Immediate relief for Batticaloa displaced

BATTICALOA: On the Directive of President Mahinda Rajapaksa a Government delegation including senior Ministers left for Batticaloa area yesterday to inquire and ascertain urgent needs of the displaced persons in Batticaloa District including Vakarai which are threatened by LTTE attacks.

The Government delegation included President's Senior Advisor Basil Rajapaksa, Disaster Relief Minister Ameer Ali, Agrarian Community Development Minister S.M. Chandrasena and Health Deputy Minister Suresh Vadivel.

The President directed the delegates to inquire into the problems of Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala people in the areas of Vakarai, Kadiraveli, Mankerni, Madurankerni and Parichchankerni who have been rendered homeless due to LTTE terrorist activities and suggest immediate solutions to provide relief.

Government officials, People's representatives and representatives from NGOs in the Batticaloa District attended a discussion held in this connection at Valachchenai yesterday.

Addressing the discussion, Brigadier Daya Ratnayake of the 23rd Regiment explained to the delegates the problems relating to food, lodging, health, sanitation and education confronting the displaced people and related the relief activities conducted by the Government, the Army and NGOs.

He said 17 refugee camps provide shelter to approximately 12,000 persons and of them 16 are in the Batticaloa District while there is one camp in the Polonnaruwa District.

The President's Senior Advisor instructed the Batticaloa District Secretary to pay attention to approximately 2500 schoolchildren and coordinate with the Ministry of Education to provide them with educational facilities at 10 temporary centres immediately.

Rev. Father Sri Dharan Sylvester of the Roman Catholic Church of Batticaloa addressing the delegates stated that about 30,000 people are being detained in the Vakarai area by the LTTE and urged the Government to bring them in to Government controlled areas because they are subject to untold misery at the moment.

Disaster Relief Minister Ameer Ali promised to provide relief directly to the refugee camps and furnish necessary equipment including 500 water tanks, 10,000 tents and 1,000 sanitary outfits very soon. A decision was taken to provide 10 buses, 10 bowsers, 10 heavy duty lorries and 10 medical officers immediately.

Health Deputy Minister Suresh Vadivel said that steps will be taken immediately to conduct mobile health clinics for the benefit of pregnant women among them.

Provision of generator and temporary wiring system and CDMA telephones are among other relief measures promised immediately.