One latrine (cesspit) for every 40 to 50 people is woefully inadequate, monsoon or no monsoon. Medical facilities (public health centres) are overcrowded and medical personnel inadequate; paediatric, psychiatric and counselling services are inadequate. There is tight control on visitors – why, what does the government want to hide? There are makeshift schools in some locations, but facilities are unsatisfactory. Thanks to the presence of the WFP, UNICEF, Caritas and local NGOs (and no thanks to the government) dry rations seem to be adequate
Between 15% and 25% of the detainees are children under twelve years, of whom 20 to 30% are undernourished by WHO standards. In god’s name Rajapaksa, why don’t you let the children go! The lie to the de-mining story is made explicit for several reasons. (1) If IDPs have relatives in other parts of the country, just throw open the gates and let them leave; what mines under relative’s beds? (2) Children can be allowed to leave if parents can find them outside accommodation – why is it the Defence Ministry and not parents who control the destiny of children, like animals in a farm? (3) There are parts of the Vanni clear of mines but there is no evidence to show that people from these areas are free to leave. why not voluntary camps for those who need to stay, why mass detention centres for Vanni Tamils, hence in principle, racial concentration camps?