CNN latest report on Sri Lanka Hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the recent war in North East Sri Lanka and living in camps are being denied basic human rights including freedom of movement:
Flooding of Vavuniya IDP Camps-Possible outbreak of Epidemics:
PUCL demands immediate intervention of Gov.of India and International Community
PUCL expresses concern about reports from the IDP (Internally Displaced People) Camps in Vavuniya area housing Sri Lankan Tamil about severe flooding of the camps following heavy rains for the last 2 days. PUCL apprehends that the IDP camps will turn into `death traps’ unless urgent measures are taken to safeguard lives of the 300,000 inmates.
Zones 2 (Ramanathan Camp), 3 (Ananda Kumarasamy Camp), 4(No name) of Menik Farm Camps house 65,000, 43,000 and 41,000 inmates respectively. These camps are enclosed by barbed wire from which none can leave without permission of security forces. The camps are constructed in low lying areas susceptible to flooding. Toilets for the inmates are not only inadequate but are also temporary structures oftentimes being mere huge pits dug into the soil. Due to the rains the toilet pits have caved in. As though this is not bad, the toilets have also become full and there is severe water contamination. Flood waters mixed with toilet slush is reportedly flooding the living areas.
Zone 0 and 1 alone are the model zones shown to visiting journalists and diplomats. The habitations are built with tin roofs. Housing in Zones 2,3,4,5 and 6 are made from UN supplied tents shared by 2-3 families, with no privacy.
Supply of cooked food stuffs have been stopped two weeks back. The inmates of these camps have to depend on dry rations and have been forced to have individual kitchens. Due to the rains, the firewood have become wet and unusable. Families are therefore starving.
The red soils of the area have made the camps slushy and unlivable. It is reported that the flood waters are waist deep in some parts posing severe threat to personal safety, health and hygiene. Due to the poor road conditions vehicles are unable to move in the area and thus supply of essential commodities has stopped.
The situation of children and elderly is appalling. Equally horrible is the plight of the injured and handicapped people who are unable to compete with able bodies camp inmates for a share of essential commodities and toilet facilities.
Most NGOs are running out of money and unable to supply food to camps. It is informed that World Food Programme (WFP) is planning to close down its operations in these areas soon.
Epidemics and illnesses due to the poor conditions in the camps and flooding will kill as many as the war did unless the international community steps in and initiates remedial steps on a war footing. The world governments, especially the Government of India have a moral duty to the victims Tamils to ensure that all possible safety measures are initiated.
Government of India has announced that they are going to allocate another tranche of Rs. 500 crores. As members of Indian civil society PUCL demands on behalf of other human rights community that Government of India insist that the IDP camps are shifted to a safer place and all possible remedial measures be undertaken under supervision of Indian groups including experts and independent experts. If this is not done, PUCL fears there will be numerous deaths of Tamils and immense suffering.
Under the circumstances, PUCL urges the Government of India and the International Community to immediately intervene in the administration and running of the IDP camps in Vavuniya region of north Sri Lanka housing close to 300,000 Sri Lankan Tamils affected by the war.
Released to the Press in Chennai by Dr. V. Suresh, President, PUCL (Tamil Nadu and Puducherry)
By Arthur Wamanan
Torrential rains in Vavuniya Friday burst temporary sewage pipes, destroyed make-shift shelters and trapped thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) interned in Menik Farm in Vavuniya causing many of them to undergo severe difficulties as rain waters filled with sewage matter, maggots and human excreta rose in tents sheltering some 20,000 IDPs.
Reports reaching The Sunday Leader yesterday said that IDPs particularly in Zone 3 and Zone 4 of Menik Farm were seriously affected as poorly constructed drainage pipes caused severe flooding within the area.
The situation caused panic and while turmoil raged the Government moved in additional military personnel fearing large numbers of IDPs would escape the barbed wire camps.
The Sunday Leader has over the last three months consistently highlighted serious concerns raised by humanitarian agencies who pointed out that flooding was possible in these camps due to badly constructed drainage and sewer pipes.
Jeevan Thiyagarajah, Head of the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA) told The Sunday Leader that apart from inadequate sanitation facilities and tents meant for an emergency only would also collapse in the event of heavy rains. “My predictions have been proved right,” he said last evening.
Thiyagarajah in fact two months ago threatened court action if the tents were not de-congested.
Government officials yesterday confirmed that of some 20,000 IDPs facing this horrendous situation only around 1,000 had been relocated to other locations within Menik Farm.
Vavuniya Government Agent, P.S.M. Charles told The Sunday Leader that around 400 people in Zone 4 of Menik Farm were on low level grounds and faced more risks than the others in the camp.
“Around 1,000 persons have been shifted to locations within the camp premises. The problem in Zone 4 is that the drainage system could not be completed on time. These 400 persons are on lower level ground. Therefore, they face more problems and would have to be shifted to another location if rain continues,” she said yesterday.
