Tsunami Anniversary Guidelines for Organisations Engaged in Post-Tsunami Work

IT'S NOT OUR DAY. WHAT CAN WE DO?
Guidelines For Organisations on Commemorating the 1st Anniversary of the Tsunami Disaster

Given the interest of many humanitarian, development and other organisations to hold commemorative events or undertake building of memorials on or around the 1st Anniversary of the Tsunami Disaster of 26 December 2004, many people in Batticaloa have been reflecting on what would constitute respectful and psychosocially sensitive ways for organisations to assist families that have endured losses due to the disaster. As members of The Mangrove: Psychosocial Support & Coordination Network, representatives of 25 organisations met to discuss these issues and our response. The guidelines below are the outcome of these discussions, and are offered as assistance to organisations and personnel in their own deliberations and choices about the best ways to support the individuals and communities they work with. Consideration of these issues, and some critical self-examination, has already caused some of us to change our organisations' plans for the anniversary.

# 1: Do Not Disrupt Activities Planned By Families For The 26th Of December
Families that have endured losses will often have planned to undertake certain activities, according to their religious or family customs (see list below). Most of these will take place within the privacy of homes, and will involve family members, relatives and close friends. It is usually required that such activities take place on the death anniversary itself. Therefore, organisations holding other public events on the 26th that require the participation of community members may disrupt these. Religious institutions will offer opportunities for communal/public remembrance, if families wish to participate in this. It is recommended that organisations arrange their commemorative activities on other days (preferably after the 26th of December). Personnel from organisations may also wish to spend time with their own family, relatives or friends who may have suffered losses.

List of likely commemorative religious activities:
* Hindus may go to make devotions at a Kovil and also make offerings and pay for a puja; may offer alms to poor or an orphanage/elders' home on the anniversary or an appropriate time according to the lunar calendar (thidhi); may invite relations to visit home and give a simple vegetarian lunch; may visit the burial place (if possible); if it is a man who had died, may give clothes to a poor person of same age.
* Christians may offer mass; may print a card or poster in memory of person (in the case of the
wealthy); may give alms in memory of deceased; may hold prayer meetings at home (especially free churches); relatives may visit home.
* Muslims may read the Holy Koran at home, may give money and assistance to the poor, and may attend special speeches or prayers at a Mosque.
* Buddhists may give alms to monks or poor or homes; may perform pirith ceremonies at home or Buddhist temple; may have relatives visit home for pirith ceremony and special meal.

# 2: Plan Commemorative Events AFTER The 26th Of December Rather Than Before
Planning commemorative events after the tsunami anniversary may give people who have suffered losses a chance to perform their own personal remembrance and traditional grieving activities before participating in public events. This may increase their capacity to manage the strong emotions that commemorative events might bring up. Consider also that Christmas, the new calendar year and Thai Pongal festivals may be significant events for which families may have made plans.

# 3: Do Not Disrupt Ongoing Activities And Contact With Families Because of Special Commemorative Events
Although we do not want to interfere with planned family commemorative events, we do want to maintain our regular support to families with whom we have developed a relationship over the post-tsunami period. It is better to maintain your regular activities, rather than suspend these up for organization of special events. Past experience shows that special events can cause disruption of ongoing activities and contact with community members, as workers are called away for special preparations and planning. Individuals or families may experience emotional distress around the time of the tsunami anniversary, and may appreciate access to community workers whom they know and trust. They may need the regular support/contact especially at
this time. This may be particularly important for people who might be having suicidal ideas (remember that people sometimes contemplate and attempt suicide around anniversaries of difficult events), although workers should not be blamed if persons who attempt suicide do not choose to confide in them. The best thing to do is to continue normal activities and contact with families, being sensitive to the fact that people may appreciate opportunities to chat or discuss issues. Organizations who are already working with tsunami-affected community members may have identified people with special support needs, for example, individuals with no immediate family members, individuals who have threatened or attempted suicide, or individuals who are generally not supported by the rest of the community. These people may be especially vulnerable on or around the 1st anniversary day and may need extra support. A support individual or team could be in place to give "preventive support" or ready to respond
if a specific need arises.

