Idp

www.troonline.net

Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation

Head Office: 254 Jaffna Road, Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka Ph/Fax: +94 (0) 21 228 3947

Report of Mr. Cristy on his visit to Vanneri and Anavilunthan on 4th and 5th of August, 2008 Displacement & TRO Support Extensive shelling is taking place on Mulankavil and Jeyapuram and on the coastal villages such as Iranaimathanagar and Nachchikuda. The sound of barrages could be heard at distant places such as Akkarayan. The night shelling is a real nightmare. The sound itself infuses panic and anguish in the hearts of the people. People try to move to safer places to protect themselves especially their children. The shelling damages their houses, common places such as schools, temples and churches, their paddy fields, fishing boats and their household animals such as cows, goats and poultry. TRO provides transport facilities to the people who want to get evacuated immediately to save

themselves from the shelling. The intensive shelling prevents people from dismantling their houses, gathering their domestic animals and taking their household items with them. They take some bags, stuff them quickly with valuable items, including their livelihood equipment such as nets and fishing gears, and hop into the vehicles provided by TRO with the intention of leaving the places as quick as possible. TRO volunteers, numbering about 200, work

around the clock under the dangerous conditions of heavy shelling and barrages. The route the vehicles travel also can be targeted by Deep Penetration Units of the Sri Lankan Army operating in the jungle areas along the routes targeting any vehicle coming within their killing zone. The situation of the people coming from coastal villages of Mannar and Kilinochchi is pathetic. Many are experiencing displacement for the first time. There is no preparedness only immediate evacuation with a bag or two. Living Under the Trees & Education

www.troonline.net



Hundreds of families were languishing without basic facilities. We saw them in the compounds of Vanneri Maha Vidyalayam, a school and an adjoining church. Many were under the trees. As crowds are expanding rapidly there is competition even for shady trees. We saw many with their bags and baggage scattered around trees without much foliage.

We met a family of eight children – the father is a handicapped person with lame leg and one of the children, a 3 year old girl, is mentally retarded due to malnourishment. The family keeps their bags under a tree while they try to sit under the verandahs of the school and church. They are not welcome there as Advanced Level Examination is being held in the hall of the school and the school administration wants a peaceful atmosphere for the school children to concentrate to write correct answers in the exam. We also saw 4 families with 15 members – children, women and adults living under a single tarpaulin borrowed from the neighbour. Sleeping (lying in with heavy heart and worries), cooking and pondering – all activities were going on under that tent. Some families were staying under hot sun using their saris as roof and walls of their so called shelter. The problem of prioritization: there is a conflict between the proper conduct of the “A” Level exam for the future benefit of the children and the

alleviation of the immediate suffering of the IDPs. How many IDPs the small church verandah will accommodate? The solution is to provide a tarpaulin sheet immediately to safeguard from the scorching sun and the threatening thundershowers. We promised the families sheets as soon as possible. Food What about food? It’s a woman headed family as the head of the family handicapped. She worked as a labourer on the beach assisting in the sorting out fish brought to the shore by fishermen. She had to feed the stomachs of 8 small children, disabled husband and herself. She lamented:

“What shall I do? I don’t know any other job. This is a farming area. We don’t have any savings. We earned so little that we had to spend the money we

www.troonline.net



earned the same day. We have registered ourselves for dry rations at the Grama Sevaka (local government official) office 6 ago before. But still we didn’t get dry ration yet. When children cry even for a morsel of rice I feel horrible. Sometimes I think of committing suicide. I hope that things will change soon.”

When I asked an official from World Food Programme, who didn’t want to be identified, about this, I was told:

“There are delays in bringing food items from Colombo. There are delays in getting Ministry approvals for providing relief dry rations to the IDPs. But we try to overcome this problem by providing 2 weeks dry rations immediately after the registration pending the approval. After the approval from the Ministry we can provide the dry rations regularly. But transport delays may create shortages that would prevent us from giving the full monthly quota of dry rations to an IDP family and also pave the way for delayed distribution.”

This problem is tackled by local NGOs and international NGOs though the provision of food and supplementary food items to compensate for the delays. Livelihoods The problem of livelihoods will emerge with high magnitude when there are long delays and closure of checkpoints preventing food and other items to be brought from the South. Another point is that this agricultural area is not suitable for the livelihood of coastal folk. They have to be shifted to other coastal areas very soon to enable them to return to their livelihoods and be able to support themselves. Water Water is a major problem. There are some wells are in the vicinity, but they will dry up quickly if pumped out for bowsering. Thereby only limited water supplying can be done. Morning and evening water for the IDPs is provided by TRO, World Vision, and the local Pradesiya Saba (local government office). Forty-five (45) 2000 litre tanks have been setup: TRO provided 22 tanks, Oxfam 14 tanks, and the Administrative service 9 tanks. Sixteen (16) more tanks are required. In the area already crowded with about 7000 families the amount of water provided is barely enough for drinking and cooking purposes. Oxfam and ICRC are cleaning and chlorinating the

www.troonline.net



wells. Some tube wells are there. Some more tube wells are being considered. The people in Mannar have come from areas dotted with many water reservoirs. Small tanks are neatly connected by canals linking with each other and with main supplier giant tank “Kaddukaraikulam”. The others have come from the coastal sea area. To those who are used to daily bathing and swimming in the canals, reservoirs and sea only to wet the body slightly or not at all is a tragedy.

