MERCY MALAYSIA'S SECOND MISSION FOR LANKA WAR VICTIMS

By P. Vijian

NEW DELHI, June 8 (Bernama) -- MERCY Malaysia, one of the few medical relief
agencies authorised to work in Sri Lanka's camps for war victims, has begun its
second mission in the northern region.

Currently, it is working on its second project in Menik Farm in Vavuniya,
for the internally displaced persons (IDPs), to set up a medical referral centre
in Zone 3 which accomodates 50,000 victims.

MERCY is working with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Sri Lanka's
Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition to establish 16 bedded referral centres,
complete with outpatient and in-patient facilities which include an outpatient
room, pharmacy, medical screening counter, emergency room, wards and doctors'
quarters.

"Our worry is over crowding. The tents are in place and well-spaced but
there are so many IDPs in the area, so the average number per tent is very high.

"This means, issue like protection, privacy, easy transmission of infections
are potential risks. Prolonged stay also puts IDPs at further risk of
psychological stress," MERCY president Dr Jemilah Mahmood, who visited the camps
last week told Bernama from Vavuniya.

Over 250,000 Tamil IDPS have been housed in thousands of camps set up by Sri
Lanka and the United Nations in Menik Farm, after they fled from the escalating
separatist war between government troops and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE).

The war officially ended when the Sri Lankan Government claimed victory over
the LTTE on May 17, after the rebel group's top leaders were eliminated.

But, many are now forced to languish in the camps for unknown periods as
they have lost all their belongings and property. Moreover, most of their
villages are also filled with landmines, which pose another hazard for
returnees.

"They need basic needs. We appeal to Malaysians Tamils to assist them. We
need RM2 million for our projects in Phase 1,2,3, but raising funds is another
challenge for us, we need more funds," said Dr Jemilah.
-- BERNAMA