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Extortionists plunder drought relief

Organised groups of extortionists have stepped in to plunder lavish drought relief offerings now pouring into the Hambantota District according to reports reaching Colombo yesterday.

Sri Lankan donors who have carried their contributions to be handed personally to afflicted families are being forced to leave their gifts in the hands of the racketeers and turn around, Mr. Granville Ratnayake, Co-ordinator of the Drought Relief Bureau told the 'Daily News' yesterday.

The donations which are brought in generous packages of milk powder, rice, flour and other dry rations are finding their way into the retail stores.

"This has now become a racket and those culprits are selling relief packs containing milk powder and canned fish to retail shops in the area. Some have even built thatched houses in remote villages with the sole purpose of obtaining aid by pretending to be affected villagers," Mr. Ratnayake said.

However, drought relief packs provided by the Government are distributed in a systematic and proper manner, he said. The plunder occurs only in instances of relief distribution led by individuals, organisations and societies.

Most of the aid has been distributed among the families living near the main roads such as Kataragama - Hambantota and Hambantota - Sooriyawewa and not among the families living in villages in the hinterland, added Mr. Ratnayake.

"The bureau requests prospective donors to contact the Divisional Secretary's office to obtain information about the drought affected villages, so that the aid will go to the really affected people," Mr. Ratnayake added.

He said almost every family in the Hambantota district now has sufficient food items for at least three weeks. "In fact, the Hambantota Divisional Secretary has already made an appeal to donors not to send food items for the next three weeks."

Explaining the present situation in Hambantota, Mr. Ratnayake said that some drought stricken villages have received more than 10 times the required amount of food items. Some relief workers are in a long queue in some villages like Andarawewa to distribute aid.

Several welfare organisations have complained that people on the main roads forcibly took their aid. "Some even attempted to sleep on road saying they would not get up unless they are given aid," they said.

Meanwhile, those interested in sending aid could contact the Drought Relief Steering Committee headed by Minister Mahinda Rajapakse for further information over 077 -888777 or could send e-mail to Drought relief @ dialogsl.Net. A separate website - www.drought relief sl.Net is also open for more information.

The Committee requests donors to make their donations to Account No - 004530802774, Bank of Ceylon's Torrington Branch or to any BoC branch.

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