posted June 09, 2000 10:56 PM
Our Mission The Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation's mission is to provide much needed relief and long-term rehabilitation for the displaced Tamil people from the North and East of Sri Lanka. Back to top of Page
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Our Organisation
The Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) was formed in 1985 primarily as a self help organisation by Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka taking refuge in South India, at that time.
With the escalation of the war, since 1987, in the Tamil Areas of Sri Lanka, the project implementation office was established in Jaffna, northern Sri Lanka. Following the mass exodus of residents from the Jaffna Peninsula in 1995 and the displacement of the entire population of Kilinochchi in 1996, the project implementation office is located at Muzhangkavil in the Wanni area of Northern Sri Lanka.
TRO is represented in over sixteen countries around the world. The first office outside India and Sri Lanka was set up in Zurich, Switzerland in 1985, followed by one in London. The overseas branches of TRO are registered in each country according the laws of those countries. TRO in Australia co-ordinates the activities of all international branches.
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Our Aims
Bring relief to the displaced Tamils in North-eastern Sri Lanka by facilitating the provision of food, clothing and shelter.
Channel expertise and funds to help self development programmes amongst the displaced Tamils in North-eastern Sri Lanka.
Channel donations from overseas countries, for TRO's operations in Sri Lanka.
Canvass public and political opinion internationally, to highlight the plight of the displaced Tamils in North-eastern Sri Lanka.
Overcome the economic embargo imposed on the Tamil areas, so that the food & medical supplies could reach the Tamil refugees.
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Broad Objectives
With the constant pressure of war engulfing the Tamil people living in the north and east of Sri Lanka, their mere survival has become a question. With over one million Tamil people displaced within this region, their life depends to a great extent on relief and rehabilitation activities of Non-Government Organisations (NGOs). Until recently, local and international NGOs have played a significant role in planning and implementing relief and rehabilitation programs which have prevented major crises in terms of general welfare and starvation. Well timed actions taken by these NGOs have provided some resemblance of normalcy even under extreme conditions.
However, in recent times, due to the strict regulations imposed by government authorities on the NGOs working in the conflict zone, their relief activities have been restricted. The embargo on food, medicine, fuel and essential goods into the areas concentrated by Tamils has placed extra burden on the limited activity of NGOs. Severely restricted travel from and to the conflict areas has complicated the work of the NGOs allowing limited access to displaced people living in remote areas, and to those taking refuge in jungles.
Due to the escalation of the war, particularly since 1995, (after the displacement 500,000 people from the Jaffna Peninsula in late 1995 and early 1996, the evacuation of more than 250,000 people from Killinochchi in August 1996, and recently the displacement due to military activity, Jayasikuru to capture the highway between Vavuniya and Kilinochchi) NGOs are running out of resources and are unable to provide for even the basic of needs of the displaced individuals.
With increasing restrictions on the international NGOs, the locally based NGOs have increasingly been left alone to seek provisions and implement relief programs.
The Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) is a registered, local, Non Government Organisation that has worked as a social welfare organisation among the Tamils of Sri Lanka in India and in Sri Lanka since 1985.
During the past twelve years, TRO has essentially relied on local and expatriate Tamil communities for its resources and successfully implemented short, medium and long term projects with the aim of relieving, rehabilitating and resettling Tamils internally displaced within Sri Lanka.
Due to the escalation of the war, there is a persistent demand on the meagre resources available and TRO seeks financial and material help from international agencies, in order to continue its desperately needed humanitarian projects.
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Our Structure
TRO, in most countries, has a two tier management structure:
The Governing Council responsible for Determining Policy
and
The Board of Management responsible for the Day-to-Day Management of the organisation.
In Other Countries, TRO is registered as a trust.
TRO raises funds by Donations from individuals and organisations for:
Planned Targeted Projects
Emergency Programmes
and by Organising cultural Events
The Trustees, members of the Governing Council and the Board of Management, and other Volunteers provide their expertise, time and service free of charge
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posted June 09, 2000 10:56 PM