Flooding of Vavuniya IDP Camps-Possible outbreak of Epidemics: PUCL demands immediate intervention of Gov.of India and International Community
PUCL expresses concern about reports from the IDP (Internally Displaced People) Camps in Vavuniya area housing Sri Lankan Tamil about severe flooding of the camps following heavy rains for the last 2 days. PUCL apprehends that the IDP camps will turn into `death traps’ unless urgent measures are taken to safeguard lives of the 300,000 inmates.
[pix-by special arrangement]
Zones 2 (Ramanathan Camp), 3 (Ananda Kumarasamy Camp), 4(No name) of Menik Farm Camps house 65,000, 43,000 and 41,000 inmates respectively. These camps are enclosed by barbed wire from which none can leave without permission of security forces. The camps are constructed in low lying areas susceptible to flooding. Toilets for the inmates are not only inadequate but are also temporary structures oftentimes being mere huge pits dug into the soil. Due to the rains the toilet pits have caved in. As though this is not bad, the toilets have also become full and there is severe water contamination. Flood waters mixed with toilet slush is reportedly flooding the living areas.
Zone 0 and 1 alone are the model zones shown to visiting journalists and diplomats. The habitations are built with tin roofs. Housing in Zones 2,3,4,5 and 6 are made from UN supplied tents shared by 2-3 families, with no privacy.
Supply of cooked food stuffs have been stopped two weeks back. The inmates of these camps have to depend on dry rations and have been forced to have individual kitchens. Due to the rains, the firewood have become wet and unusable. Families are therefore starving.
The red soils of the area have made the camps slushy and unlivable. It is reported that the flood waters are waist deep in some parts posing severe threat to personal safety, health and hygiene. Due to the poor road conditions vehicles are unable to move in the area and thus supply of essential commodities has stopped.
The situation of children and elderly is appalling. Equally horrible is the plight of the injured and handicapped people who are unable to compete with able bodies camp inmates for a share of essential commodities and toilet facilities.
Most NGOs are running out of money and unable to supply food to camps. It is informed that World Food Programme (WFP) is planning to close down its operations in these areas soon.
Epidemics and illnesses due to the poor conditions in the camps and flooding will kill as many as the war did unless the international community steps in and initiates remedial steps on a war footing. The world governments, especially the Government of India have a moral duty to the victims Tamils to ensure that all possible safety measures are initiated.
Government of India has announced that they are going to allocate another tranche of Rs. 500 crores. As members of Indian civil society PUCL demands on behalf of other human rights community that Government of India insist that the IDP camps are shifted to a safer place and all possible remedial measures be undertaken under supervision of Indian groups including experts and independent experts. If this is not done, PUCL fears there will be numerous deaths of Tamils and immense suffering.
Under the circumstances, PUCL urges the Government of India and the International Community to immediately intervene in the administration and running of the IDP camps in Vavuniya region of north Sri Lanka housing close to 300,000 Sri Lankan Tamils affected by the war.
Released to the Press in Chennai by Dr. V. Suresh, President, PUCL (Tamil Nadu and Puducherry)
12 Comments
THIS IS UTTERLY DISGUSTING AND DISGRACEFUL THAT THE SRI LANKAN GOVT SHOULD TREAT THESE PEOPLE IN THIS MANNER. HAS RAJAPAKSE TAKEN LEAVE OF HIS SENSES?
Good to see and understand the people who write comments on this site and other places...
I have been watching, clearly no one care these helpless ppl. What a humans we are...it is waste we call ourself humans, better call us animals..even them has some morals...
However thanks for the work of this site owner, who does a impartial work, bring all these out. Thanks for this..
Prof. Kumar
if the government of Sri Lanka cannot trust its one of the ethnic group (Tamil), then it loose it moral authority to rule that community. Trust is important for any relationship. Why government cannot trust if its claim of liberation from LTTE was genuine. Am I right
re: comment by Sri lankan: When did Rajapakse had his senses?
Thank you for shedding light on the living condition of Tamils in these IDP camps.
What a shame on Srilankan government and International community to let this happen to these people (tamils). What they did wrong! They speak tamil and lived in a territory controlled by LTTE. Speaking a language and live whereever they want is a fundamental right of every human being in this world, which is a basic human survival.
What happendd to Millions of dollars in aid from Internatioanl community (India, UK, USA, Canada etc), UNHCR, World Bank and many more to the aid of these IDPs in the so called IDP camps.
As UNHCR noted recently HELP is need of the hour to these tamils
The MR Bros. are gleefully happy with the sufferings
of Tamils - whatever they pronounce from time to time! God help the Tamils.
Its very sad to see out tamils suffering. Very ashamed of being unable to help our brothers and sister.
You all comment on different issues. Why can't you comments or do anything for our displaced people. Dear my follow Singala friends...do you think this is right? do you want Tamils treat like this? you complain if we fight but never give anything? don't you see these ppl,, how are they suffering?
appalling conditions. over to you obama. just bypass the indians. history has shown asians coundnt care for asians even if they die like flies. india the regional power. dont make me laugh. it is always the americans who have a conscience and save unfortunate people in far flung regions of the world
What a shame to treat human in this plight.U.N is blamed by the Srilankan Govt. this is not the first time.Why all the world nations having a U N council.When the genocide took place U N special envoy was in srilanka what was he doing.world countries what your responsiblity.
You Reap what you sow... the MAKKAL PADAI in these camps will have to tough it out till the North and East are De-mined and cleared. For 2 Decades they were birthing a Generation of Sinhala-Hating Tamil terrorists.... Now the war is over, one cannot have that much sympathy for them... after all they are the families of the LTTE... Their children made up the fighting ranks of the enemies of Sri Lanka...
disturbed by DEVINDA FERNANDO's comment as a fellow sinhalese... is it their fault that a group decides to take arms as an solution and that their family members were recruited, mostly by force??
i agree the government has (valid?) security reasons and a screaning process before the release of these people but it is also the government's duty to provide these people with basic human needs, shelter,security and food.
do they not deserve a second chance in life?
what happened to your "mettha" and "upekkha"?
and by your comment are you not reaping another generation of "sinhala hating tamil community" your self?