Massive relief for IDPs in East
[Wednesday, November 22, 2006 - 14.30 GMT]

The Government will expedite the provision of extensive relief to the large numbers of internally displaced persons at Vakarai and others areas in the Batticaloa District. Action on this was decided following a special
inspection tour of the affected areas by a team of senior ministers made under the direction of President Mahinda Rajapaksa today. (Nov. 22). 

The team of ministers, visited camps providing shelter to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) from Vakarai, Kadiraveli, Mankerni, Madurankerni, Parichchankerni. The members of the team saw the large number of Tamils and Muslims in these camps who had fled their homes following attacks by the LTTE in their areas or for fear of such attacks, and the day-to-day problems
faced by these people. 

At present there are 17 camps for IDPs, of which 16 are in the Batticaloa District and one in the Polonnaruwa District. In all there were approximately 12,000 IDPs in these camps. 

In discussions with the ministers, Fr. Sridharan Sylvester, a Roman Catholic priest from the Batticaloa who is engaged in relief work, explained that nearly 30,000 persons from 10,000 families in the Vakarai area, who wished to come to Government held areas were being forcibly held there by the LTTE. It was revealed that these people who are forced to stay in LTTE controlled area were undergoing great hardship, and were eager to move to Government held areas.  

Brig. Daya Ratnayake, Commander of the Area, explained that the security forces will very soon establish at least 12 camps for the people who flee
from the LTTE held areas.

He explained to the ministers that although the military and volunteer organizations were engaged in relief work in the camps for IDPs, there were problems in the provision of adequate drinking water, tents, clothes,
sanitary and toilet facilities, and other needs. 

Accordingly, it was decided that in the next few days the Government, through the Ministry of Disaster Relief, would provide 500 water tanks and 10,000 tents, and sufficient medicines and public health facilities to these
camps. 

As over 2500 schoolchildren, whose education has been disrupted were in these camps, it was decided that the Ministry of Education, would set up at least 10 special camps with facilities for education. The temporary toilets in the schools currently being used as shelters for IDPs will be provided with permanent toilets, which would late belong to those schools. It was also decide to provide 10 buses, 10 bowsers, and ten large trucks to meet the needs of the IDPs in these camps. 

In addition, arrangements are being made to provide special buses to transport the large number of persons from the Sampur and Mawil Aru areas who are still living away from their homes, and are eager to get back as
these areas that are now safe. 

It was also decided to take immediate action to provide telephone facilities to these camps, and any new camps that will beset up using CDMA transmission services.    

Arrangements were also made to streamline the supply of both dry rations and cooked meals, wherever necessary, with the help of the relevant Government
agencies, NGOs and others voluntary organizations. (PRIU)
 


 

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Last Updated Date: November 22, 2006 -14.30 GMT