# 4: Public Events & Memorials Must Be TRULY Led By Communities And Families
It is important first to have a genuinely open discussion with communities/families about whether they want some type of commemoration event or memorial and whether they want organisations to play a role in this. If they do ask for your assistance, ensure that your role is purely supportive in terms of funding or technical advice. Decline to coordinate, design, plan or implement the event/memorial, to avoid the risk that your organisation becomes too influential in the process. If organisations were to play a strong leadership role, it might lead to inappropriate choices, undermine community (emotional) investment, and also make the organisation vulnerable to blame in the event of disputes around the appropriateness of the event/memorial (ie. which symbols or rituals are used or not used). If a memorial or event is to be appropriate and meaningful, it is essential that families and communities take a lead in every aspect of the process and invest in these themselves in whatever way they can. A lack of willing community participation may be sign that the memorial/event is somehow inappropriate and must be re-thought or changed. There must be sensitivity to the fact that community members may be divided on what should be done, and that some of this may be
related to where individuals/families are in their grieving process.

Remember that having organisational logos, credits or banners at commemorative events or on memorials might be considered in very bad taste.

# 5: Small Events Are Safer And Make More Sense
It is best to organise or support commemorative events with small numbers of participants that already know each other (ie. a few families that are neighbours; members of a fishing cooperative). This will maximise participation in planning and the actual event, as well as provide better opportunities to personalise the event and accommodate diverse views/needs. Smaller events will also make it easier to monitor how individuals are responding to the event and provide appropriate assistance/support. In larger events, this will be very difficult, and there is a risk that individuals may not feel they have a stake in what is happening. Larger events may also have a greater potential for getting out of hand (ie. group hysteria or symbolic suicide attempts), and it is far more difficult to intervene to calm the situation.

# 6: Memorials That Are Also Useful May Last Longer
Traditionally, many memorials also double as utilities. Public halls, bus-stands, children's parks, new buildings or renovations to village temples or churches in the names of the deceased are common forms. These are often used and maintained well, whereas many of the purely symbolic memorials around Batticaloa are sadly uncared for and are in poor condition.

# 7: Organisations May Wish To Focus On Their Own Staff
Organisations may wish to facilitate functions for reflection on and commemoration of work done by their staff members if they are a well-defined group that has shared experiences during the tsunami. In particular, it may offer a chance for reflection on both difficult and positive experiences of working together at the time of the disaster.

# 8: Recognise The Work Done By Emergency Workers And Volunteers
Organisations may wish to organise functions to honour the work done by volunteers, health staff, police, municipality workers and others during the time of the disaster. Public functions and small gestures of appreciation may be valuable to persons who experiences hardships or difficulties during their work immediately after the tsunami.

# 9: Do Not Use Emotionally Charged Or Exploitative Material
At commemorative events or in publicity materials, avoid using unnecessarily emotionally charged stories, pictures, photos or videos of the disaster and the destruction it caused. These memories will be vivid enough for the people affected by the disaster, without being forced to confront them. Maintaining a calm respectful tone at commemorative events will help people to manage and deal with their emotions in a constructive and safe way.

# 10: Protect Families and Individuals From Intrusion By Media And Documentation Officers
In order to protect families and individuals from intrusion into their private commemorative events and gatherings, do not facilitate visits by media personnel, organisations' documentation officers or visiting dignitaries. Families may not feel able to refuse requests when they come through an organisation that is helping them in some way. We must be careful not to exploit our relationships with beneficiaries. As an alternative, suggest that media/organisational personnel or other visitors may attend public functions where privacy is less of an issue, and where event organisers may be able to negotiate ways in which sensitive filming or photography may take place.
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These guidelines were drawn up by 34 representatives of 25 organisations belonging to The Mangrove: Psychosocial Support & Coordination Network. These guidelines are offered to stimulate reflection by humanitarian, development and other organisations planning commemorative activities to mark the anniversary of the tsunami disaster.

If you wish to make comments on these guidelines, or wish to receive more information, please contact The Mangrove (Tel: +94-65-2227018; via this weblog) or members of the network.