Bringing aid into the hospital
I went to the Vanni, specifically the Vavuniya Hospital. People from Action Care and Trust (actlanka.com) were able to distribute two lorry-loads of basic medical supplies and basic items like mattresses and milk powder. This was only possible with the support of the Ministry Of Health and the Army who provided transport and escort the whole way. In very trying conditions these people are all doing a very good job for our fellow Sri Lankans. There’s more we can do.
Note that I’m writing this in a personal capacity. I’ll release photo/video when cleared, but suffice it to say that the hospital is operating over-capacity, but operating. The doctors there are doing an amazing job and they say that they are proud of the work they do. I’m especially thankful to the soldiers who escorted us and to the Ministries for making this possible. Both also provide everyday service for the people of this country, and I’m thankful for that too.
The Trip
We started in Colombo, raising some money, getting a list of medical supplies from the doctors in Vavuniya and buying those. The Ministry of Health was extremely helpful as were other ministries and the Army. Went through Anuradhapura, giving some supplies to the military hospital there. Though they don’t need so much, they do need. Then we drove to Madavachiya, basically the midpoint.
At the Madavachiya base the army guys helped us transfer the goods into trucks that they provided. It was hot as anything but everything got moved over. Then we got in an armored bus, bailed down some road to meet the Colonel who gave us a gracious lunch as we got the necessary permissions. Should note that this whole thing was organized in like 5 days and was only possible through the dedication of a few people and the support of the government and military. So from there to Vavuniya.
Those buses aren’t built for comfort and they bail at like 100, 120, but you could see the Vanni as we went by. Looks like the rest of Sri Lanka, bit empty, but the roads are actually very good in most parts. There’s bus service, girls on bicycles, motorbikes, tailor shops, kades, houses, and a fair amount of dry jungle.
Vavuniya
Vavuniya town itself is a fully functional town. Big petrol shed, Cargill’s Food City, roads, buses, road construction. The hospital is a big greenish grey building near the center of town. It is one of the better equipped hospitals in the region and not directly in the warzone. However, it’s built for like 500 and there’s currently more than double that, plus their families. Looks like they could use more roll-out mattresses, water mattresses, pillows, sheets, clothes, etc.
A lot of women and children, lot of nursing mothers. Lot of limb wounds, bandaged feet, arms, etc. This post is not meant to be political, but I would like to note that these people are Sri Lankan, they’re being treated in government hospitals and protected by our security forces. I just wish the LTTE would let its human shields go and accept amnesty. And let our people go.
Next
But what’s needed now as fellow citizens is immediate relief, and care. Basically through friends and family we raised some amount of money, imported and cleared some things and delivered them. Since this worked we’ll try to do it again. Hospitals are operating in the Vanni. The military and government are providing services, but they can use Sri Lankan (and international support). For relief to actually reach people, however, means working together, with respect.
Anyways, we’ll go again. Got a list directly from the doctors there. Could use more meds, milk powder, vitamins, and amenities for sleeping. Please note that ACT is an apolitical group and unaffiliated with any foreign organizations. It’s focused only on relief and rehabilitation. This is literally a group of concerned citizens who decided to use their phone calls and connections and do something. There’s no operating expenses, no office, people just donate their time and money at this time of national need.
If you’d like to get involved, funds and connections for goods/etc are useful. You can use the contact form at actlanka.com or mail me at indi@indi.ca. Funds and fundraising is probably the most important thing right now.
Also note that Avurudu – Sinhala and Tamil New Year – is coming up. It’s a time of family, and giving a few gifts. A lot of our relatives aren’t getting anything this Avurudu, but we can give them something. This is from my last Sunday Leader column:
Deputy Minister of Social Services Lionel Premasiri is organising Ne Gam Yaame Viyapruthiya (visiting relatives for the New Year). On April 9th a convoy will begin in Tangalle collecting school supplies, household items, dry rations, new clothes, mattresses and plastic piggy banks with a few coins. It seems small, but it makes a real difference.
The Colombo collection point for Ne Gam Yaame Viyapruthiya in Colombo is the Shanti Foundation on Buller’s Road (near Kanatte junction). Contact 071-377-7666 for more info.
Anyways, it’s real in the field. The doctors and soldiers and government servants are doing a lot of work to help out. So can we.
This is heartening news, Indi. Keep up the good work. I’ll visit the actLanka website and see if I can contribute in some way.
It’s good to know that there’s solid evidence that we are looking after our people, contrary to popular belief.
Very impressive Indi, Thanks, I will checkout ActLanka
This is great work Indi. Thanks for the info we will try to help out as much as possible. Will visit the ACT website and pass on the message to others.
