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Ceylon Christian Care |
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News |
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August 21st, 2006 Situation Report Heavy fighting in North and East - Providing Relief to the refugees |
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Friends,
Renewed hostilities between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Tamil Tigers) reportedly began in late July, when the military moved into Mutur to reopen a sluice gate -- a controlling system for water supply -- that had been taken over by the Tigers. The days that followed witnessed the first major military clash since the 2002 ceasefire.
All these years after the cease-fire agreement time to time there was shadow battle between the Government forces (and armed paramilitary groups, which are operating with the government forces and independently) and the Tamil Tigers. Now the battle has started between the two major warring parties, this could lead to war.
Rev. Dr. S. Jeyanesan said the situation was tense last weeks throughout the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Jeyanesan cited the number of fatalities reported, and said; "These are all lives, not numbers!" Those who were able to help were trying to approach the Muttur area with food and medicine.
Sri Lanka's undeclared war is being conducted on three fronts, with air raids, artillery strikes and mortar attacks. Aid agencies say about 160,000 people have been affected by the latest fighting in Sri Lanka.
Rev. Jeyanesan wrote us the following e-mail regarding the current situation and the relief supply given to the many displaced people around Batticaloa.
August 16th, 2006
Dear Brothers and Friends,
Greetings from St. John’s and CCC Centers, the field of battle.
Thank you very much for your prompt calls and actions.
We are very grateful to you for your timely help.
Here in Sri Lanka the situation is very bad now. Daily fighting is going on between the LTTE and the Government forces. From this ongoing battle, many families have become refugees and many civilians including children are killed, and we all are very busy and engaged in providing relief supplies to the refugees and taking care of the injured.
Yesterday our team of Pastors and other workers headed by Rev. Earl P. Solomons left St. Johns with 19 lorries of relief items to the Vaharai area (which is in un cleared area) where many of the refugees from Muttur, Sampur, Kaddaparichan, Kiliveddy, Mavilaru, Verukal and the surrounding areas are displaced and sheltered.
On the 10th of this month, we went to Vaharai with the approval of Government agent of Batticaloa with relief items. We were stopped at the Mankerny military checkpoint, waited till the evening, and returned back without distributing our relief items to the affected, as we did not get the clearance to continue our mission.
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This time we met the GA (Government Agent) of Batticaloa and insisted him to get the necessary clearance documents and to give us a copy of those documents. We also met the higher-ups in the defense and got the permission to transport the relief items. Also the article, which was published in the Tamil net, BBC and local radio news broadcast about turning us back with the relief items, gave some pressure to the defense and the higher-ups to consider allowing relief items, rehabilitation and humanitarian workers to the affected field. It took us two days to get the clearance.
We made all the arrangements, waited till 11.00 a.m., and preceded to Vaharai after getting the clearance. In all the checkpoints, we were stopped questioned and thoroughly checked. While checking we were asked to unload half of the items from each lorry for checking and after checking, we have to re-load all of them. It took us about 4 hours for this formality. Our Pastors and volunteers did this exercise as there was no labour in those places and this has further delayed our convoy. |
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Rev. Jeyanesan’s team on the way to give relief items to the refugees in Vaharai area. |
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A women carrying food for her family. |
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At Vaharai, there are more than 8800 refugee families are sheltered. Most of the families are afraid to stay in schools or under any buildings as most of the time Government plans are aerial bombarding the buildings in the un cleared areas as such most of the refugees are sheltered under trees or in jungles. You all must be aware in the past battles mostly refugees who were sheltered in schools and in others buildings were killed in the shelling and bombing.
When we reached Vaharai people and infants came running to get something from us to eat. We were told that after 2 weeks of starving we are the first people reached them with relief items. We saw them cooking immediately after receiving our food packs. We saw smile in their faces of kids and the people, which has given us satisfaction, and what is the fulfillment of our mission. This is the success of our mission and this is also why our Almighty God has called us.
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Displaced people in the Vaharai areas. |
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Today also, attacks are going on in many places of North and East. In aerial bombardment, around 63 children killed in Mullaithivu who were in an orphanage 142 are seriously injured. From morning, 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. there was shelling from army camp, which is 4 km away from St. John’s to un-cleared areas. So far, we do not know about the causalities.
Many people including women and children who are injured in the ongoing battle are admitted in Batticaloa teaching hospital. Today our women’s guild and junior Pastors headed by Mrs. Shantha Jeyanesan went and distributed food and other necessary items to the injured in the hospital.
Please do pray for peace in our country.
With Peace and prayers.
Your brother and friend.
Jeyanesan.
Pray for Sri Lanka As you can read in this article, the situation in Sri Lanka is worsening, especially in the North and East. However, we also have to be thankful that God saved our children and staff so far. Like Rev. Jeyanesan already mentioned, we would like to ask you to pray for all ‘your neighbours’ in Sri Lanka! Pray if the Almighty God will give peace and if He will bless His work and the work we may do, also in giving relief to our affected brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka.
Kind regards,
Martien van Dam Ceylon Christian Care |
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A refugee child happy to receive help. |
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Refugees in Vaharai waiting to get something to eat. |