Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Sri Lanka

CARE pre-positions stocks outside of the conflict-affected area of Sri Lanka

CARE has been pre-positioning stocks outside the conflict-affected area of Northern Sri Lanka (known as the Vanni), in preparation for a possible mass exodus of civilians from the conflict zone. CARE is deeply concerned for the safety and security of civilians trapped in the Vanni, after an escalation in fighting between the Sri Lankan Army and the LTTE.

According to the United Nations, 250,000 civilians are trapped in the conflict-affected area, and hundreds have been killed and injured. Countless people trapped in the conflict zone have been displaced by the fighting - many several times. People have fled their homes with only the clothes on their backs, and urgently need food, shelter, clean water, medicine and emergency supplies.

CARE is working with other aid agencies to provide cooked meals and emergency supplies for thousands of people who have managed to reach shelters for displaced families in Vavuniya, just outside the conflict area. Recently, CARE has also transported limited amounts of aid into the Vanni through the Government Agent convoy, but this was not nearly enough to meet the needs of the people trapped in the conflict zone.

CARE is coordinating with the Sri Lankan Government, United Nations, and other aid groups to prepare for an expected exodus of displaced people when they are able to leave the conflict zone. Aid agencies are not able to operate inside the conflict zone itself because of heavy fighting, but CARE staff still in the Vanni have been working as "aid volunteers" with the local government, distributing whatever relief supplies had still been available.

On Jan. 22, the government announced a "safe zone" within the conflict area and urged civilians to take shelter there. As the forward defense lines of the conflict push from all sides deeper into the Vanni, any areas of relative safety have all but disappeared. Aid agencies responding to the crisis, including CARE, released a joint statement on Jan. 29 calling for the protection of civilians and for all sides in the conflict to respect the safe zone.

CARE, which has worked in Sri Lanka since 1950, has extensive experience working with conflict-affected communities in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. Throughout the 25-year conflict, CARE has provided support for food production, infrastructure rehabilitation, savings and credit, income generation, and emergency assistance such as shelter, access to water and sanitation facilities.

As more people flee the conflict zone, CARE plans to expand its current emergency response, and help people with temporary shelter and distribution of emergency relief supplies.