Vauniya visit

On 23 July 2009, Dr. Ven. B. Chandima Thero accompanied a Malaysian charity group (Cihui Tang) and Taiwan charity group (Dharma Drum Mountain) for an inspection in the Vauniya region of Sri Lanka.

Civil war had raged in Sri Lanka for more than three decades. It has caused enormous loss of lives and properties for people who lived in the war zone. Although the civil war has ended in April 2009, more than 250,000 refugees remained homeless in the borderline regions such as Vauniya,, for they must wait for their home villages to be cleared of land mines in oder to have safe home return.

In the meantime, education for children, food, housing and etc. are needed for those homeless refugees. Upon learning the need of those refugees, a Chinese religious group in Malaysia, Cihui Tang, contacted Dr. Ven. B. Chandima, offering to help the needy refugees.

Hence, along with a Taiwanese Buddhist organization, Dharma Drum Mountain, an inspection field trip was conducted in the Vauniya region on 23 July 2009. The group visited a ruin village where a school is needed and a refugees camp to inspect the situation.

A reconstruction of a school and medical service are in the consideration. It is likely that Dharma Drum Mountain will provide a medical team for the homeless refugees in October, and Cihui Tang will help to reconstruct a school and dispatch a medical team in December.

Dr. Ven. B. Chandima Thero has pointed out that help must be given to where is most urgently needed and at this moment, it is the homeless refugees from Sri Lankan north that need help. By combining resources, a better help can be offered.