
One of the many effects of blockade on Vanni
The blockade on essential items entering Vanni and the expulsion of humanitarian INGOs from Vanni have many flow on effects on the people who are suffering aerial bombardment, artillery barrages and a heavy floods all of them causing displacement after displacement. One such effect is the problem of clearing dead livestock carcasses that were killed in the recent floods.
The number of cows ad goats killed by the floods is estimated to be close to 5000 and the number of chickens killed is estimated to be more than 7000. The style of rearing these animals in Vanni is such that they are all kept within the private home yards of the families. Thus most of these carcasses are to be found around the civilian settlements of both permanent residents and IDPs. For example, residents of the IDP settlement in Ulavannor which was flooded and later came under an aerial bombardment on 29 November say that the area is still not fit for habitation because of the smell of rotting carcasses. The cows and goats that have survived the floods are in poor health and are reported to be easily infected by diseases including the foot and mouth disease. Despite these conditions faced by the IDPs the stringent restrictions are imposed on essential items entering Vanni by the Sri Lankan Government.
05 December 2008
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