Suffering in the queue
By Thunnaalai S. A. Masilamany
[Colombo 10]
The suffering of Tamil speaking people in Jaffna in obtaining clearance to proceed to Vavuniya, Colombo and other places and to purchase dry food items is unbearable.
The president says “I am not against the Tamil people”. The army says “we are not against the unarmed people”.
But the people suffer much because no proper plan has been formulated by the administration at the top on how handle the queue. Before this undeclared war people paid money at the travel office and they were picked up at their doorstep in Colombo and dropped at a doorstep in Jaffna and vice versa. They did not stand in queues to purchase food items as at present.
In the queue, the motto is that might is right. Many persons push pass weaker persons and take their place as their is no one to supervise. As this system is cumbersome, the former system of the army entertaining applications has been introduced. But even in this process the people have to wait a long time whereas forms can be issued by any government department. The form should contain instructions printed overleaf as to what documents to be attached and how many copies to be attached etc.
There is much delay as all work is being attended to by two persons for one queue. The work for persons talented in writing is being done by the army, which is humane towards the innocent people who have done no wrong to be in the scorching sun and heavy rain to obtain clearance and food items. Round the clock work should be done by the army in shifts to avoid the harmless public having to wait in long queues for a long time. If it is the intention of the president and the Army to help the public, the A9 route can be opened permanently as an alternative measure. Strict security can be maintained by the army with the assistance of senior clerical staff talented in administration to avoid work going at a snail’s pace.
[A Letter to the Editor, published in the island.lk]
[TamilNet Photo]
Related: Jaffna faces humanitarian catastrophe
Kumar, Colombo said,
December 3, 2006 @ 12:19 pm
It is a well known fact that Tigers are bring in ship loads of military hardware by ship from forigen countries.
Why can’t they indertake to supply the suffering people of the North at least few essential consumer itoms by ship, without depending on the GOSL and begging for food from them?
Cader -USA said,
December 4, 2006 @ 1:32 pm
Well done Kumar. It is very unfortunate government and the LTTE are playing politics with poor civilians life.
Thanabal said,
December 8, 2006 @ 3:39 am
I am surprised to see the above two comments.
When LTTE bring arms and medicines to Vanni, they go through several checks and balances to make sure that they reach the shores. The Ships don’t reach the shore to unload the cargo but they transfer items to many small boats in the mid sea.
If LTTE to bring the food to peninsula to serve 600000 people, they need 1000′s of containers of food. They don’t have that capacity, atleast yet.
To me those two comments are asking “Anai pasiki, sola porri”(pop corn for an elephant hungry)