SL: TAMIL IDPs FLOCKING TO MULLAITIVU!!!

Severe shortage of shelter / Sheds converted to schools

By Jamila Najmuddin

A severe shortage of shelter is brewing in Mullaitivu as more than 300 families cross into the district each day to flee the fighting in Kilinochchi, a government official in the area said yesterday.

Currently, schools in Mullaitivu have been transformed into temporary shelters to accommodate those fleeing the areas while many displaced people also continue to sleep under trees and strawboard.

Due to schools being occupied by the IDPs, children are forced to study in sheds and bunkers which have been transformed as temporary schools to prepare the students to sit for the upcoming GCE O/Level and A/Level examinations.

“These children need to be prepared for the exams which is why they are forced to study in sheds. We urgently need shelter so that the schools can be vacated for the children once again,” Mullaitivu Government Agent, Emilda Sukumar said.

Due to influx of refugees, sanitation facilities in the district also need to be urgently improved in order to avoid any outbreak of diseases, Sukumar added.

While there is no interruption in the district’s health facilities or no outbreaks reported to date, Sukumar said sanitation was a cause for great concern as many schools and temporary camps did not have toilets for the women and children.

“We have sent a list of what we need and what needs to be improved for the refugees to the government this week. They will look into this and send us the necessary facilities,” Sukumar added.Meanwhile, medicines and food have arrived in ample stock in Mullaitivu as WFP convoys continue to transport food with the assistance of the government.

Last week alone, 18 lorries of emergency food arrived in the Mullaitivu district which would be sufficient for distribution to the refugees during the first two weeks of November, M/s. Sukumar said.

She added that the government’s Essential Services Commission also continued to supply the district with the necessary food and aid which was distributed to the refugees on time.

Meanwhile, fewer refugees were leaving the uncleared areas to flee into Vavuniya due to permission required from the LTTE, government sources said.

While refugees were not being facilitated to leave the uncleared areas by the respective government agents, sources said many preferred to remain in areas they have fled to in order to avoid approaching the Tigers.
dailymirror.lk