Trinco Lions assist resettled in Paththinipuram village

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 September 2003, 18:56 GMT]
The District Governor of International Lions in Trincomalee, Ms. Soma Edirisinghe, Sunday evening declared open a children's park constructed by the Trincomalee New Century Lions Club at the Paththinipuram Siththivinayagar Tamil Vidiyalayam, and later handed over school materials to students of resettled families at an event held the same day at the school, sources said.

Paththinipuram, a village in the Tampalakamam division, is located along Trincomalee-Kandy trunk road, sixteen km from Trincomalee town. In 1990, the entire population was about three hundred families, a majority of them Tamils, with a small number of Muslims. The entire village fled and sought refuge elsewhere when violence broke out in the same year, sources said.

“About 300 students studied at the Sithivinayagar Tamil Vidiyalayam which then had 18 teachers. The people fled the village when violence broke out in 1990,” said the Principal, Mr.S.Kalirasa, addressing a gathering present at the event held Sunday evening at the school.

“Of the internally displaced persons (IDPs), about 50 families have returned and resettled. The school is now functioning with only about 90 students and 8 teachers, including the Principal. The UNICEF has provided toilet and other sanitation facilities to the school,” said Mr. Kalirasa.

The principal expressed his gratitude to the Lions’ Club, saying the club had come forward to help the school by providing a children's park when the school was in urgent need of such a park.

Now the IDPs are returning slowly to Paththinipuram village after the signing of the ceasefire agreement signed by the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) has also launched a scheme to rebuild the destroyed houses in the village.

Speaking at the event, Ms. Edirisinghe said that this was the first time she visited a village affected by the war. She commended the Trincomalee New Century Lions Club for selecting a war-ravaged village and providing assistance for the betterment of affected children.

The President of the Trincomalee New Century Lions Club, Mr.T.R. Shriram, said that his club had selected the village to help people who are below the poverty line and suffered in the violence.

Officials of the Trincomalee Millennium Sun City Lions Club and Trincomalee Town Lions Club also participated in the event.



A section of resettled students attending the event




A section of resettled parents attending the function at Paththinipuram




Ms. Soma Edirisinghe handing over school materials to resettled students at paththinipuram.




Lions District Governor Ms. Edirisinghe declared open the new childrens' park