Uprooted civilians in Kodikaamam starve due to reduced food ration

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 July 2010, 15:41 GMT]
2,307 uprooted civilians of 715 families staying in Raamaavil camp in Kodikaamam in Thenmaraadchi complain of starvation as they are given only rice, that too of a very poor quality, as dry food relief ration. They are forced to sell the poor quality rice as cattle fodder and buy rice for consumption, they further said. The relief dry food ration given under World Food Programme had been suddenly suspended and former Jaffna Government Agent K. Ganesh had announced that the supply of dry food relief ration would be soon resumed, following media reports exposing the sudden suspension, sources in Jaffna said.

A new scheme in which recipients of relief dry food ration were expected to take part in village development work had been introduced prior to the suspension of supply.

In this context the World Food Programme authorities are reluctant to issue relief dry food ration to the families in Raamaavil camp, the sources added.

The reduction in the supply of relief dry food which earlier included sugar, dhal, wheat flour and cooking oil has affected the families hard.

“It is difficult to get any work and earn money to buy food for our elders and children and the poor quality rice is not fit for consumption; we are in a miserable and helpless state,” the men and women in Raamaavil camp said.

The families staying in Raamaavil camp are uprooted civilians from Vadamaraadchi East and certain areas in Mullaiththeevu district where people are not allowed to resettle in their own places.