Displaced people suffer collective punishment

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 November 1998, 20:16 GMT]
A cut in relief supplies to the displaced people in the Vanni cannot be justified and amounts to collective punishment by the Sri Lanka Government on the displaced people, said the memorandum sent by the displaced people in the Vanni to the Unites Nations General Secretary, and to the General Secretary of World Food Programme.

The memorandum was handed over to the Government Agent of Mullaithivu yesterday along with signatures of several thousands of displaced people.

The memorandum said that the Sri Lanka Government had introduced a massive cut in the relief supplied to displaced people in the Vanni last July. Though there are 39,000 families in the Mullaithivu district eligible to receive relief only 13,000 receive the relief. The situation is similar also in the Mannar, Vavuniya and Kilinochchi districts.

The memorandum also said that infant mortality is on rise due to the cut in relief and children have been affected by malnutrition.

The memorandum said that displaced people have appealed to the Sri Lankan Government and other international NGOs. However, the Government has not reacted to the protests.

The memorandum also said that hundreds of women, children, and men were taking part in a protest fast in front of the Mullaithivu GA's office.

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