Published on - 5/27/2005
LTTE's widespread abuse of relief materials, donated by the Government and various International Aid Agencies, earmarked for Tsunami victims in the north was once again called into question as the LTTE has now begun to use donated new tin sheets for construction of Forward Defence Lines (FDL) and bunkers in Nagar Kovil, Jaffna area.
The case in point is how the LTTE was using those donated tin sheet stocks, designed for roof thatching of ravaged houses of thousands of Tsunami victims in the north. Those tin sheet stocks, regardless of requirements of the victimized Tamil community, were now being used by LTTE men to erect their Nagar Kovil Forward Defence Lines (FDL) and bunkers, paying scant regard to desperate needs of the victims after the Tsunamis.
As photos evidently confirm, those LTTE men, instead of palmyrah and coconut leaves they have had used earlier were now using thousands of donated new tin sheets for LTTE constructions. Ironically, LTTE in this way continues to plunder Tsunami relief but tells the world on the other hand that neither the Government nor aid agencies provide relief to affected Tamil community in the north. LTTE bona fides have thus been questioned at many concerned levels since relief materials are not meant to be used for warlike purposes.
In the December 26 catastrophe, Tsunamis caused considerable damages to Tamil houses in the area necessitating repairs, renovation or full re-building. The Government, realizing the gravity of the tragedy, hurriedly sent lorry loads of relief materials to the north in spite of LTTE's restrictions placed on such stocks. Those figures related to supply of relief materials to the north and east could also be accessed via the state organ for coordination of relief (TAFREN).
