One toilet for every hundred IDPs: TNA MP

She should also have cried when the Northern parents gave their daughters in marriage as soon as they attained age to avoid forcible conscription to the LTTE: Govt MP

TNA MP Pathmini Sithamparanathan broke into tears in Parliament yesterday when she spoke about the issues confronting the internally displaced persons in Vavuniya.

Speaking during the emergency debate, she said that seven pregnant mothers had died in the IDP camps recently.

An emotional MP Ms. Sithamparanathan said the facilities available in the camps were so pathetic that there was only one toilet for every hundred persons.

She also said there were deaths reported due to diseases such as pneumonia as well.

Stating that there were families whose members were scattered all over, she stressed the need to reunite them without delay. “Many are suffering from psychological trauma as a result of losing trace of their loved ones,” she said.

The TNA MP said both the Tamil youth who took up arms and the Sinhalese who stood for an undivided state had failed. “Tamil Youth have not achieved anything through the war while the Sinhalese have not won anything by holding on to the idea of a unitary status without any power sharing,” she said.

She said the government, in a few instances, and some NGOs had made an effort to help the displaced persons, but it was not sufficient at all.

Responding to her, Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara said she should have shed tears when these helpless people were held hostage by the LTTE while forcibly conscripting their children for the armed struggle.

“You should have cried when these people were shot dead by the LTTE when they tried to escape,” he said.

She should also have cried when the Northern parents gave their daughters in marriage as soon as they attained age to avoid forcible conscription to the LTTE.

“Why didn’t you shed tears when the people were suffering without a grain of rice when they were held by the LTTE leader?” he asked the TNA MP.

The Minister said the tearful TNA MP reminded him of the famous Sri Lankan actress ‘Rukmani Devi’ playing a role in the film ‘Kelehanda’. “These MPs should not be allowed to create scenes in the Parliament,” he pointed out.

He assured that the government would do its maximum for the displaced persons in the North. “Northern people are our relatives and we will not forget them,” he said.

Minister Vinayagamurthy Muralitharan also said those who criticize the government on the IDP issue were sojourning in world capitals when the LTTE held these people at gun point.