LTTE opens Children's home in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 January 2005, 08:27 GMT]
A branch of the Kantharoopan children's home was opened by LTTE in Palukamam, 20 km south-west of Batticaloa on Wednesday. Ten children, 8 girls and 2 boys, aged 7 to 16 are the first to be cared for in the new home, LTTE sources said.

One of the children, a 16 year old girl, sat for her GCE O/L examinations recently. On the day of the tsunami she left home early, leaving behind her mother and younger brother at home, and was traveling towards Batticaloa town. Her mother and brother died in the tsunami. Her father died a few years earlier due to natural causes.


The ten children in Arivucholai Children Home in Batticaloa

Another child, 10 year old girl, tried to escape by running away from the waves. She was taken by a giant wave and thrown against a tree. She managed to get up with the water level up to her nose. She saw her dog trying to climb a tree. She put her foot on the dog and managed to climb the tree together with the dog. She lost her entire family.

At the inauguration ceremony, Mr. Senthooran, the coordinator of the children‚s home received Rs. 100,000 from the LTTE Special Commander Col. Banu as a gift for the home.

Mr. Senthooran said that the shelter is now located at a temporary location and a permanent building will be found soon. He added that education and shelter for the young victims of tsunami must to be given high priority.

He said incidents of young victims orphaned by the tsunami being sold to people from far away places brings urgency to build homes where children can be cared for.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by religious leaders from Palukamam, and pupils and teachers of the Palukamam school. LTTE's senior commander Ramanan, commander for Mavadymunmaary area, Deputy Commander Yogaraja and field commander Miresh from the Charles Antony Regiment of LTTE also attended the ceremony.