The Malaysian Medical Relief Society or Mercy Malaysia hopes to collect a minimum of RM2 million as soon as possible for it to continue its relief work for the war victims in Sri Lanka.

The money will mainly go towards building health facilities in Menik Farm, Cheddikulam district, in Sri Lanka where thousands of innocent war victims are currently put in government camps.

Mercy Malaysia hopes that the raised cash will help it to be located in Sri Lankan for the next six months.

mercy pc 12062009 dr jemilah mahmood n dr shanmuhasuntharam 001 "We are going to coordinate six health centres for the next six months. Fund raising is a main challenge," said Mercy Malaysia's president Dr Jemilah Mehmood in a press conference today.

"Cash is much better than anything else," added Jemilah in making the appeal.

She said that part of the funding will also be used to send Malaysian doctors to train and conduct psycho-social health programmes in Menik Farm in the next three months.

Jemilah also spoke about the conditions of the displaced people in Sri Lanka.

"They need support even after they return home. The children are very admirable and are strong.

"We hope that the Sri Lanka government will repatriate the people quickly (to their villages)," she said.

This is not a race issue

Presently there are between 250,000 and 300,000 internally displaced people in Menik Farm. They are the innocent victims of the war waged by the Sri Lankan government against LTTE. The Sri Lankan government declared victory last month.

Jemilah also said that the Sri Lankan government had been very supportive in allowing Mercy Malaysia and other international organisations to do relief work in the war-torn areas.

mercy malaysia sri lanka dr jemilah mahmood 100609 03 "The Sri Lanka government has approved international and local NGOs. This is a complex disaster. We have received tremendous support from the government, NGOs and people in Sri Lanka.

"It is not true to say that the government is not doing anything. They are trying the best to de-congest the camps.

The government needs six months to repatriate the people out of the camps," she said.

She also noted that many had wrongly termed the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lankan as one affecting the Tamils.

"It is sad to see that some see this as a race issue. It is not bound by race. This is not a Tamil issue. This is a humanitarian issue and needs to be seen as one" she added.

Donations can be made directly to Mercy Malaysia .