Mahangu, a freelance journalist based in Sri Lanka writes that although the private sector, churches, temples, media organisations and individual citizens have risen to meet the needs of the day, the Government seems to be sleeping.

This is just to let everyone know the REAL situation prevalent in the South. I, along with another journalist and photographer went down to Matara, Galle and other outlying towns yesterday. I just got back a few hours ago and am heading back down there at 2pm local time today (28th).

The Television Media (especially the STATE RUN TV) is painting a pretty picture of aid being sent and everything being alright. Yesterday, more than 36 hours after the first waves hit the south, there was still NO aid in EITHER Galle or Matara. That means there was nothing. Zilch.

In Galle at the Cathedral, there were close to 700 people. The Father there said that locals had provided aid. No government stuff had come at all. How odd. There were infants who did not have formula milk. Yet the Government claims to have 'mobilized' every unit under the sun.

Now with all the aid being sent from here, my questions is WHERE is all that stuff going? So just be careful. My advice is not to send aid through the State. Villagers near Kamburupitiya (inland from Matara) said that the Police were pilfering stuff. My advice is to send aid through Churches, Temples or other religious institutions, where corruption will be a lot less.

Secondly, despite the lovely picture of 'humanity being helped' that the State is painting, the south (and I believe the east, we have a correspondent there who said it's worse off in fact) is very badly hit.

In Matara, there were not enough police officers to transfer bodies to the graves. There were no officers to record the deaths. The hospitals were barely functional. It is not fun. And the Government, for the last 36 hours has done nothing. I'm sorry Mr. Prime Minister, but your seat is suffering the most. What are you doing? There are (or WERE last evening) 5000 bodies in the Hambantota town. Not moved. 36 hours after the wave. What is the Government doing?

What about the UN? The ICRC? With all due respect to both organizations, their presence was not seen or heard in any of the place we went to. How long does it take a prominent international aid organization to get down to a danger area? One and a half days? Two? How long?

So my plea to you is, please, please help. Sri Lanka needs you. We have never seen destruction like this. Those of you who have already responded, thanks. To those of you who are still thinking of helping - please do so. Just get in touch with a religious organization and send the stuff. Do not trust the state.

If you are going down there, go in groups. People are looting very badly. Don't travel after dark. If you want to help out here there are areas where volunteers are wanted very badly - Mattakuliya, Ratmalana etc. Find out and go. Again, try and work with private / aid / religious organizations.

For those of you who were out clubbing Saturday night, here's a thought. Those clubs could have been hit first, if the wave came further up the coast. So please, if you want to party, go ahead. But just put your Sri Lankaness aside.

It's time to come together. It's time to do something. There is a lot of TALK going around. Lets see how many of us can do something.

Thanks, and God Bless you all.