TSUNAMI DISPLACED FAMILIES STILL IN TEMPORARY HOUSES
Although more than seven years have elapsed since the tsunami disaster hit the costal areas causing much havoc and claiming thousands of lives, several displaced families in the Ampara District have been living in temporary houses amid hardship for want of basic facilities.
They said their representations in this regard to the relevant authorities fell on the deaf years and resettlement was taking place at a slow pace. They said they depended on agriculture, fishery and livestock farming and lived a well to do life before the disaster confined them to the refugee camps, but now they earned a pittance to feed their families as manual workers.
One of the occupants of a temporary house K. Gopalasingham and seven of his rela-
We have been living in refugee camps and temporary houses for more than seven years, but the officials are not concerned about our predicament
tives disappeared in the disaster. He said he lived several years in a refugee camp until he was settled in a temporary house. He further said the authorities had not yet provided any facilities for a livelihood and that many displaced persons had been reduced to beggary.
Another displaced person A K Parasana said he had been a dairy farmer before the tsunami disaster, but lost all his cattle and other property during the disaster.
“We have been living in refugee camps and temporary houses for more than seven years, but the officials are not concerned about our predicament. We often meet the Samurdhi Officers and the Grama Niladharies and request them to look into our basic needs but to no avail. Now many of us go to the beach and help the fishermen to drag nets and earn a pittance to keep our heads above water,” he said.
Kandaiah Sivarajah from Karthive said some of the displaced families received Rs.50,000 as the first installment to build a house, but they did not receive the balance money.“when we asked for the balance payments, the officials told us that the project was now over and that nothing more could be paid. My family of four children are living at a relatives house” Kandaiah said.
N. Devapriyan had been a fisherman before his boat and the fishing gear were destroyed by the tsunami. He said several fishermen affected by the tsunami received boats and fishing gear from an NGO but they were facing hardship for want of permanent houses by the sea beach to engage in their usual trade.
Meanwhile Chairman of the Karthive Pradeshiya Sabha Selliah Rasaiah said several housing schemes were built for the displaced families but an effective programme to improve their economy was yet to be implemented. He said many of the children in tsunami affected families are not attending school.
The Saindamaradu Divisional Secretary M.A. Saleem said, “We had planned to settle the displaced families in 300 houses during the commemoration of the disaster. However we had to postpone it. The housing schemes were built on marshy land that was filled under the project that took a long time. I am hopeful that all refugees could be settled in permanent houses soon.
The Kalmunai Divisional Secretary said the construction work on 168 houses was complete but some individuals were occupying them by force. He said legal action against them was pending.