She said the government continued to supply them with food and essential items.
Meanwhile, TNA Wanni District Parliamentarian Sivasakthi Anandan told The Sunday Leader that he had received calls from displaced persons on the issue. “IDPs especially in Zone 4 have been shifted to locations within the camp. I am not aware of the actual number,” he said. “In other zones too, those who live on lower level grounds face similar problems.” Courtesy: [thesundayleader.lk]
Related story on NY Times: Downpours Flood the Camps of Sri Lankan Refugees
Camp flooding in pictures:
PRESS RELEASE
BANGALORE-A delegation of eminent citizens and representatives of civil rights organisations met Mr. S.M. Krishna, Union Minister of External Affairs here on Aug13th and urged the Government of India to ensure speedy rehabilitation of internally displaced people (IDPs) and other war-affected people in Sri Lanka.
Under the banner of the Concerned Citizens Forum of South Asia, a new umbrella group that advocates human rights and humanitarian values in the region, the delegation met Mr. Krishna at his residence here this morning. The group submitted a ‘A roadmap for relief, resettlement and rehabilitation of displaced and war-affected people of Sri Lanka by the Government of Sri Lanka’ (A copy is enclosed-PDF File).
The delegation requested the minister to kindly use his good offices to take up this burning humanitarian issue with the Government of Sri Lanka and ensure relief and rehabilitation of the affected people before the monsoon sets in.
The delegation felt that the monsoon would unleash another humanitarian catastrophe in the crowded camps that house about 150,000 people and spread epidemics and misery. There are many wounded and disabled persons in the camps.
In response, Mr Krishna informed the delegation that the Prime Minister had expressed his willingness to donate an additional sum of Rs.500 crores towards relief in Sri Lanka.
However, he shared the delegation’s concern that aid cannot be left to fully under the control of Government of Sri Lanka, but it has to be monitored. The Government of India had earlier announced an aid package of Rs 500 crore.
The minister assured the delegation that he would seek a realistic report from the Indian High
Commissioner to Sri Lanka and act upon it without delay.
Some of the other issues that were raised by the delegation were related to:
• The resettlement of the IDPs in their places of origin or choice, as promised by the Sri Lankan Government, within 180 days.
• The Rs.500 crore aid declared by Govt of India, towards relief and rehabilitation of IDPs to be channeled through humanitarian agencies and the Government of Sri Lanka should be made accountable through proper monitoring by independent agencies.
• The issue of immediate family reunion was raised as members of the same family are often scattered in different camps. The main concern is about children being separated from their parents.
• A request was also made to stall the Sri Lankan designs to change the ethnic, demographic, and cultural patterns of the northern region by resettling Sinhalese there with incentives.
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• The delegation also urged the Govt of India to prevail upon the Govt of Sri Lanka to demilitarise the IDP camps and hand over their administration to the Civilian authorities.
• The delegation also requested the minister to prevail upon the Government of Sri Lanka to provide free access to international aid agencies and the media and the civil rights groups to reach out to the needs of the IDPs.
• In view of providing livelihood, the delegation requested the minister to prevail upon the Government of Sri Lanka to lift the ban on restriction of fishing in the coastal areas.
The appeal was signed and endorsed by eminent personalities and organizations, including:
Mr. Mangala Samaraweera, Member of Parliament (Sri Lanka), Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Government of Sri Lanka;
Ms. Jayamala, President, Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, Bangalore;
Dr.K.Sekar, Professor and Head of the Department of Psychiatric Social Work, NIMHANS, Bangalore;
Dr. V.Vijayakumar, UNHCR Chair on Refugee Law and Professor of Law, National Law School of India University, Bangalore;
Prof. E. J. Puttiah, Department of Environmental Science, Kuvempu University;
Dr.M.G.Krishnan, Professor and Head of the Dept of Political Science, Bangalore University,Bangalore;
Dr.Mathew Aerthaiyil SJ, Director, Indian Social Institute, Bangalore;
Dr.Ambrose Pinto SJ, Principal, St.Joseph’s College, Bangalore;
G. Deenadayalan, The Other Media, New Delhi;
South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (SICHREM ), Bangalore; FEDINA, Bangalore;
Pipal Tree, Fireflies, Bangalore; Kerala Private College Teachers Association, Thiruvanathapuram.
People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) India;
APCLC (Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties, Committee);
CPDR (Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights),
Mumbai; Organisation for Protection of Democratic Rights(OPDR), Andhra Pradesh;
HRF (Human Rights Forum) Andhra Pradesh; Confederation of Human Rights (COHR), Manipur;
Lokshakti Hukk Sangattana, Maharastra;
National Alliance of People’s Movements NAPM; and
Vimochana, Forum for Women’s Rights, Karnataka.
For more details: ccf.southasia@gmail.com
