Letter to the Hoot—think it over

IN Opinion | 06/01/2007

What is and should be the role of the media? Are we not forgetting the real affected to make way for dignitaries and their pictures?

I am working here in Nagapattinam district and am involved with the documentation of a project which aims at reconstruct houses for the tsunami affected of Tarangambadi; a village where the tsunami take a toll of about 304 lives. The whole process of reconstruction here is based on the participatory approach so I believe there is something to do here.

We observed the day of 2nd anniversary of the tsunami yesterday (26th Dec 06); I too did. Throughout yesterday, one could feel the pulse of the affected lots and hear their recollections about the tragedy that befell that day. Families had come out to offer prayers and religious rites in memory of the departed and took out a silent rally. I shot some snaps from the massive pooja places, the silent rally, the tsunami memorial (opened by a local political leader) and the graveyard where all the dead bodies buried. The place was crammed with the family members praying for their lost fathers, mothers, kids...

A reporter from the local daily approached me and asked some of my snaps to publish in his daily. I gave him some pictures. You want to know which picture that has been carried in today`s paper? It is that of the local political leader who is trying to cut the ribbon of the tsunami memorial and one more photo...

On a day like this, especially a place that was struck by tragedy just two years ago... I am wondering... What is and should be the role of the media? Are we not forgetting the real affected lots to make way for dignitaries and their pictures...?

This is something that we must do some serious rethinking... who actually is entitled to media space and attention...?

Regards

Jeeva Jayadas
Documentataion in charge
SIFFS Tsunami reconstruction project
Tarangambadi
Nagapattinam
Tamil Nadu

www.tarangambadi.in

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