AFTER THE TSUNAMI: Human Rights of Vulnerable Populations Vulnerable TSUNAMI: HumanRightsof THE AFTER AFTER THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY Human Rights Center TSUNAMI University of California, Berkeley 460 Stephens Hall #2300 Berkeley, CA 94702-2300 Phone: (510) 642-0965 Fax: (510) 643-3830 www.hrcberkeley.org Human Rights of Vulnerable Populations UNIVERSITY OF East-West Center CALIFORNIA BERKELEY 1601 East-West Road 2005 OCTOBER Honolulu, HI 96848-1601 Phone: (808) 944-7111 Fax: (808) 944-7376 OCTOBER 2005 www.EastWestCenter.org ISBN: 0-9760677-1-4 HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY Founded in 1994 with the assistance of The Sandler Family Supporting Foundation, the Human Rights Center (HRC) is a unique interdisciplinary research and teaching enterprise that reaches across academic disciplines and professions to conduct research in emerging issues on international human rights and humanitarian law. The HRC complements and supports the work of nongovernmental human rights organizations by drawing upon the creativity and expertise of researchers from several diverse university programs and departments including anthropology, demography, ethnic studies, geography, journalism, law, political science, and public health. The HRC collaborates closely with the International Human Rights Law Clinic and the War Crimes Studies Center at the University of California, Berkeley. EAST-WEST CENTER The East-West Center is an education and research organization established by the U.S. Congress in 1960 to strengthen relations and understanding among the peoples and nations of Asia, the Pacifi c, and the United States. The Center contributes to a peaceful, prosperous, and just Asia Pacifi c community by serving as a vigorous hub for cooperative research, education, and dialogue on critical issues of common concern to the Asia Pacifi c region and the United States. Funding for the Center comes from the U.S. government, with additional support provided by private agencies, individuals, foundations, corporations, and the governments of the region. Cover Photos: “Broken City,” the cover photographic montage, and “Flooded City,” the inside cover photograph, were taken in Banda Aceh in January 2005 by photographer Marco Garcia. These images are from Hope for Re- newal: Photographs from Indonesia after the Tsunami, published by the East-West Center. The book, and the ex- hibition on which it was based, features photographs of Aceh Province shot by Garcia in January and May 2005. The 52-page book is being sold by the East-West Center as a fundraiser for tsunami relief, thanks to publication support from PT Bank Bumiputera Indonesia, Tbk. All proceeds from its sale go to the Center’s Tsunami Relief Fund. For information, visit the East-West Center’s web site at www.EastWestCenter.org/HopeForRenewal, email [email protected], or call (808) 944-7145. AFTER THE TSUNAMI HUMAN RIGHTS OF VULNERABLE POPULATIONS OCTOBER 2005 HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY EAST-WEST CENTER TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 5 Methodology ................................................................................................................ 6 Principal Findings .......................................................................................................6 Limitations of Study ................................................................................................... 7 Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................... 7 Background ................................................................................................................................... 9 Observations Regarding Natural Disasters and Human Rights Vulnerabilities ...9 Normative Human Rights Framework Applicable to Natural Disasters .............10 Country Reports .......................................................................................................................... 12 INDIA ........................................................................................................................................ 13 I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 13 Effects of the Tsunami .............................................................................................. 13 Methodology .............................................................................................................. 13 Background ............................................................................................................... 14 II. FINDINGS ....................................................................................................................... 15 Inequity and Discrimination in Aid Distribution ...................................................16 Housing and Access to Basic Services ..................................................................... 18 Restoration of Livelihoods ....................................................................................... 20 Women ....................................................................................................................... 21 Children ..................................................................................................................... 22 The Role of NGOs ..................................................................................................... 23 III. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................... 24 INDONESIA ................................................................................................................................ 27 I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 27 Methodology .............................................................................................................. 27 II. PRE-EXISTING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS ...................................................................... 29 III. ACEH AFTER THE TSUNAMI—NEW HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS ....................................... 30 Rescue and Relief Phase ........................................................................................... 31 Lack of Coordination and of Swift and Appropriate Response ........................... 32 Mixed Response to the Military’s Involvement ......................................................32 Discrimination and Rampant Corruption .............................................................. 34 Resettlement and Reconstruction ............................................................................35 Increasing Problems in Coordination and Continuing Unresponsiveness .......... 35 Increasing Security-Related Problems ....................................................................37 Corruption and Lack of Public Participation ........................................................ 38 IV. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................... 40 HUMAN RIGHTS OF VULNERABLE POPULATIONS i MALDIVES ................................................................................................................................ 43 I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 43 A Tropical Paradise with Problems ......................................................................... 43 Effects of the Tsunami .............................................................................................. 43 Methodology .............................................................................................................. 44 II. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................ 44 Human Rights in the Maldives ................................................................................ 44 A Human Rights Framework for Tsunami Response ............................................46 III. GOVERNMENT RESPONSE ................................................................................................ 46 IV. HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES AFTER THE TSUNAMI ................................................................... 47 Community Participation .........................................................................................48 The Safe Islands Concept as a Human Rights Issue ..............................................50 Protection of Women and Children .........................................................................51 The Overall Human Rights Situation ..................................................................... 52 Livelihoods ................................................................................................................. 52 Nongovernmental Organizations and International Aid....................................... 53 The Drug Abuse Problem .........................................................................................53 V. C ONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................... 54 SRI LANKA ...............................................................................................................................57