Despite freedom unable to exist: residents in the Poonthottam camp
Mar 15, 2016
Residents in the Poonthottam refugee camp said although now they can move around without restrictions, they are deprived over the current economic burden.
“Earlier we were given three hours to go out and work but now we can go anytime. However with eight people in the family we are having a very hard time inside the refugee camp. We don’t have sufficient money for food” Said Muththaiah Subramanim a resident of the refugee camp who was doing coolie work from 1997.
No refugee camps
Vavuniya district secretariat M.B.R. Pushpakumara said that they don’t consider Poonthottam as a refugee camp. He said Poonthottam is considered as an ordinary village and a housing scheme has been started in the Nedunkery area for the 98 families living currently in the Poonthottam. He said he has spoken with the government agent to provide temporary electricity for the village.
A retired member of the army said from 1987 people from Kilinochchi were regularly resettled in Poonthottam and following the Jayasikuru operation in 1996 and 1997 people from Oddusudan, Nelumkarthi and Mankulam was relocated to Poonthottam.
Rasina Papathi 59 years said that she came with her one year old daughter to the Poonthottam and now she is 24 years old and she is currently crushing coconut husks. She said “if our don’t go to crush coconut husks we would be starving”
No aid
People in the Poonthottam camp said the aid they received from the government and from the NGO’s when they came to the camp are not receiving now. Sundaram Balendran 62 years living in the camp for the past 19 years said although they received Rs. 50 each person during president Chandrika period now they don’t receive a single cent.
An officer who didn’t wish to expose his name in the Vavuniya district secretariat said they have stopped giving aid to the Poonthottam camp. He said many families in the Poonthottam camp was resettled in the Vavuniya north and Sundaripuram village and the balance would be resettled soon, therefore providing aid has been stopped.
An officer who didn’t wish to expose his name in the Vavuniya district secretariat said they have stopped giving aid to the Poonthottam camp. He said many families in the Poonthottam camp was resettled in the Vavuniya north and Sundaripuram village and the balance would be resettled soon, therefore providing aid has been stopped.
