“PUNTHALE” district women headed committee hands over a petition to DS

The “PUNTHALE” district women headed committee decided to hand over a petition to the District Secretary being concerned the issues the women who are living in the camps as displaced people since 1990 on 29^th of August 2014 in Jaffna. The committee wished to get concerning of the government to have some solutions for those issues. Not only that but also the committee decided to hold an oblation in the temple of the camp in the same day. Although they got a decision,  the committee was unable to conduct the oblation and hand over the petition  as they decided because the forces influenced not to organize the oblation  in the camp. Therefore, the committee stopped organizing the oblation on 29^th of August 2014.

  

The district women headed committee convened a discussion with Miss. Anandi Sashikaran, members of Northern Provincial Council, Mr. Sajeevan, Vice President of Pradeshiya Sabha in Valikamam North, Mr. Herman Kuamar. National convener of National Fisheries Solidarity Movement and members of district women headed family over the existing situation. According to the above discussion, they got a decision to hand over the petition to district secretary and organize the oblation in the camp again on 05^th of September 2014. Mr. Sajeevan who is the vice president of the Pradeshiya Sabha in Vlikamam North would have to lead for arranging the oblation. The committee members of women headed families’ prepared basic arrangements to hand over the petition.

Therefore, the petition was handed over the district secretary office with the participation of committee members of women headed families, the president of the Punthale committee, representatives from National Fisheries Solidarity Movement, representatives of civil organizations in Southern, Media persons, representatives of district fisheries solidarity in Jaffna and the leader of Konatkulam welfare camp. The district secretary was not in the office. The petition was handed over the administrative officer and there was a proper discussion on the issues the women face in the camps. The significant fact was that there was wider media coverage for the event.

Although the oblation was organized by the members of the “Sabapathi” camp and activators of the district fisheries solidarity in Jaffna in the temple of the camp in the evening of the same day, they had to stop holding the oblation because of the influence from the forces. The young women who involved organizing the religious event escaped due to the fear for forces. 

According to the situation, representatives of National Fisheries Solidarity Movement decided to convene a media discussion to explain the incident happened in the camp. The media discussion was used to concern about the existing situation of the “Sabapathi” camp as well as the issues of the displaced people since 1990. The representatives who came from Southern appeared to find solutions insuring the people’s rights.  They mentioned that southern people would like to be strength for northern people to find solutions on those issues.