Challenges ahead for tsunami recovery

Challenges ahead for tsunami recovery

The devastation caused by the Asian tsunami, which struck a month ago, was so severe it was difficult to imagine how the stricken communities could ever rebuild their lives.

It is therefore good to see signs that the emergency phase of the huge international relief effort is already coming to an end. The United Nations has declared the operation a success. The next step, involving rehabilitation and reconstruction, will be much tougher -- and it will take much longer.

Ambitious plans for rebuilding the hardest-hit regions are also being devised. The Sri Lankan government has promised to build more than 60 new towns. Similarly, Indonesia has pledged to ensure that Aceh is raised from the rubble.

Tentative peace initiatives in both countries must succeed if these efforts are not to be scuppered by civil war.

The first month of the relief effort has been a qualified success. But the bigger challenges are only just beginning to be faced.

-- South China Morning Post, Hong Kong