According to the international Sphere Standards, a person should get 15 litres of water for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene per day. But here, 4 - 5 litres is the maximum a person gets. Other provisions in regard to water are adhered to here. The water point is within 500 metres of the IDPs and the queuing time for is under 15 minutes due to the proper camp management that is provided by TRO with necessary tanks provided and the organization for regular supply and orderly distribution. Coordination & Organization For easy administrative purposes

Vanneri village has been divided into 3 zones and Anavilinthan into 3 zones in an organizational meeting held with government and non-government stakeholders. All necessary infrastructures and relief structures will be in place to help the IDP population. First of all, it was decided to do IDP population survey and rapid needs assessment by formulating. The survey has to be done in 3 days time for the purpose of effective relief management and avoid duplication of relief assistance. With those indicators in hand, to implement the project activities an ad hoc main Steering Committee (similar to the Tsunami Task Force) will be formed which will comprise the NGO Consortium, local NGOs and government and international organizations. Each zone will have zonal steering committees (task forces). The main committee will be in charge for the whole area (Vanneri and Anavilunthan) and all zonal committees will handle specific activities for the zone related to water supply, solid waste disposal, social mobilization and counseling, construction work with the participation of beneficiaries, data collection and updating, regular and orderly distribution of food and non

www.troonline.net



food items, shramadana activities, personal and community hygiene, cleanliness and protection of environment, preventive and curative health measures, children’s education and play activities, training and awareness workshops. The Main Committee will convene once in 3 days and the zonal committees will meet everyday in the evenings. INGOs and UN organizations will be asked to take one or two zones to their responsibility to do all necessary activities within their mandate in an integrated and holistic manner. Security & Protection Security concerns and the possibilities of multiple displacements put forward by international actors compel us to change our strategies suited to the new fragile and fluctuating situation. People are choosing their places of temporary settlement – then we go along with their choices. But when shells fired on the IDP settlements by the advancing army then we have to look for new places – not yet targeted so far for artillery fire. The paradox is that all the areas in Vanni have come within the shell range of Sri Lankan Army. As a solution we

put forward the idea of doing assistance to IDPs wherever they choose to settle with temporary arrangements with the viability of quick evacuation in the event of another displacement. The land allocation will be the responsibility of Assistant Government Agents and Administrative Service – finally approved by GA. Camp Management Camp management is a very important task in order to create normal life atmosphere, to keep the new social fabric - This task is made easier by the willingness of the IDPs to live together with their friends and relatives of their village of origin, to prevent social degeneration and domestic violence exacerbated by alcoholism, to maintain physical and mental health and well being from the contagious diseases traumatic

www.troonline.net



experiences, to promote gender balance and child rights and above all the protection of the IDPs from being physically, mentally and spiritually abused. Creation of condition for dignified life to the IDPs will be the goal of the above committees. Shelter Some of the IDPs from Mannar have come to Vanneri and Anavilunthan with their dismantled shelters. In their case as the cadjans have been damaged by transport and time 700 families need cadjans to put shelters with the timbers they brought with them. About 2000 tarpaulins to be distributed immediately to IDPs who have not brought any shelter materials and living under trees. In this, 400 families need urgent attention, as they are women headed, disabled and poor – categorized as vulnerable. Toilets This is a top priority issue. There are no toilets for 7000 families. Congested IDP family concentrations without toilet facilities ring an alarm bell for danger. Already few cases of eye diseases were detected. So far no malaria, dysentery and diarrhoea cases- thanks to the services of Centre for Health Care, TRO camp management and Pradesia Sabas’ supply of cleaned water and garbage disposal. CHC has put up an office and taken immediate preventive and curative measures with scores of volunteers. For a time being mamoties (large hoes) are provided by TRO. People don’t much use them because of hard soil. This leads to excretion on the jungle paths and road sides wreaking havoc on the environment and leading to health hazards. Health With the health department, Akkarayan Hospital, Centre for Health Care and Theleepan Mobile Health Clinics provide health services within their limits. Shortage of medicines and equipments and delays in transport may create serious problems in the future. Education No pre schools have been started yet for the children of IDPs. Pre school Education Development Centre has mobilized their coordinator, who themselves have been displaced, to start pre schools activities in the new settlements. World Vision, Save the Children in Sri Lanka, Forut , traditional pre school promoting organizations, have not started any work in this regard. Children’s Rejoicing camps also have not come up yet. The IDP children have to be accommodated in schools in Vanneri and Anavilunthan. The materials and furniture for the additional IDP children will be a major problem. Three or four 80’ x 20’ sheds have to be put up within the school compound to be used as new classrooms

Travel

Idp