Children, Mentally-handicapped displaced due to artillery, air-attacks

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 October 2008, 08:42 GMT]
Facing imminent danger from Sri Lanka Army's (SLA's) artillery attack, and aerial bombardment, more than ten homes sheltering orphaned children, mentally-handicapped, and elderly persons, located within a few miles radius from Ki'linochchi town, have been hurriedly relocated to interior villages of Vanni, hospital sources from Ki'linochchi said.

One mentally handicap person died at Akkaraayanku'lam on displacement. The homes have been moved towards less risk areas including Kalmadu and Tharmapuram in Ka'ndaava'lai divsion of the Ki'linochchi district and to various places in Mullaiththeevu District, outside SLA's artillery range. Insufficient shelter facilities, inadequate health and basic amenities including latrines, and shortage of nutritional food supplies, continue to plague relief assistance, local NGOs attending to the needs of the vulnerable group said. RDHS, Ki'linochchi conducts monthly meeting with the administration handling Children, and Mentally-handicapped homes. Supply needs have been identified, and these organizations could be supported through Government Agent and RDHS, hospital sources from Ki'linochchi further said.