National Microfinance Study of Sri Lanka: Survey of Practices and ...

The population as a whole depends on kerosene, candles and solid fuel fires for
their power and light sources. The provision of water has remained a high priority
in this area and the international relief agencies and organisations are continuing
to undertake a number of projects and programmes in the rehabilitation and
supply of water and sanitation.
The telecommunications in the Wanni are controlled by the LTTE who sell local
and IDD services utilizing satellite phone systems. The international organisations
have radio and pactor communication systems through which they communicate
with their vehicles, field offices and Colombo based head offices.
The LTTE manage the functioning of the services normally managed by
ministries and government departments including district courts and policing. The
supply of extension services for agriculture and livestock is poor with a shortage
of staff, vaccinations and medicines.
Schools are open but there is an acute lack of adequate teaching and learning
materials and a shortage of educational personnel. A number of schools have
been relocated in the Madhu church area to increase the security of the pupils and
their families from the risk of direct conflict by the protagonists.
International agencies and organisations such as CARE, FORUT, OXFAM and
UNICEF provide support mainly to pre school education through the supply of
buildings, Capital equipment and school stationery items. In some cases local
NGOs’ supply pre school teachers and their payments through operating group
based social mobilisation and savings & credit schemes that have been resourced
and assisted by the INGOs’ present in the area.
In terms of health there is a chronic shortage of health services generally with
staff shortages and an under supply of equipment, essential drugs and medicines.
Poor care in the prenatal period, and respiratory infections in the early months of
life contribute to the high rates of infant deaths. Throughout the Wanni the
national health staff are supported by international medical practitioners and
professionals supplied by organisations such as MSF who provide essential
services such as surgery and paediatrics. The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society that is
supported by the ICRC takes patients requiring emergency or long-term care to
hospitals outside of the Wanni.
The Actor-Stakeholder Environment in the Region
GoSL and Security Forces
The GoSL and the Security Forces are without doubt the main actors in the
‘cleared’ areas of the region and the LTTE in the ‘uncleared’ areas. These bodies
control and determine all access and egress to and from the region and have
spread an ‘overlay’ of regulations, laws and prohibitions over civic society that
affects all the population and the agencies and organisations living and working
within the region.
Local government departments involved in the primary industries of the region
are badly under-funded and understaffed. In some cases there is just an office and
notice board with perhaps one or two government officers. In one case in
Vavuniya, a veterinary surgeon was tending to pet animals belonging to
individuals' as there was no transport for her to go to the divisional secretariat
where her work with livestock is essential.