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| Fr. Alfred Alexander |
The Government is putting a contingency plan in place with Vavuniya as the hub to receive thousands of refugees, who, it believes, will cross over to government-controlled areas from Kilinochchi and Mullitivu as the fighting intensifies in these areas.
The new plan is being put in place as the number of internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the two districts continues to increase.
The Government is encouraging the civilians in these areas to move into Government-controlled areas, Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said.
The thousands of civilians displaced from their homes in the two districts are being now housed in temporarily shelters, mainly schools, with Government authorities there working alongside UN and other International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGO)s to provide them with basic facilities.
About 80,000 IDPs (around 20,000 families) from Mannar north, Tunukkai and Pandiyakualm AGA regions have been moved into the Kilinochchi district. Most of them have been housed in 22 schools in Kilinochchi while some have moved in with their relatives, GA Kilinochchi A. Vedanayagam said.
In the Mullaitivu district over 132,990 persons (around 31,000 families) had been displaced from three to four AGA divisions.
GA Mullaitivu Ms.Emelda Sukumar, said “there are around 75 villages that have been abandoned due to the fighting in Tunukkai and surrounding areas. The people have moved into the Mullaitivu area and are accommodated in welfare centres”
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| Displaced people in the Kilinochchi district camping under trees |
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| A medical centre in Kilinochchi |
Though there has been no serious shortage of food and medicine in these areas, accommodation has become the major problem, as schools that have been used to house the displaced have to be re-opened by the time the new school term starts on September 8. Hospitals too have been relocated from the affected areas and have been amalgamated to rural hospitals in areas to which the people have moved to, so as to provide them with medical facilities.
The movement of civilians took place mainly in July and August and it is expected the numbers of displaced will increase as the fighting intensifies.
Several UN organizations and INGOs which operate in the affected areas have been facilitating the setting up of temporary shelters including cadjan huts and tents.
The Sunday Times learns the LTTE is continuing to conscript people from these areas. There are reports that several retired LTTE cadres who were called up for service have defied the call and have refused to re-join.
While Government has been encouraging the displaced people to move to Government controlled areas, information suggests those who want to leave but need to obtain a pass from the LTTE to do so and are being refused permission to leave.
Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakara said there had been no movement of people from the two districts via Omanthai to Government controlled areas so far, but around 813 persons had made it to Mannar Island and Pulmoddai via boat. They are being sheltered in welfare centers.
Defence Secretary Gothabhaya Rajapaksa told reporters last week the Government hoped the displaced would be able to report to Vavuniya soon, as all facilities would be provided for them there.
“Some of these people have had to pay money, hire boats to make it to safety to get away from the clutches of the LTTE” he said.
Meanwhile senior military officials also briefed UN officials on the ongoing humanitarian operations in the Wanni and the relief measures in place for relocation of civilians, arriving in cleared areas.
The Sunday Times spoke to Father Alfred Alexander who works for the people’s welfare in Jaffna and had been in communication with several people in Kilinochchi during the past weeks. He said there was no visible sign of people wanting to move into government controlled areas.
“The majority of the people want a neutral presence on the ground if they are to move out of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu, as well as guarantees that an infrastructure is in place to accommodate them,” he said. Fr. Alexander added there was also the need to create an atmosphere of trust in the Government to encourage affected people to move into cleared areas.
Meanwhile earlier this month, both the UNHCR and the ICRC expressed concern on the displacement of large numbers of people as a result of the fighting.
The ICRC which has an office in Kilinochchi said the upsurge in fighting was making it increasingly difficult for humanitarian workers to gain access to certain areas. He added despite this, the organization would continue to provide assistance to those affected by the conflict while co-ordinating its actions with other humanitarian agencies both in Colombo and in the Wanni. The UNHCR earlier this month expressed concern over the safety of thousands of displaced persons and asked the authorities to allow unhindered passage for essential supplies.
Let the people go:Govt. asks INGOs to urge LTTE
The government has called on the UN and other humanitarian agencies including INGOs operating in the Wanni to exert pressure on the LTTE to allow civilians in areas under its control to move into government-controlled areas without imposing restrictions on them.
This comes as the government begins to put a contingency plan in place to receive thousands of civilians it hopes will move out of the Wanni as the military operation intensifies. Leaflets urging the people to move into government-administered areas were airdropped last week.
Meanwhile Human Rights and Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said he would meet with representatives of the organizations this week. “We are not forcing anyone to come into government-controlled areas but we want them to be allowed to decide freely where they want to move to. We are aware that the LTTE is not letting the people move on their own accord,” Minister Samarasinghe said.
The Government has decided to designate a humanitarian corridor for the displaced persons to travel to Vavuniya from Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts . “We will make sure there is safe passage for the IDPs,” the minister said.
He added that the Government has already started stockpiling food supplies in Vavuniya and the UNHCR as well as the World Food Propgramme (WFP) are doing the same.
IDPs living in
degradation: JPC
The Justice and Peace Commission of the Wanni district has appealed to all Sri Lankans and the international community to help save the lives of tens of thousands of newly displaced people who are languishing in varying degrees of deprivation and degradation sans accommodation and other basic needs.
The Commission’s President Fr. James Paththiyanathan in a letter to the International Committee of the Red Cross states that: the Wanni has been the eye of the storm over the past two months and death, injuries, displacements and attendant misery pervade the lives of the innocent Tamil civilians.
JPC claim nonsensical: Defence Ministry
However the Ministry of Defence said Minister of Human Rights and Disaster Management Mahinda Samarasinghe sought a clarification on this communication from their Lordships the Bishops of Jaffna and Mannar.
“…He was reassured by the Bishops that the communication was made without their sanction and appears to be the writer's personal perspective. The two Bishops have also acknowledged the excellent cooperation extended to them by the Sri Lankan security forces and, in particular, the Security Force Commanders serving in the Wanni, who are in regular contact with them and have often facilitated delivery of humanitarian assistance when requested by the Bishops”.
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