Oxfam writes on Vakarai awakening gradually

With reference to our photo feature last week, the Oxfam Country Program representative Joan Summers has sent us the following letter.

"I am writing to you with reference to the photo feature "Vaharai reawakening gradually" published in your esteemed newspaper on Sunday 13th May 2007.

"The photo feature has a picture of water purification plant with Oxfam logo and the caption states "certain NGOs, in the guise of providing relief to civilians, spent millions of dollars only to provide purified water to Tiger bases including the Soranam Base in Verugal".

We wish to clarify that:

"Oxfam has not provided purified water to Tiger bases. Oxfam had set up the water purification plant in Verugal in collaboration with Government of Sri Lanka through the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, Government Agent of Batticaloa and Trincomalee as a part of tsunami recovery programme.

The water purification plant was installed in June 2005 and on an average it produced 125,000 litres of water per day. Government agencies, INGOs and NGOs made use of this facility and supplied water to over 70,000 IDPs. However, the purification plant had to be abandoned in December 2006 with the on set of hostilities in the area.

Oxfam notified this to the relevant Government authorities to ensure the safety of its equipment. Unfortunately, when we were able to assess the plant again in April 2007, we found that the water treatment plant had been badly damaged.

"Government authorities requested Oxfam in April to assist in the resettlement of communities in Vaharai. As a part of the resettlement plan, we have agreed with Government to restart the purification plant after necessary repair.

"Oxfam is one of the leading humanitarian agencies in Sri Lanka that provides water and sanitation facilities to the conflict IDP's and communities affected by natural disasters.

Soon after the tsunami Oxfam reached to over 50,000 families in all the tsunami affected areas. Earlier this year Oxfam supported the flood victims in Hambantota. At present, Oxfam meets the water and sanitation needs of over 40,000 IDPs in the Government controlled areas of Batticaloa and Trincomalee.

Over 150,000 litres of water is being supplied to IDP camps everyday. Recently, Oxfam renovated a water supply scheme with National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) in Batticaloa town.

This scheme caters to the needs of over 25,000 families, including the Batticaloa teaching Hospital. In all these initiatives, Oxfam closely work with Government to meet the needs of the affected people".

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Editor's note:

The particular picture has spoken itself. Our reporter stands by his story. We made further verification with the respective sources, and according to them, the Oxfam, for reasons restricted to them, installed this purification plant close to Tiger bases in Verugal rather than installing it in a civilian populated area.

Nobody could stop Tigers using water from this plant.

Our caption has not referred to Oxfam or any other particular NGO but it says what it has to say, and there are several NGOs permitted by the Government to involve in relief work in, the then Tiger held Vakarai and Verugal areas, and we possess ample proofs to the Tigers using of such NGO facilities to build up their military activities against the security forces in the area.