Topic: Disasters, terror and stress management

The tsunami in an exile perspective. A short review of three studies conducted at NKVTS.

Sveaass, N., Moen, K., & Neumayer, S. M. (2007). Tsunamien i et eksilperspektiv. En kort gjennomgang av tre studier utført ved NKVTS [The tsunami in an exile perspective. A short review of three studies conducted at NKVTS.] Norwegian only.

The tidal wave disaster of Southeast Asia in December of 2004 killed more than 250 000 people and caused enormous material damage. It was primarily countries in the south that were affected, but also countries in the north were hit by the tidal wave also demolishing popular tourist areas.

In an unusual way the tsunami was a global disaster. A specific group of people originally from Southeast Asia, but who were residing in other countries at the time of the tsunami disaster were affected. In Norway, this group consisted of many thousands of people, primarily from Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand.

As part of a larger tsunami research program at the Norwegian Center for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies (NKVTS), three studies were conducted to survey how individuals living in Norway originally from Sri Lanka and Aceh province in Indonesia were affected by the disaster in their home country.

The studies are described in the following three reports:
• Moen K. The tsunami in an Acehnese exile perspective. Oslo: NKVTS, 2007.
• Neumayer S.M. When one’s thoughts are elsewhere. The Norwegian Tamils condition and contact with aid workers after the tsunami. Oslo: NKVTS, 2007.
• Stige S. When disaster hits the mother country. A survey of mental health amongst Sri

Lankan Tamils in Norway after the tsunami in Southeast Asia 26.12.04. University of Oslo
In this review a short presentation is given of each of the three studies and a discussion of their main findings is provided. In concluding, recommendations based on the three studies are given.