The UN and human rights groups have warned that the imminent arrival of monsoon rains could see tents in state-run camps being flooded with sewage, and lead to outbreaks of disease.

But officials argue that enough drainage ditches have been dug to cope with excess water at the camps, where some 250,000 Tamil civilians are currently held.

The government says it is detaining Tamils in camps so that they can be screened for former Tamil Tiger fighters.

Al Jazeera`s Wayne Hay reports.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/10/200910125353600207.html

####################################################################

Chennai

Oct. 11: Chief minister M Karunanidhi on Sunday categorically rejected the opposition charge that the MP delegation`s visit to Sri Lanka was manipulated to stave off the opposition parties from visiting Lanka. He dared them to undertake a visit if they were so concerned over the plight of the Tamils.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/mk-hits-back-jaya-mps%E2%80%99-visit-lanka-959

####################################################################
Indian MP s uncivil behaviour drives Vavuniya GA to tears

October 11, 2009 08:13 am

The leader of the Tamil Nadu MPs delegation to Sri Lanka, T R Baalu, on Sunday drove a Sri Lankan Government Agent to tears by throwing his weight around and using harsh language, Indian media reported.

Mrs P S M Charles, Government Agent (Collector) of Vavuniya district in north Sri Lankatold Indian Express over the phone that Baalu questioned her bona fides and asked her not to interfere in the programme of the Indian delegation who were visiting Tamil war refugee camps of their choice. His authoritarian tone upset her so much that she broke into tears, she said.

On seeing what had happened to the already over-worked lady official, Kanimozhi castigated Baalu. Other members of the delegation apologised to Charles. Baalu did not apologise. He simply asked Charles to ignore his remarks.

Charles said all she had done was to make arrangements as per the wishes of the delegation. The MPs wanted to go to the Kadirgamar camp and to a farm managed by the refugees. It was when this was being arranged, that Baalu intervened in a high-handed manner. ]

expressbuzz


#####################################################################
Jaffnaites snub delegation

PK BalachandranFirst Published : 12 Oct 2009 01:47:47 AM ISTLast Updated :

COLOMBO: The residents of Jaffna generally ignored the MPs from Tamil Nadu who visited them on Sunday, sources in the town told Express over the phone.

There were no spontaneous crowds to greet the MPs, though among the visitors was Kanimozhi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi`s daughter and a star in her own right. If there was a crowd in some places, they were all followers of Social Welfare Minister and EPDP leader Douglas Devananda, a resident claimed.

What we saw today (on Sunday) was in sharp contrast to the scene which I witnessed in 1987 after the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord when the First Secretary in the Indian High Commission Hardip Singh Puri and the Defense Attache Capt Gupta visited Jaffna. There was not an inch of space between Tellipalai Junction and Jaffna town. The officials were stopped at many houses and served biscuits and cool drinks, which left them speechless! recalled an old timer. Many residents felt that the visit of the MPs was both unnecessary and useless. The Tamil Nadu MPs should have come at the height of the war and stopped the slaughter, they opined.

Though the populated areas of Jaffna district were not part of the theatre of operations in Eelam War IV, many residents had relatives living in the Wanni, who were migrating from place to place, getting trapped in the Mullivaikkal area in the far east, and finally, becoming refugees forced to live indefinetly in camps ringed by barbed wire.

In Jaffna, there is a great deal feeling for the plight of the 250,000 refugees in camps in Vav uniya and other transit camps. It is believed that India and TN have done little to ease the condition of the refugees as the camps do not meet some of the basic needs.

The gifting of thousands of family packs by TN and the work of the Indian medical team have gone unnoticed

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Refugees+make+tearful+appeal+to+MPs&artid=GRshI4gjFtU=&SectionID=oHSKVfNWYm0=&MainSectionID=oHSKVfNWYm0=&SEO=JAFFNA,+LANKA,+TAMILS,+LTTE,+DELEGATON&SectionName=VfE7I/Vl8os=