In the "More Bad News" Column

As my ever-insightful father pointed out, it's amazing how all the worst-hit areas were sites of various insurgencies, separatist movements, terrorist encampments, etc., which doesn't help with relief and rebuilding. One would hope that the disaster would bring people together in common needs, but apparently not. The NY Times also comments on the issues in this article. It must be said, though, that people here are talking about the LTTE and the Army cooperating better than they ever have.

My insta-analysis is that the people at the top of the organizations are trying to use the publicity to forward their causes--Government wants to look like they are fully in charge and managing things well, LTTE wants to look like they are being oppressed but somehow scraping together what they need in the face of neglect. Meanwhile the people on the ground, running the camps, getting the trucks out--they're helping each other, and doing a fantastic job.

The most immediate Bad News was, however, yesterday. We arrived back in Kandy to find that the fridge was off while we were away. Hence: fridge-full of moldy grossness, including all the surfaces covered with slime. Mom has done a heroic cleanup/rehabilitation job far beyond what she owes me. (It was MY STUPID FAULT that the fridge was off.) Relief was slower to come, had to wait until we bought some replacement groceries. I don't know when the situation will return to normal in the affected areas, though, as we're going off on another trip Monday and the current supplies are adequate though minimal.

It ain't that bad--we had candy bars and cookies and tea for dinner, after the discovery of my host-fam's inexplicable and mildly alarming absence (below). Mm, wholesome!