NPC’s Executive Director Dr Jehan Perera took part in the first structured dialogue between civil society groups and the NPP government at a meeting to review the national response to Cyclone Ditwah. A small delegation from the CSO-NGO Collective was invited to the Presidential Secretariat together with senior members of the government team handling the crisis. The invitation itself signalled a willingness to draw on the experience and reach of civil society at a moment when the country faces an unprecedented humanitarian and reconstruction challenge.

The President outlined the broad contours of the government’s approach. He noted the breakdown in communications and access in several parts of the country and said that the response was being organised in related phases: immediate rescue, support for displaced communities, early recovery and the restoration of basic infrastructure. He also referred to the loss of crops and the short window available to restart cultivation.

In his remarks the President recognised the contribution made by civic groups during past emergencies and said that organisations were free to act as they saw fit. He noted that the government would share information to help ensure that relief reached areas of acute need and added that a focal point from the Presidential Secretariat or the relevant ministry would be identified to maintain contact with CSOs during the relief and recovery period.
The CSO representatives briefed the President on ongoing work already underway at local level, including the mobilisation of volunteers, technical expertise, emergency supplies and community networks. They stressed the need for clear instructions from central government to district and divisional authorities to regard CSOs as partners in the response effort so that those already active on the ground are able to function without obstruction.

They also raised the continuing problem of government communications being issued only in Sinhala and urged that all public information regarding relief, recovery and compensation be released in both Sinhala and Tamil.
They noted that the sector was willing to assist the government in attaining this basic standard of bilingual communication. Other points raised included the need to facilitate any incoming relief goods such as water purification equipment, the value of engaging religious institutions that have significant capacity and the importance of ensuring that the declaration of emergency does not lead to abuses.

The meeting was attended by the Foreign Minister, Health Minister, Rural Development Minister, Treasury Secretary, the heads of the armed forces and police and senior officials from the NGO Secretariat and the Presidential Secretariat.