Great job. Its heartening to hear of people who genuinely care.
Well done..! I sent the site around to some friends too…
I wonder where all the trolls went to?
Indi you use the word Vavuniya and Vanni interchangeably and hence when you say “Hospitals are operating in the Vanni” its factually incorrect. Except of the Putumattalan Hospital in the ‘safe zone’ no hospitals in the Vanni are operational.
“This post is not meant to be political, but I would like to note that these people are Sri Lankan, they’re being treated in government hospitals and protected by our security forces. I just wish the LTTE would let its human shields go and accept amnesty. And let our people go”
While not disagreeing with you on the need for the LTTE to release civilians i am not sure about your blanket statement about ‘our’ security forces protecting. There are issues with regard to the unmonitored screening for example in Killi. Freedom of movement issues of IDPs and some other issues that i dare not say here.
While appreciating your work through actlanka possibly one needs to question where all the money that is coming in for the IDPs is going if not for their welfare. Is it that the Gosl is broke that it cant provide these services? Subject matter for your next weeks column on Sunday Leader?
You’re wrong on the geographical facts. Vanni is an electoral district comprising Mannar, Vavuniya and Mullativu. I don’t use the terms interchangeably, the definition of Vanni is linked to in the first sentence of this post.
What I wrote in the sentence about them being protected is that there are literally troops protecting the hospital and Vavuniya town. There are certainly issues.
Hospitals and IDPs are somewhat separate issues. Hospitals are not IDP camps. If you’re trying to score ‘gotcha’ points on the government you don’t have far to look. Even Colombo hospitals and Colombo slum dwellers lack for services. Sri Lanka is a poor country, there’s need all around. Private citizens with means really do need to help out. That’s not an indictment of the government, it’s just the way it is in a poor country. In any country, really.
Yes this was discussed in last Sunday’s Leader column.
I am not wrong on my facts. I am not sure why you would use an electoral classification of districts when in IDP related matters it is the administrative district terminology that is generally used. When you say hospitals are operating in Vanni it is misleading. That is my worry. I am not saying that you are intentionally misleading but for an average reader it might give a wrong impression. Btw Vavuniya has been under Army control for more than a decade or so. No hospitals operate in Killinochchi or Mullaitivu which are also Vanni.
Protecting the hospital and town from whom – the LTTE? Has there been a threat from the LTTE? From the 21 odd sq km areas that they are occupying they are issuing threats? I dont understand. What is the army doing in the hospitals? Shouldnt hospitals be free of any armed actors?
“Hospitals and IDPs are somewhat separate issues. Hospitals are not IDP camps. If you’re trying to score ‘gotcha’ points on the government you don’t have far to look”.
Those treated now in the hospitals once initial treatment is over are sent to the IDP camps. Gotcha points- for this Govt? I am not looking for needles in the hay stack. It is (as you would agree) a stack full of needles. The larger point that i was raising (while not for a moment underscoring the effort of private citizens like you) is for the need to hold the government accountable for the money that it is receiving to spend on IDPs. This accountability issue might be a general governance issue but when it comes to the NE it has an ethnic dimension to it. Now this is a Gotcha point?
You are simply wrong. Vavuniya is in the Vanni. There is a hospital in Vavuniya. Hence it is correct to say that hospitals are operating in the Vanni.
If people don’t know what the Vanni is that doesn’t make my statement misleading. I didn’t really understand until I looked it up. It is correct to say that Vavuniya is in the Vanni. That’s not a controversial statement, just look at a map.
Please do some basic reading, I’m not sure why you’re even arguing such an obviously false point. There is no Vanni administrative district at all. Furthermore, this piece actually doesn’t discuss IDP camps. It’s specifically a visit to a hospital.
I went to the Vanni, specifically Vavuniya. This is true. Your more nuanced points may be valid but your refusal to accept basic geographical facts makes everything else unreliable.
Indi i am tired of this.
1) I did NOT sayVavuniya is not in the landmass/electoral district called Vanni. I merely was saying that your statement might give an impression that there are hospitals in Killinichchi and Mullaitivu which is not correct. You do refer to hospitals in the plurality. I did NOT say that you were misleading. I only said it might give the impression.
2) I did NOT say that Vanni is an administrative district. The admin districts are Vavuniya, Mannar and Mullaitivu. I only wondered why you hadnt used this categorisation.
Vanni is also in the usage of the Tamils a cultural/political landmass and hence included in that Killinochchi and Mullaitivu largely. These were largely underdeveloped areas and areas that were controlled by the LTTE for a long time and in the common reference of the Tamil people denoted these areas. I hate being lectured on what i need to read. I have lived in the Tamil geography of this country from birth and was bred there. I have been to 8 out of the 9 districts in the North and East including Mannar, vavuniya, Killi and Mullaitivu. This i say with humility and because you had asked me to read. What i said initially, was said with the intention to point out that your reference to Vanni might be unintentionally misleading. That was it.
