Sampanthan spotlights Trinco IDPs’ plight

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 August 2003, 16:27 GMT]
Trincomalee district parliamentarian, Mr.R.Sampanthan, has informed the Sri Lankan government that the internally displaced families residing in several villages in the north of Trincomalee are not issued with dry ration monthly but only once in several months, sometimes as many as six months.

In a letter to the Trincomalee District Government Agent, Mr. Sampanthan said that irregular distribution of dry rations make the internally displaced live in abject poverty. He has taken up this issue with the GA following complaints by the internally displaced families from Pulmoddai, a village in the Trincomaleedistrict, sources said.

"The persons entitled to dry rations as returning refugees are not being given their just entitlement and much deprivation and hardship is caused to the poor people," said Mr.Sampanthan in his letter

The price being charged for the dry rations issued is in excess of the prices at which these commodities are sold in the open market and the weight of commodities supplied, and the quality of commodities supplied is quite questionable, said Mr.Sampanthan.

"As a result, the recipients of these rations are being regularly defrauded,” Mr. Sampanthan said, “and poor people are being deprived of their legitimate entitlement. This cannot continue and must be stopped at the earliest. These poor people should receive their just entitlement.”

Mr.Sampanthan has asked that the Sri Lankan government appoint an independent officer to conduct a proper investigation into this matter and record the statement of some recipients, and take appropriate action to ensure that the fraudulent practices are brought to an end, district secretariat sources said.