Essential items to be delivered to the displaced people

A high level policy meeting of the Consultative Committee on Humanitarian Assistance (CCHA) was held yesterday where Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights and Senior Advisor to the President, Basil Rajapaksa addressed humanitarian issues faced by the people of the Wanni. While reiterating the continuous commitment of the Government in providing humanitarian assistance to the people in the Wanni, Minister Samarasinghe and Mr. Basil Rajapaksa requested the Government Agents of Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya to assess the current situation for immediate assistance to be provided. Both Government Agents (GAs) of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu said IDPs were housed in schools in areas of displacement with further plans to settle them in shelters during the coming weeks......

They also informed the CCHA that contingency plans have been drawn up to accommodate any further increase in IDPs. This was contrary to recent reports on IDPs living under trees, the Disaster Management Ministry said.

The GAs informed there was a buffer stock of food available for two weeks coupled with the Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development and World Food Programme (WFP) providing food rations for a period of one month. The Ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services informed they have already released a sum of Rs. 15 million for the Kilinochchi District and Rs. 8 million for the Mullaitivu District to meet the needs of the people. A further two lorry loads of clothing, kitchen utensils, water containers, tarpaulins and other essential items would be sent next week to the Wanni.

In addition to this, the Ministry continued to supply dry rations for protracted IDPs in the area, the Disaster Management Ministry said. At the meeting the Ministry of Health had informed the request for medical items by the Regional Director of Health Services (RDHS) was ready for transportation and the Commissioner General of Essential Services (CGES) has approved the items.

The Government assured the GAs of full facilitation in order to enable them to deliver humanitarian assistance to those in need without delay. The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Neil Buhne who was also at the meeting thanked the Government Agents for the excellent work undertaken in order to provide humanitarian assistance to the people.

He further expressed his appreciation for the cooperation extended by the government to the UN and humanitarian agencies in carrying out their work in the Wanni, the Disaster Management Ministry said.

(Courtesy : Daily Mirror)