Floods worsen woes of Champoor uprooted in transit camps

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 December 2010, 03:18 GMT]
Continuous rain for the last one week has disrupted the normal life in several parts of the Trincomalee district, especially the refugees uprooted from Champoor in Moothoor East in 2006 military operations by the Sri Lanka Army and currently sheltered in temporary transit camps in Ki'liveddy, Manatcheanai and Paddiththidal, civil society sources in Trincomalee said.

The transit camps are now under water following heavy rain displacing the refugees again to nearby public buildings and Kovils for night stay.

The refugee are undergoing terrible hardships without basic amneties including toilet facilities. Children are in danger of contracting disease such as fever and diarrhea due to non-availability of drinking water in these camps. The medical facilities are not provided regularly to the inmates, civil sources said.

Elsewhere in the district the rain has affected hundreds of families residing in low lying areas in Thampalakaamam, Paththinipuram and Allesgarden in Trincomalee town. They have sought refuge in Kovils, Churches and public buildings as their houses are under flood.

Social Service Department has been supplying cooked meals for them.

The rain still continues in the Trincomalee district Monday.

The Champoor uprooted people first fled to Batticaloa district and sought refuge following the military operation. They were later brought to Moothoor on the expectation that they would be resettled in their own villages.

But the Sri Lanka Army refused permission to civil authorities to resettle them in their villages citing reason that the Champoor area has been declared high security zone.

Hence these uprooted people have been languishing in temporary huts in transit camp with tin-sheet roof with no future.