Tsunami victims in Batticaloa ignored by the Government - School principal
[TamilNet, Friday, 28 January 2005, 14:20 GMT]
Government has not provided food or any other relief for the entire month since the tsunami to the refugees housed at the Batticaloa St. Michael's College welfare centre, said the Principal of the College, Rev. Bro James Pieris, while speaking to the media on Thursday.
He added that there are 301 families housed at the welfare centre and the Batticaloa Ehert organization has fed them since December 26. All other relief has been provided by voluntary organisations and individuals. The UNHCR has provided the 301 families Rs 6000 worth of gods per family. According to the principal, after the tsunami, more than 3000 people sought refuge in the school. Batticaloa Ehert organization provided food for them for ten days. These refugees were asked to move to Batticaloa Hindu College welfare centre after ten days. A bus was brought to transport them, but they refused to move because there is no sufficient room and toilet facilities at the Hindu College premises. The bus waited for three hours. Only three families eventually moved to the new premise, but two of the families returned to St Michael's College welfare centre. The Grama Sevaka visited the centre regularly for the first ten days. Except for a single visit by the Divisional Secretary, no officer visited the welfare centre since then, he said.
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