Displaced and now disowned

• The 16-year nightmare of Puttalam’s 100,000 nowhere people

By Hiran P.Jayasinghe

Puttalam district has the largest number of people displaced by the ethnic conflict, with more than 100,000 refugees housed in camps for more than 15 years.

There are as many as 134 refugee camps in Mundel, Kalpitiya, Wanathavillu, and Puttalam for Muslims displaced from Mannar, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Jaffna and Kilinochchi.

The plight of these folk is miserable to put it mildly and the incessant rains that are a feature now add more misery to them.

A muddy road leading to a camp.

For no fault of theirs these unfortunate people have suffered for 16 years sans basic facilities. They had to leave their homes at the behest of the LTTE which asked them to quit their homes within a couple of hours or face death.

In the early days they got much relief but today this has been reduced to mere dry rations only. Needless to say their health standards have gone down while rains have made the access roads to the camps difficult. Their wells have run dry and the little water available is impure.

Refugees from Jaffna complain that unlike those from the Wanni, they are neglected. This they say is due to the irresponsibility of Muslim MPs in Parliament.

When this correspondent visited refuge camps I and II to probe allegations of ‘grading’ within the camps, it was found that the allegations were somewhat valid.

One of the few well at a camp.

Abubucker Niyaz, the leader of the Saltern camp said 118 families were living there. They are from Jaffna and have no representative in Parliament, while those from the Wanni are said to have 22 representatives. The latter are reportedly oblivious to the woes of those from Jaffna.

Foreigners who visit the Jaffna refugees reportedly provide them relief when they see their sorry plight.

The camp secretary M.S.Supiyar said no officials visit the camps, and even if they do, they only make empty promises.
A family health worker S. Dilrukshi said health-wise the situation was very bad.

N. Fathima, a mother of two, lamented there were no health facilities and little water available in the camps.
It is hell, she said.