Right to Health of Internally Displaced Persons - IDP SriLanka

when we compare with the rising cost of living, especially high prices for
foods. According to the prevailing retail price index in Sri Lanka, June
2008; one has to bear cost of 55-70 rupees only for a one (1) Kg of rice.
This clearly shows the inadequacy of the quantity of dry ration and the
adverse effect of these provisions greatly falls on families like single
headed, women headed, child headed families and the families with a
disabled breadwinner. Comparatively, consequent to Tsunami disaster,
each member of a family unit were received dry ration worth Rs.375 /=
67
per week (1500/= per person for a month) and whereas according to the
present provision of dry ration to conflict affected IDPs it is only 1260/=
for a family with 5 or more members for a month.
In addition, the poor quality of dry rations and discrepancies in issuing
dry rations by Multi Purpose Cooperating Societies (MPCS) also
reported by IDPs. IDPs in Wahalkada and Mawathawewa relocations in
Anuradhapura complained about the availability of low quality food
68
items in cooperative societies issued for dry ration . Although the
Project managed to solve the particular problem by arranging PHI to visit
particular cooperative societies once a month still there is no proper
mechanism to address the mater in long term basis. Meanwhile, due to
“rice crisis” prevailed in around April, 2008 MPCS did not provide rice
and flour was provided instead. However it was evident that even before
and after “rice crisis” this pattern is being carried out due to the lack of
required food stocks in MPCS. It was reported that there are 108 recently
resettled families in Kalmadu (Ieeswaripuram) Resettlement village,
69 70
Vavuniya , have not received ration since October of 2007 . Recently it
was also observed followed by Project visits to Hidayath Nagar RLV,
Hijrath Nagar RLV, Poonaipitty RLV in Puttalam that 17 Families,
displaced from Trincomalee & settled in Poonaippitty in 2006 and 7
families displaced from Muttur 2006, living in Pulichchakulam
67
According to the Circular dated 05.01.2005 issued by the Director of Social
Services of Department of Social Services
68
Complaint No :( HRC/IDP/AP/06/17) of NPDS for IDPs Project of HRCSL
69
These people were resettled on September and October 2007 from Poonthoddam
WC
70
This particular incident is cured at this moment but it is mentioned to as an example
of prevailing irregularity.
56