishermen who can least afford the loss of their homes and in some cases their livelihood. The WSWS invites your comments.