Need 10,000 high-grade tents, says TRO Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 January 2005, 15:46 GMT]
The co-ordinating Colombo office of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), an NGO registered with Government of Sri Lanka and working exclusively in the NorthEast, told TamilNet that they need up to 10,000 tents that can hold a family of five to temporarily house displaced people in different areas of North East, and urgently need 200 tents within the next few days. “TRO offices in the United States are working to fulfill this need,” Chandru Pararajasingham, director of TRO Colombo office told TamilNet.

Meanwhile, the Center for National Operations (CNO), an organization set up by Ms Kumaratunge to centrally co-ordinate relief operations said that 29000 tents promised delivery by different NGOs including UNHCR’s 11,000 tents are in the “pipeline.”

TRO sources said that they are not aware if an equitable fraction of these tents in NGOs’ pipeline is earmarked for use in the Northeast.

Sources added that TRO used its own funds to buy 400 tents, and another 1000 tents were donated to them by expatriate Tamils and international NGOs. TRO is also closely working with GTZ, a German Government funded NGO, in providing temporary shelter for those affected by tsunami in the eastern coastal belt.

USAID and ICRC, two other large international NGOs, are supplying tents to those who have sought shelter in camps cared for by the USAID and ICRC support.

TRO officials in the US told TamilNet that fund raising to support TRO’s activities on the ground is proceeding satisfactorily and that they are confident of achieving the phase one target of USD 1 million in the next two weeks.

Phase one relief supports the immediate needs of those affected by tsunami and is expected to continue till the middle of February, lasting about 6 weeks from the time of disaster when focus will turn to longer term rehabilitation and rebuilding.