13 years elapsed, GTZ-initiated housing scheme yet to obtain roofs in Batticaloa

Many of the 300 houses of a housing scheme, initiated 13 years ago by Germany's governmental organisation for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), in Tsunami and war-affected Vaakarai in Koa'ra'laip-pattu North of Batticaloa district, are yet to obtain their roofs, windows and doors, complain the beneficiaries of the housing project. Some time back, the officials of the Divisional Secretariat were collecting 1,500 rupees from each family promising to complete the project with roofs. But, nothing has been delivered, the poverty-stricken families said. 

The people have been repeatedly urging the Divisional Secretariat to repair their incomplete houses. 

Only a few of the beneficiaries have managed to repair the houses and settle there. Vaakarai was under the de-facto Tamil Eelam governance of the LTTE before 2007. After 2009, foreign 'development' agencies have become more Colombo-centric as Eezham Tamils lost their power of balance. 

Germany has been criticised by Eezham Tamils for backing Colombo's Sinhala-Buddhist 'heritage projects' of genocidal nature in the North-East as well as its promotion of 'cultural tourism' especially after 2009.