(Revised): Sri Lankan Airlines and donations

[DocMartin]

was quick to post the following email

But just phoned the Airline – partly as figured they could be swamped (and just a chance it’s a hoax), and found they already have enough for present:
sending two 40-ft containers.
Maybe they’ll get sponsorship/raise funds for more, but till then, donations NOT NEEDED.

I left my tel, email, so may get informed if they again seek donations; if so I aim to post message(s) here.

Quote:

A leading Sri lankan cargo has promised to send containers at free of
charge to Sri Lanka. Please review below for details or drop the items/
clothing to the following address before 12 Jan to offer help.

SriLankan Airlines
Room 2703, 27/F, Lippo Centre,
Tower 1, 89 Queensway,
Hong Kong
Tel: 852 25210708
Fax: 852 28015600

As you are aware both India & Sri lanka are in Bay of Bengal
affected by the strongest earthquake cause massive tidal waves,
killing hundreds of thousand people and over one million people
are homeless now. If you do have the following old items for
donation, appreciate you ‘ll give a hand.

A leading Sri lankan cargo has promisde to send containers with free
of charge which leave Hong Kong on 12 Jan. Attached the contact
and details of the helping organization or you may Srilankan Airlines
for further details. Appreciate if you could forward the above message
to your friends !

SriLankan Airlines
Room 2703, 27/F, Lippo Centre,
Tower 1, 89 Queensway,
Hong Kong
Tel: 852 25210708
Fax: 852 28015600

1. Old summer clothing.
2. Cooking utensils
3. Shoes
4. Books
5. School bags
6. Pens, pencils
any other items…………..

Post edited by: Martin, at: 2005/01/06 13:13

Post edited by: Martin, at: 2005/01/06 13:34

[DocMartin]

message posted to Oriental Bird Club email group:

Quote:

Forwarding a message from Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, whom most group
members will know as the editor of the Sri Lanka Wildlife News which
I regularly forward to OB. Obviously, the situation described applies
to one degree or another in all of the areas affected by the tsunami.
The message is that many of the areas are dependent on tourism and
would like our support as soon as they have been able to pick up the
pieces.

Best wishes

Krys

Krys Kazmierczak
[email protected]

---

Original Message

---

From: “Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne” Sent: Friday, December 31, 2004 1:42 PM
Subject: Post Tsunami – Sri Lanka

Dear All,

Under the circumstances, I am sure you will excuse the generic note.
I am
sorry that I have not been in contact with you’ll. But I know my
colleagues have kept some of you in the loop on the tsunami which has

tragically cost a lot of lives in Sri Lanka.

The Yala-Tissa-Kirinda area experienced a heavy loss of life. The
only
loss of lives of at a Jetwing Hotel was at Yala Safari Game Lodge.
The
Yala Safari Game Lodge was totally destroyed with staff and guests
losing
lives. The total death toll could be as high as fifty. I went down
with
senior colleagues as soon as we heard of the devastation and spent
four
days working with search teams. We are still engaged in tracing
survivors
and relief is being provided to staff who are affected. The time
spent
recovering bodies of the dead, were the worst days of my life.

By the fourth day, many of the dead had been buried and the thoughts
of
the local communities turned to their future. They don’t want to live
off
relief aid. Many people from park staff to jeep drivers to wayside
kiosk
owners asked me to re-start business as soon as possible. They
repeatedly
said that the best way we can help is to bring tourists back and re-
start
the local economy.

We need a week or two to come to terms with the human tragedy and to
ensure that humanitarian efforts are fully supported. After that
Jetwing
together with others wish to get the economy back on track so that
people
can re-build their shattered lives.

The Yala Village hotel is virtually undamaged. All of the hotels in
Tissamaharama are intact. In my search for survivors, I visited many
of
the properties and also reassured them that we will bring visitors as
soon
as possible. The staff of many of these properties have also suffered
the
death of friends or relatives and are also very anxious of their
livelihoods. They want the dignity and security of employment.

Many people in Sri Lanka depend on tourism for a livelihood, directly
and
indirectly. Over 70% of the tourism infrastructure in terms of room
nights
is intact and all of the hotels away from the coast are fully
operational.
One of the best ways for overseas nationals to support the local
communities is to resume travelling to the island, after allowing Sri

Lanka a couple of weeks to re-group.

All Jetwing Hotels are open for business other than the Yala Safari
Game
Lodge, which was fully damaged by the recent disaster.

Finally, I know all of you wish the best for all of us in Sri Lanka.
If I
am extremely brief in any of my replies please excuse the brevity as
we
are going through a difficult time.

Best wishes

Gehan

Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne
CEO
Jetwing Eco Holidays
Wildlife & Luxury Travel
Jetwing House, 46/26, Nawam Mawatha, Colombo 02 , Sri Lanka

Tel: ++94-11-2345700 or ++94-11-2381201 Fax:++94-11-2441289.
[email protected], [url]http:www.jetwingeco.com[/url]

Post edited by: Martin, at: 2005/01/06 15:26

[DocMartin]

I’ve emailed Jetwing, as considering visiting, and received the following email:

Quote:

Thank you for getting in touch with Jetwing Eco Holidays!

Your kind concern and encouraging words are greatly appreciated at this time and it will help our country and its people to start rebuilding their lives again.

At this point in time your visit to Sri Lanka is most need as so many local communities depend on the tourist for their sole livelihood. Your visit will encourage them to start rebuilding their lives and to get back on their feet again.

With reference to your query, the interior of the country is total in tact and even some coastal hotels of the affected areas are now fully operational.
Most nature tourists are going ahead with their tours as most places visited by nature tourist have not been affected by the tsunami disaster and the infrastructure is intact.

We in fact have a tour group named Ornitholidays from the UK due to arrive today for a 2 weeks birding tour. We also have many individual nature travellers arriving within the next few weeks and months.
Therefore, I suggest that you go ahead with your planed tour to Sri Lanka. This will be one of the best ways that anyone can help to rebuild the countries that affected by this disaster.

Since you have 9 days (8-16 Feb) for your tour, I will tailor an 8 nights and 9 days Wildlife& Birding tour itinerary for you. I hope to include a few days in the rainforest, which will give you a chance of seening many endemic birds and some small mammals. Also a couple of nights in Yala for all the big game, shorebirds, etc. As you say Yala Village is undamaged, and the Yala National Park was reopened just a few days ago, which is encouraging news to us all.
The hill country can also be visited so that you can see the Himalayan migrants and some of the most beautiful terrains in the country. I will try to fit in a few more places of interest to you, like the Udawalawe National Park, which is one of the best places to see elephants.

Please bear with me for a few days, in order that I send you a tailored itinerary.

Thank you once again for your effort to help our country and the the many people who are depended on the tourism industry to get back on their feet again. Tourists’ visits give us the heart to carry on even with so much pain around us.

Look forward to a fruitful dialogue.

Kind regards,

Ayanthi

[DocMartin]

doing bit of internet research, I find many places want tourists – inc Phuket, Maldives, Seychelles, Penang…

International Ecotourism Society’s January issue focuses on tsunami, and tourism wanted:
http://www.ecotourism.org/index2.php?publications/digital_traveler

[Author]

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