Features | Sundayobserver.lk

Liberation is not just for the soldiers. The true liberation is creating an environment for the entire population of one nation to live in peace and harmony - without fear for life.

Bringing back a normal life for the people who lived under such strain where existence for them and their children was the topmost question, could be the toughest challenge.

One has to identify the dire situations they faced. For our own brethren who lived under the iron clutches of the LTTE for generations undergoing innumerable dilemmas, normalcy seemed something unreachable.

At the moment the country needs to take care of nearly 200,000 displaced women, men and children of all ages.

The terrorists threw them into the streets, robbing their meagre earnings like scavengers and at the end isolated them when the people mostly needed the so-called liberators. Though it was reiterated over international media on silencing their guns to avoid innocent blood spill there was no doubt it was just a shriek in desperation. They made life a hell for their own people.

"We have taken all the measures, with the support of the Non Governmental Organizations as well as the Government institutes to swiftly provide relief for these displaced people," Major General G.A. Chandrasiri, the Competent Authority for providing relief assistance to the displaced of the entire North said.

Maj. Gen. Chandrasiri being the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, was appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Competent Authority for coordination, administration and implementation of all welfare and relief work for displaced Wanni civilians in April to supervise this process.

With this new change, military discipline has blended well with the civil administration. At the moment 41 Non Governmental Organizations which includes five United Nation agencies, International Organization for Migration (IOM) and such INGOs.

"We don't wait till the displaced people reach this place. We were preparing shelter, hygienic facilities, water etc well ahead since they need a comfortable place to stay the moment we take them in," Maj. Gen. Chandrasiri explained.

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Providing the basic facilities to these people should be well organized, streamlined since it is essential to assure that each and every person gets equal treatment. This responsibility is solely of the people's Government and no one else. Many may comment, criticize on a variety of grounds but it is the Government that will be answerable to the entire nation. Government officials are separately appointed to supervise every facility provided for the people.

Main areas are divided into several sections - shelter, roads, drainage, electricity, cooperative and trade stalls, education, food supply, health, water sanitation, counselling and psychological health, childcare, religious and for release of elders and rejoining families.

Sharply observing the structure it is obvious that food, water, medicine and shelter are not the only concerns. This is the master plan for all four model villages namely the Anandha Kumaraswamy relief village, Ramanathan relief village, Arunachalam relief village and Kadhirgamar relief village. In the process of getting prepared for the newcomers, relief workers under the directives of the competent authority office were putting up 500 shelters per day.

Proper structure

Dividing the Menik Farm into four zones, for efficient administration, the model villages are already put up with several modern amenities taking place in each.The Ananda Kumaraswamy village is put up in the Menik farm zone one, the Ramanathan village in the zone 2, Arunachalum village in zone 3 and the Kadirgamar village as the Menik Farm model village.

Zone 1,2, and 3 is situated combined with each other in an area of 1400 acres, and the Kadirgamar village with 1000 acres.

The zone 4 is getting prepared for habitation in Parayankulam, just two kilometers from the Menik Farm.

"Orphan children below 10 years are given the chance to be with their relatives. Even that is only if the facts are confirmed by the other parties," Maj. Gen. Chandrasiri added. According to the Competent Authority even elders above 60 years are allowed to join their relatives instead of staying in the welfare centres. These are not the only welfare centres for internally displaced people that are looked after by the Competent Authority Office. In Mannar three welfare centres are functioning while a total of 22 welfare centres are in Vavuniya. Weli Oya three IDP welfare centres are functioning and Jaffna has 11 welfare centres."The service should be given to the people and not to highlight individual organizations. All who contribute to this entire operation must have the same intention to provide the necessary facilities to these people in an organized manner," Maj. Gen. Chandrasiri stated further.

Welfare facilities for 210,000

A total of 86,000 people reached the Welfare camps in Vavuniya after May 17, 2009, Competent Authority Major General G.A. Chandrasiri stated. This brings the total number of displaced innocent Tamil civilians sheltered in welfare camps to 210,000.

"We were getting prepared well before they reached our welfare centres. Accordingly food, water, medical facilities etc are provided adequately," Maj.Gen. Chandrasiri confirmed.As Maj. Gen. Chandrasiri explained most of the people who were staying here for sometime have already started community style cooking-where the community gets together to prepare their own meals. After receiving the necessary utensils each family will be able to prepare their own meals and the food items provided.

"As soon as displaced people come here we provide them with cooked meals for the first three days and after the three days preparations are made for them to start their own cooking," he added.Simultaneously the Ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services under the directives of Minister Rishad Badhiudeen ensures adequate supply of essential items - food and non food - to all the welfare centres. Giving the highest priority at this national requirement the ministry is taking all the measures to provide comfortable accommodation for these innocent displaced civilians treating them with equality.

A trade stall set up in a welfare centre	Proper sanitary facilities
A mini garment factory inside the welfare camp	A primary school inside the Menik Farm premises

Adequate drinking water is provided continously to all welfare centres

Equal treatment for every person

** Approx. 86,000 people reach after May 17

** Over 40 INGOs and NGOs provide relief work

** Special administrative plan to equally treat every IDP

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Proper structure