A meeting of the ‘Essential Services Task Force’ chaired by Governor Rear Admiral Mohan Wijewickrama, was held on 8th May 2006 to review progress in relief operations in the Mutur, the Town and the Gravets divisions in Trincomalee.

The following observations were made:

• Except for a few incidents there had been no violence of a communal nature directed at any community

• Camps had been provided relief by local and foreign NGO’s in addition to the week’s rations provided by the    Government

• The Police and Army had increased their presence in the villages to ensure security


Progress on the review of relief operations were reported as follows:

01. The Divisional Secretary Mutur had already paid funeral expenses to the families who had called at his office and further compensation for the deaths will be paid on production of Death Certificates.

02. The Divisional Secretary Mutur is in the process of providing a week’s rations for the displaced in the un-cleared areas. Another week’s rations had been provided for the displaced in the cleared area for settling down.

03. Action has been initiated to provide compensation to persons whose houses were damaged or destroyed in the Town and Gravets.

04. The Governor further requested the Government Agent (GA) of Trincomalee to monitor and provide relief to the businessmen who lost their property .The GA Trincomalee indicated that action is underway to verify claims paid by insurance agencies in Sri Lanka for the damage.

05. It was agreed to provide another week’s rations from stocks available from the World Food Program (WFP) stocks held, only to the families who return to their homes. Relief would also be provided through the Multiple Purpose Co-operative Society (MCPC)/Co-operative’s in the village.


For the purpose of progressing towards normalcy, it was agreed that:

• Only the families who have lost their property or a member of the family or those who lost their occupation would be permitted to remain at welfare centres.

• Provincial Administration would retake the schools used as welfare centres and have them cleaned in order to initiate action to commence educational activity.

It was further observed that the displaced had been scared and driven out creating unnecessary panic by some unknown party or by wild rumors. It was also noted that in view of suspicion, fear and hatred among different communities, they were unable to mix or integrate with each other in their daily activity and businesses, and that most people who were dependent on the other community for their income, had lost their livelihood and had therefore become dependent on relief.

The next progress review meeting will be held on 16th May 2006.