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“Hunger and starvation seriously affecting the displaced in Amparai”

“Amparai district suffered the worst in the Tsunami disaster, but the relief efforts of the government are minimal and inadequate, making life miserable for the displaced in the welfare centres and elsewhere” said Mr.M.K.Shivajilingam, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) legislator after a tour of the district during the last five days, in an interview yesterday 10 Jan 2005.

Excerpts :

“Amparai is the worst hit district in the NorthEast. Tamils and Muslims have been affected very badly. The entire habitats present an eerie situation devoid of humans. One cannot see any tangible efforts being taken to clean up the debris and disinfect the polluted landmass for resettlement.

The displaced people huddled up in the welfare centres are not being provided with adequate requirements, whether it be food or clothing. Starvation forces them to go out and beg for meals. Highly traumatised children who have lost their parents, fathers and mothers who have no trace of their children, wives who had seen their husbands being swept away by the tidal wave, brothers and sisters who have seen their siblings, playing hide and seek a few moments before the giant wave took their lives lying dead, all in all, the disaster-stricken humanity in this district poses a serious challenge to humanitarian workers and more so the international community that pumps in the much sought for aid.

In the Batticaloa town itself, the relief centres located in St. Michaels College and Chavukkadi have not received adequate day-to-day needs of the displaced housed therein. To move out these unfortunate people from the paradigm of frustration, hopelessness and indignity, it is the international community and the INGO’s that need to step in and step in fast and act, squarely facing the bureaucratic and political boulders.

The disaster struck these people not selectively as Tamils, Muslims or Sinhalese, but the way in which the government treats the Tamil people is selective, in that they are treated not as equals but as second or third class citizens. Government ministers and their deputies confine their visits to the Sinhala and Muslim villages. Health Minister Mr.Nimal Siripala De Silva who visited the Sainthamaruthu hospital that was completely destroyed, could not find time to visit the Karaitivu hospital, barely one kilometre from Sainthamarthu, only because the people there are Tamils. It is regrettable that Minister Ms.Ferial Ashraff, who represents the East and happened to accompany the Health Minister in his tour, too did not care to take him to Karaitivu. Alienating the Tamil people at this time of distress, would definitely push them further away from the national effort for reconciliation”.

11 January 2005

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