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| Sunday, 6 February 2005 |
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Tsunami victims lament apathy of officials Many tsunami affected persons who have become victims of some irresponsible Government officials request the authorities to immediately remove such officers from the relief assistance programme if the Government wants to operate it smoothly. The Sunday Observer visited Galle and Kalutara Districts extensively last week. People request the Government to set up a team to monitor the work of Grma Niladharis and other officers who were involved in relief assistance program. Commissioner General of Essential Services Thilak Ranaviraja too confirmed on Wednesday that 70 per cent of the victims were deprived of relief assistance so far and immediate steps will be taken to rectify the delay. Victims in Galle and Kalutara Districts warned that these inefficient and non-cooperative officers can bring down any Government in power. Recent survey by Sunday Observer reveals that these officers have even failed to distribute the weekly Rs. 375 relief package to a majority of victims in Kalutara and Galle districts. People living in camps request the Government to hold an inquiry and remove inefficient and corrupt officers from the relief assistance program as "many tsunami victims have become victims of Government officials". Twenty-three families camped in Gomarankanda Viharaya in Payagala blamed officials of the Divisional Secretariat and Grama Niladhari divisions for the lapses. Camp leader Gamini Perera told the Sunday Observer that a certain official had visited the camp only once since December 26. "He had given more relief assistance to his relatives. Now people are waiting to beat him if he happens to come to the camp", Gamini said. He also said that when they requested oil to use for a boat donated by a Sri Lankan living in Ireland, the officer had chased them away stating "We have done enough for you all and get out of my office". Thereafter, with immense difficulties these fishermen had borrowed money by pawning ear-rings of their wives and bought oil for the boat which sailed for fishing last Tuesday. Another 79 families who were camped in Walauwatte, Dadalla in the 102 B Grama Niladhari Division also blamed officer for inefficiency and non-cooperation. Angry fisherman M. Gomes said that they have nothing to lose other than their lives. "If the Government do not speed up the program to assist us we have no other option but to commit suicide ourselves. Now many survivors say that they could have died with their relatives on December 26 without suffering like this," he said. Gomes said that the relevant officer was drunk most of the time in the office and often takes leave. Therefore, many victims have not got the weekly Rs. 375 dry ration in his camp. Though there were 79 families only 51 have got huts. N. Indrakumara now putting up in the camp in Ratgama Bandarawatte grounds where 42 families were living also talked to the Sunday Observer. He was residing in this area during the last three years and working at the Ratgama Pradeshiya Sabha. But the Grama Niladhari has not registered his family as a tsunami victim because his name was not in the electoral register. Therefore, he was not getting any relief. He fears that he will be deprived of all the assistance in the future. However, his neighbours have given shelter to his family in one of their huts. Though he had repeatedly appealed to register his name in the victims list, Grama Niladhari had declined to enter his name. When asked why he did not complain to the District Secretary he said "now they do not accept letters because they believe that my plea is not genuine. (JSN) |
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