The latest information from the Sri Lankan gay organization Companions on a Journey is that 36 of its members were killed in the Dec. 26 tsunami, another nine remain unaccounted for, and 131 others were made homeless by the disaster.
The deaths occurred in the southern parts of the country while the homelessness problem is greatest in Dehiwala, Koralawella, Moratuwa and Mt. Lavinia, which are coastal suburbs of the capital, Colombo.
'Lots of gays discarded by their families due to their sexuality are living [ in these suburbs ] in clusters in slums,' said Companions Executive Director Sherman de Rose. 'Most of these people are illiterate, underemployed and earn their living through sex work and other odd jobs.'
Companions is providing aid at its drop-in center in the form of dry rations and clothing. In addition, the organization has given money for temporary lodging, repairs, and cooking and cleaning supplies to 17 of its members.
The group also is involved in general relief work in Matara and Wadduwa, distributing clothes, clean drinking water, sanitation supplies, cooked food and dry rations.
'Many of us have lost family members, lovers, friends, neighbors and colleagues—not to mention the loss of possessions, homes, shelters, livelihood and other social spaces,' said de Rose.
Some Companions members living in temporary camps have reported homophobic harassment, mostly cat calls and name-calling.
The good news is that 'most of the gay people who are in temporary camps set up by local authorities for the victims of the tsunami are starting to rebuild their lives again,' de Rose said. 'Some have already moved out from these camps. But some others couldn't do that because they simply don't have anything or anybody to return to. The waves have destroyed everything that they have ever possessed.'
Persons wishing to help with Companion's gay relief efforts can send checks made out to Companions on a Journey to Hatton National Bank, No. 285, Galle Road Bambalapitiya, Colombo-04, Sri Lanka. Note the group's account number: 0390019955CU. Postage from the U.S. is 80 cents per ounce. The 'Swift code' for wire transfers is HBLILKLX. Wire transfers may incur transfer fees in transit.
The tsunami also destroyed many of Sri Lanka's gay-friendly venues, which tend to be in tourist areas frequented by Western Europeans. The nation has no out and open gay venues, de Rose said.
'Fortunately for the gay community, the tsunami didn't make its appearance in the evening; otherwise lots of gays cruising along the beaches would have perished,' he said.
Members of the Sri Lankan 'LGBTIQ' organization Equal Ground also are helping with disaster relief.
'The magnitude of the catastrophe that affected Sri Lanka on Boxing Day is something that is hardly describable,' said Executive Director Rosanna Flamer-Caldera. 'Members of Equal Ground have not only given of their time and energy to volunteer for relief efforts, but also have spent their own monies buying essentials like medicine and food, and donating it to the larger organizations sending the trucks to the north, east and south.'
Flamer-Caldera said 'many of the gay 'spaces' in the south and also in Negombo to the north of Colombo were damaged or wiped out by the tsunami. ... This horrible, horrible disaster has knocked Sri Lanka so bad that it will take years and years to rebuild.'
CONTACT INFORMATION
SRI LANKA: Companions on a Journey, 46/50 Robert Drive, Robert Gunawardhane Mawatha, Colombo-06, Sri Lanka. Telephone: 011-94-11-251-4680. Fax: 011-94-11-555-7660. E-mail: coj@sri.lanka.net . Web: www.companions-lanka.org .
Equal Ground. Telephone: 011-94-11-268-2278. E-mail: graycat@sltnet.lk and donate@equal-ground.org . Web: www.equal-ground.org .
INDONESIA: GAYa NUSANTARA, Jalan Mojo Kidul I No. 11-A, Surabaya 60285, Indonesia. Telephone/fax: 011-62-31-591-4668. Cell phone: 011-62-811-311-743. E-mail: doetomo@indo.net .id.
THAILAND: Connect. Telephone: 011-66-76-294-195. E-mail: connect@beachpatong.com . Web: www.beachpatong.com .
GayPatong.com . E-mail: webmaster@gaypatong.com . Web: www.gaypatong.com .
