Comprehensive guideline for sustainable involuntary resettlement : special case study on problematic Tsunami resettlement site in Galle district

Abstract

Resettlement has a long history in the world. According to the way of resettling, it can be categorized in to two. Depending on the method of resettlement it can be categorize in to voluntary and involuntary resettlement. Several Law enacted by parliament, guidelines and policies at the different occasions of resettlement history. In fact, there was large scale resettlement program in Srilanka after the Tsunami devastation in December 2004. For the post Tsunami recovery program, the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA), under the Ministry of Housing & Construction, formulated a detail guideline to be used by the prospective house builders in the disaster prone coastal belt in Sri Lanka. Apart from this, Nongovernmental organizations and international organizations prepared guidelines and policies regarding the resettlement program. However there are several policies and guidelines available for resettlement, it was not happening in effectively. As a result involuntary resettlement sites have become partially and completely abandoned. This may attributed to the prevailing social, environmental, socio economic problems. The main issue is whether in voluntary resettlement has been correctly address by the resettlement project plan. Most resettlement projects not correctly follow the available guidelines correctly. Beside some guidelines developed by the government bodies do not to address the real ground level situation. In this research, the prevailing environmental, social, socio economic and physical problems of in involuntary resettlement have been identified and suggestions have been made to enhance NHDA guideline in to a comprehensive and more practical guideline for sustainable resettlement by considering the ten years experience of Tsunami resettlement in Galle district.