Internally displaced Tamil civilians gather around a truck to receive food at a camp for the displaced in Manic Farm in Vavuniya April 26, 2009. (AP)

We are all well aware that the government and the armed forces are faced with a Herculean task to look after the displaced people who have braved LTTE gunfire to come over to government controlled areas.

Their escape has belied the claim that the LTTE is the sole representative and liberator of Tamils.

The plight of these men, women and children is immeasurable.

They are injured, sick and malnourished. They had been exploited by the LTTEfor years before they finally managed to flee.

As a nation we are facing enormous pressure from foreign governments that seem to derive some perverse pleasure by discounting the efforts of the government to ameliorate the suffering of the diplaced people against many odds, while doing precious little themselves to help those people.

They may try to dump goods well past their shelf life here by way of humanitarian relief.

Irrespective of political affiliations this is an opportune time for the country to come together to bebunk the oft-repeated claim that the Sinhalese and Tamils cannot live together.

All of us must forego one meal and send the funds so saved for the benefit of the displaced to show our solidarity with the people of the Wanni.