Sri Lankan president marks tsunami anniversary by beating the war drums

According to official reports, 1,559 people were killed and 226 lost, presumed dead, in the district with 12,645 houses totally or partially damaged. In the Colombo district, 56 were killed, with two missing and 6,998 houses totally or partially damaged.

The worst hit area was in Sri Lanka’s eastern province, where 60,280 families were displaced. Those in the east who lost their homes, crops and livelihoods three years ago have been further affected by the Rajapakse government’s renewal of the civil war against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). WSWS journalists, however, were unable to visit the eastern province and report first-hand on the situation facing tsunami survivors because of the ongoing military conflict.

Peraliya was the scene of one of the most tragic episodes on the morning of December 26, 2004 after the tsunami hit the Colombo to Matara train just as it was passing through the village. More than 1,500 men, women and children were killed. Local people were preparing to commemorate the deaths of their loved ones when WSWS correspondents arrived.

Jayanthi, 37, a housewife, recalled the disaster: “When the tsunami hit I was alone at home with my child—my husband had gone fishing—and I was cooking. Suddenly I heard one of our neighbours shouting that the sea was over-flowing. I grabbed my child and ran to high land but kept thinking about my husband out at sea. Thank god he returned unharmed.