Sri Lankan war-refugees get clean drinking water

Access to potable water and sanitation is still a cause of distress among the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sri Lanka. Thanks to a Christian agency engaged in relief efforts, thousands are provided with clean water.

The resettlement and development program of Alliance Development Trust (ADT) has recently benefitted nearly 16,670 persons in war-hit areas such as Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Jaffna, Killinochchi and Vavuniya.

ADT, which is a relief arm of the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL), even constructed over 40 latrines for the use of re-settlers, while nearly 80 open wells and tube wells have been cleaned and repaired, benefiting nearly 5,500 families.

In its latest bid to empower beneficiaries to have access to clean drinking water, two hundred more water pumps were distributed in a village in Killinochchi.

"I have three small children and I had to walk over one hour to draw water from a well. Now I dont have to take my children with me in the unbearable heat as we have a clean well water in close proximity," said a beneficiary.

Another re-settler said her children suffered from skin infections due to lack of clean water. "Previously I was forced to bathe my children in contaminated water. Those days my children often suffered from skin diseases. However since the ADT project their skin infections have noticeably reduced."

For many vulnerable communities trapped in a cycle of poverty and hopelessness, improved access to safe water has become the key step towards good health and freedom from poverty.

"While water related issues in Sri Lanka are widespread, they are not insurmountable. If we work together, we can bring a lasting change that will influence the future generations," said an ADT official.

"Improving access to safe water can make a major contribution towards poverty eradication and is also enshrined in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)," he added.

During the final phase of the war in May 2009 an estimated 280,000 people fled the battlefields and sought shelter from the Sri Lankan security forces.

The total number of IDPs in the Vavuniya relief villages has dropped to 17, 641 by last week due to the government's speedy resettlement programme, the Ministry of Resettlement stated.

In addition, 1158 IDPs remain in Jaffna bringing the total number of IDPs to 18, 799.

International human rights groups have accused the government of keeping people in the camps in poor condition and longer than necessary.