Lifeline Daily Radio Show #233 (15 December 2009)

People in flood-affected areas in the Eastern Province are being given temporary shelters. In the North, there is a chance of dengue spreading to relief villages. Also in the North, MAG International says demining work is continuing at a rapid pace. Meanwhile, IDPs who have resettled in the North and East say they need help with livelihoods.

• Monsoon floods in the East
• Dengue may spread in relief villages
• Demining work to be completed as soon as possible
• Government assistance for resettlers

PLUS
-News and Current Affairs (“Nihalthal Arithal”)
-”Come, Let’s Learn” – Sinhala/Tamil Language lesson – Conversation in a shop
-PSA – Stay safe from landmines
-International News – IDPs in Iraq
-Health Tips – Artificial Limbs
-Know Your Rights – IDPs’ right to reunite with family members
-Memories – The story of an IDP

Monsoon floods in the East
Heavy showers have caused floods in the Eastern Province, causing the temporary displacement of many families. Several roads in Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Ampara Districts have been inundated.
Batticaloa GA, Sundaram Arumainayagam said that people affected in Batticaloa have been provided with temporary shelters in Kathankudi and Kiran.

Deputy Director of the Meteorological Department, Siriranjith Jayasekara said that the mini cyclone threat has passed. “However, rains can be expected in several places in the country, especially in the Central Province. People should be on alert with regard to floods,” he added.

Dengue may spread in relief villages
The Northern Province Health Department says that 385 persons have been infected with dengue and ten have died due to the disease in Vavuniya.

Perumal Thineswaran at Zone 4, Chettikulam relief village said that there is a chance that the disease could spread within relief villages as well.

Mr Jeyaraj, Secretary of the Vavuniya Urban Council said that house to house inspections were carried out and that the people were being educated on how to prevent dengue infection.

Demining work to be completed as soon as possible
Llewelyn Jones, Country Programme Manager for Mines Advisory Group (MAG)  said that it was difficult to say when the demining process would be complete.

He said that they did not have information of the total number of mines buried, as mines were being buried in the north up until the end of last battle.

He explained that the focus was on the areas where people were being resettled. “The main challenge is to ensure that the demining work is completed as soon as possible so that people who are rapidly being resettled will be safe.”

Government assistance for resettlers
M.Yogarasa, an IDP who has resettled in Kangarayankulam, Mullaithivu, says that more assistance is needed for people returning to areas destroyed by the war. “The government has ensured our basic needs are looked after. But we need assistance in finding livelihoods.”

Mrs.Balavani, also a returnee from Mullaithivu said that she and her family needed help with resuming farm work and in repairing their well which has been damaged in the conflict.

Mullaithivu GA  Imelda Sukumar said that the government has provided for most of the needs of returnees, but that there is more work to be done. “ We have given them financial assistance and some equipment and tractors for farming work. Health, postal and irrigation facilities are being renovated as well.”