The Children: Orphaned by the Ocean

The tragedy of the tsunami's child victims

Among the most heartbreaking aspects of the tsunami disaster has been the immense toll on children, who account for as many as one-third of the total killed. Now, as refugees register in makeshift camps, the world is confronting a different sort of tragedy: tens of thousands of children have been either separated from their parents or orphaned. These kids, whom relief workers are calling "the Tsunami Generation," have become prime objects of the global outpouring of sympathy. But they are also drawing some unwanted attention.

Relief workers say many orphans are suffering from both physical and psychological trauma. Martin Dawes, a...

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