Your facts still don’t hold up to a 5 minute Googling. You might want to admit that and move on to actual points. What you said initially was
This is simply and patently false. Vavuniya is in the Vanni. There are also multiple hospitals operating there. You’re trying to pivot to ‘misleading’ but that’s still a hedge. I’m also not clear how I’m responsible for ignorant impressions of geography when I provide an explicit link in the first line of the post.
You’re also wrong to say ‘no hospitals in the Vanni are operational’. Not to be condescending, but geography or administration doesn’t change to what you believe because you lived there. In this forum you may want to at least Google your facts before stating them. Again you’re wrong. There are plural hospitals in the region. Check out the Daily Mirror from Friday April 10th. There are hospitals in Padaviya, Cheddikulum, Poovarankulum and Vavuniya.
Again, not to be condescending, but you’re obscuring the broader points here by posting obvious and easily falsifiable falsehoods. Vavuniya is in the Vanni. There are hospitals there.
There are serious problems which need attention, but making stuff up with whatever confidence is counter-productive. This is the same problem I see with MIA and Roy and some diasporals. They let very valid emotion guide their statements without spending five minutes to actually verify anything. The truth is more powerful in the end if you take the time to find it.
oh stop. mannar is also in the vanni electoral district, but is not considered part of the ‘vanni’. ditto vavuniya. aacharya is referring to the ‘vanni’ as is it used in popular/cultural/historical/anthropological sense, which doesn’t include these areas. the ”vanni electoral’ district” term is confusing and this confusion is the fault of some bureaucrat, and not that of either indi or aacharya.
I am no MIA or Roy, though i dont have a problem with both especially the latter. (you dont have to stoop to such a name calling level Indi. Didnt expect that from you. ) I am very much in SL and belong to and have travelled to parts of SL that you have no clue of (sorry to be condescending).
When Vavuniya is only part of a part of Vanni and when you use them interchangeably i think it leads to confusion and that’s my point. I dont know why you have to get angry over this when i myself did say that you didnt intentionally create the confusion.
What i am indeed calling attention to is that in the ‘uncontrolled areas’ as once the Defence Secretary himself said no hospitals may operate unless they are in the No Fire Zone. This indeed is a serious issue. Pray tell me Indi how i am being a hysteric diasporic when i say this. I inded did engage with other broader points as well.
There being multiple hospitals in Vavuniya doesn’t mean that there are hospitals in Killi or Mullaitivu which was my point Indi. Chettikulam is in Vavuniya so is Poovarasangkulam (both you and DM have got the name wrong – and google search is not everything). Poovarasangkulam is on the Vavuniya-Mannar Road btw.
@Aachcharaya
I don’t use Vavuniya and Vanni interchangeably. Read the post. I’m using these words in the literal sense, not the way you choose to interpret them (as meaning Mullativu and Kili, or warzones specifically). Please stop moving the goalposts, first’s it’s ‘incorrect’ then it’s ‘misleading’ then it ‘might give the impression’. I think the obvious answer is that you’re simply wrong. I don’t see any proof from your side, just repetition of your opinion.
@aadhavan
Please show me a reference to Vanni as you define it. This is all I can find
I ran image searches for maps of both Vanni and Wanni and they all show basically the same region.
Admittedly this was also a surprise to me. I also thought Vavuniya and Wanni were different. In fact, I asked soldiers multiple times while we were there and they were pretty clear about the point. I clarified with multiple people because I still didn’t understand and everyone there said the same thing. The Vavuniya stretches from Mannar to Mullativu. That’s just what it is. I was reading contemporary news reports and they discuss Mannar and Vavuniya in the context of the ‘Wanni Operation’. Etc. I understand where you’re coming from because I was under the same misconception. But you’re both as wrong as I was.
Please link if you have any evidence to the contrary. So far, it’s just your opinions. Words and places have meaning and I try to take care to use them correctly. I don’t think I’m technically wrong on these points and I don’t see any evidence otherwise.
Here’s from the Associated Press, via lankaenewspapers:
also from the same article:
It’s a shame that you choose to stick to the easily falsifiable claims that the Wanni is only the LTTE districts (it’s not) or that there aren’t any hospitals there (there are). This discredits your more valid concerns about government wastage, transparency and effectiveness of aid, and the dire humanitarian situation of our citizens up North. But trying to change the definition of a region in contradiction of pretty much all sources? Denying that hospitals are there at all when the real problem is that they’re understaffed and undersupplied? Does that actually make sense? Why pick that fight? Just accept the Wanni for what it is and move on to something substantive.
