Trinco resettled IDPs' plight spotlighted

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 November 2004, 03:29 GMT]
"No one can talk about peace and reconciliation when thousands suffer for want of shelter, food and clothes. Peace and reconciliation are only of secondary concern for them," said Mr.T.Thavasilingam, Chairman of the Consortium of Non-Governmental Organizations in Trincomalee district presiding over the meeting of Eastern Forum of Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHU).

CHU has its headquarters in Colombo.

Eastern Forum was organized by the CHA to give an opportunity for all NGOs, donor agencies and government agencies working in the eastern province to share their views, sources said.

Mr.Thavasilingam further said that of more than 57,000 families displaced in 1990 major violence in the Trincomalee district about 51,282 families were taken for resettlement but they were not properly resettled, as even the basic facilities were not offered to them.

Another 554 displaced families are still living in ten welfare centres and refugee camps in the district. There are 6,467 displaced families staying with their friends and relatives, and in South India.

More than 6,000 women headed families including war widows in the district are looking for suitable assistance to enter the main stream, he said.

The sanitation or hygienic condition of resettled villages is not satisfactory. The resettled families are not provided with toilet facilities, he said

Malnutrition in resettled villages is very high due to poverty, lack of availability of safe drinking water and lack of medical facilities, he added.

Mr.V.S.Swaminathan, Deputy Chief Secretary (Planning) of the North east provincial Council (NEPC), Mr.R.Umakanthan, NECORD Trincomalee District Deputy Director, Mr.N.Singarayaer, Additional Government Agent, Trincomalee, Mr.Hussaindeen, Deputy Director for Rehabilitation in Trincomalee also spoke.

Mr.V.Kalaichchelvan, Trincomalee District officer of the Consortium for Human Agencies made the welcome speech.