SRI LANKA: Relief ends where the road ends

By Munza Mushtaq
AsiaMedia Contributing Writer

Lack of coordination causes relief to end at the main road, leaving remote shelters without supplies

Tuesday, January 4, 2005

Amidst reports that there is ample food and medicine and other necessities at all refugee camps in the South of Sri Lanka, many relief officers currently operating in the Eastern part of the country express concerns that there is still a severe lack of food, clothing and medicine for the tsunami victims in the Batticaloa, Ampara district shelter homes.

Relief workers, who declined to be named, note that many of the shelter homes situated in close proximity to the main roads are getting food items and supplies, while shelter homes in the interior are short of food and medicine. Even as groups, individuals and organizations bring relief to the East, most of the supplies are just being handed over to the shelter homes situated at the main road. Supplies do not make it to the interior and more isolated shelter homes, currently housing thousands of tsunami victims who have lost their homes and other valuables.

Relief officials note that there is a severe lack of coordination that leaves isolated shelter homes without relief or with relief that is slow to arrive. Most these shelter homes are suffering without water, food and clothes. Relief officials also point out that in such shelter homes, disease is likely to spread due to a lack of necessary medications.  Fear of reprisal from local political parties caused many sources to insist on anonymity.

The Eastern part of Sri Lanka was badly hit in the December 26 tidal waves, which engulfed many parts of Sri Lanka killing more than 40,000 and displacing nearly one million people.

Munza Mushtaq is a journalist in Colombo who writes for the Daily Mirror and Lanka Academic. Mushtaq also represented Sri Lanka at the South Asian Forum for Energy Journalists earlier this year.

Date Posted: 1/4/2005