The article that you provide link to is April 2008. We are in April 2009 last time i checked.
Here is a link to an ICRC news item featuring an interview with its official in charge of health activities (about which i have a post on my blog too). Its dated February 2009 (not 2008)
http://www.icrc.org/Web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/sri-lanka-interview-260209
“Are there medical facilities that can treat the sick and wounded in the Vanni?
As far as we can tell, none of the conventional medical facilities that used to treat the sick and wounded are functioning anymore. There are only a few makeshift medical points left. Owing to security constraints, pregnant women are opting to have their babies wherever they happen to be. The sick and wounded arrive in Putumattalan on a daily basis. To cope with the influx, local people have helped set up a makeshift medical facility in a community centre and school. Even there, some patients are sheltered only by tarpaulins.”
Look at the reference to ‘Vanni’ in the question. Do you at least now get what i mean? Probably the ICRC and I, both of us are wrong. Yes Vavuniya is in Vanni. Yes Mannar and Mullaitivu are in Wanni. But the point that i wanted to make is there are no hospitals in the Mullaitivu and Killi of Vanni. I told you about a different usage among the people as well. You didnt understand.
Also check out Gota’s interview to Skynews where he says no hospitals may operate except for in the NFZ.
One doctor I’m working with is visiting Padaviya, Vavuniya and Mannar this weekend. I’m not sure what points your making now, but your initial points were:
These initial points were simply false. You’ve brought Kili and Mulla into this later, anyone can go thru the comments above. I think what you’re trying to say is that there are no hospitals in formerly LTTE held areas. That’s something the government direly needs to fix, but I suppose it doesn’t happen overnight since those territories were LTTE occupied as of just a few months ago.
please go to vanni.
who said that vavuniya affected by war my friend
this is the problem, all kids who does not know any history, born outside of the country start blogging about civil war.
Indi>>
Great job ! This is actually putting your skills, ability to use in the best possible way. In my opinion, this is how one earns the right to demand for a change.
One of my best friends now serving in Mannar. She’s one of the doctors working for Mannar base hospital. Therefore I know for sure that there is at least one functioning hospital other than the Vavunia hospital. Before this, she was serving in Trinco where we have base hospital again. All these hospitals are reasonably resourceful and serving the people of Vanni. There are many temporary medical facilities run by security forces to help both injured soldiers as well as fleeing civilians.
Aachcharya asks what army is doing in hospitals…
According to my friend, every doctor there is given private protection of an armed soldier and they are escorted by those guards everywhere they go. This was after LTTE killing a Sinhalease doctor serving in Batticalo. Government had to adopt these measure to get the doctors back to those hospitals because they refused to serve unless their security is guaranteed. In addition to this, everyone of them are covered by a huge insurance policy.
Government hospitals in Vanni hosts not only civilians but injured soldiers as well as tiger casualties. This is another reason for the army to guard hospitals.
Sri Lankan government invested lot of money building hospitals and other health care facilities during the CFA period. Rs 50+ million Killinochchi was one those projects. LTTE didn’t even let the government agents to raise Sri Lankan flag on the day it was opened. LTTE send their so called leaders for the opening as if they funded the project. They used the facility to treat their injured carders, sometimes chasing the civilian patients away. Now the hospital is hosting the HQ of 57th division as there aren’t any civilians to serve.
People like “Aachcharya” only see the part of the story. They engage in a never ending political masturbation ( as you call it) process that themselves happy but fail to contribute even in the slightest possible way to help the needy people out their.
I suggest you to let individuals like “Aachcharya” go. Just look at the time and effort this guy is ready spend to prove a simple fact. Is his arguments going to help any of those people suffering out there?
Sri Lanka is full of men and women like him who don’t contribute a bit to change the situation but wasting time and energy over ideological/theoretical issues. What we need is more contributions like yours.
Thank you again for your contributions.
putta>>
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I assume this is directed at Indi. But let me tell you what I think.
I think what matters is how much you care about the country and the people; not where you were born. I’m currently not living in Sri Lanka and every time I comment on Sri Lankan issues most of the time I get to hear “ochchara amarunam meta waren”. Yes I don’t mind continuing what I’m doing while living among my loved ones, if the opportunity is available within Sri Lanka. The sad reality is our leadership for last few decades has taken us to a situation where nothing move forward anymore .
I have been reading this blog for nearly 3 yrs and I can tell you that this guy has come a long way. There is huge gap between Indi’s thinking and my thinking. But I think his desire to see Sri Lanka/Sri Lankans moving forward is almost big as mine or yours.