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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Vanni Emergency OCHA Situation Report No. 20

Attachments


This report covers the period from 30 May to 05 June 2009. The next report will be issued on or around 12 June.

I. Highlights

- The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, briefed the Security Council today on his recent visit to Sri Lanka. Previously, this week he also briefed the General Assembly.

- On 3 June, the Government of Sri Lanka organised a 'National Victory Day' parade to celebrate the end of the war.

- Three new sites in Vavuniya have been identified by the Competent Authority (CA) to ease congestion and move IDPs from school sites in the district. Land clearing has started.

II. Access & Security

- Discussions are ongoing between Government authorities and humanitarian organizations to agree on access procedures at Menik Farm in Vavuniya.

III. Situation Overview

IDPs
During the period 27 October 2008
to 26 May 2009
280,580 persons crossed to the Government controlled areas from the conflict zone. This represents an increase of 3,194 IDPs since the last report (Sitrep No.19) on 30 May 2009. The increase is mainly due to improved, systematic registration being undertaken in the camps.
Vavuniya Camps:
Mannar Camps:
Jaffna Camps:
Trincomalee Camps:
260,082(1)
398(2)
11,086(3)
6,697
278,263 people are accommodated in temporary camps.
Hospitals: 2,317(4) IDPs (injured and care givers) are in hospitals in various districts(5) as of 18 May 2009.
RELEASES
Vavuniya Camps:
Mannar Camps:
Jaffna Camps:
1,868
5
43
1,916 people have been released from temporary camps into host families and elders’ homes as of 1 Jun 2009. The majority of these people are elderly, mentally challenged individuals and other vulnerable groups.

- In Vavuniya, an assessment of proposed new IDP sites in Veerapuram, Sumathipuram and Mahakongaskada was conducted by the WASH, Shelter and Protection clusters. Initial indications suggest that the main concerns are related to drainage and protection.

- The government has stepped up releases of certain categories of persons with special needs, including the elderly and pregnant women, to specialized institutions. Progress has also been made on reunifying families separated during flight.

IV. Humanitarian Response

Food

- In Vavuniya, the Food cluster reports that 2,230 MT of essential food items have been distributed to IDPs in May.

- In Vavuniya, the Food cluster has provided ration cards to the District Secretariat for distribution among IDPs. Once registration with relevant camp coordinators is complete, each family will be issued with a ration card. These cards will be used to obtain basic food items when individual cooking commences.

- In Jaffna, WFP has dispatched 83 MT of mixed food commodities to be distributed to Vanni IDPs, to cover their food needs for the first half of June. In addition, CARITAS continues to provide complementary food to all IDP camps on a daily basis.

- Responding to a request made by the Jaffna GA, FORUT provided nutritional breakfast for all IDPs in Jaffna for the first week of June.

Shelter

- Three new IDP sites (Veerapuram, Sumathipuram, and Area 3) have been identified in Vavuniya. Each site has the capacity to accommodate around 5,000 IDPs and a total of 8 blocks are planned in each of the sites. In Veerapuram, 220 tents donated by the Government of China have been erected and some water tanks with stands have also been placed.

- In Vavuniya, UNHCR and shelter agencies have erected some 6,500 emergency shelters and more than 13,000 tents to date. More shelters continue to be set up as more land is cleared. The following table gives a breakdown of tents/shelters per zone in Menik Farm:

Menik Farm Zone
# of Tents
# of Emergency shelters
Z- 1
600
Z- 2
7,224
Z -3
247
6,534
Z- 4
5,332
Total
13,403
6,534

- In Vavuniya, the Shelter Coordination Cell (SCC) has formed a new working group consisting of eight members to advocate on shelter issues on behalf of all SCC members. The group will also include a regular participant from the WASH cluster.

- In Jaffna, land leveling is complete in Kodikamam Ramavil - stage 2. Shelter agencies (JSAC, Sewa Lanka, Lanka Evangelical Alliance Development Service (LEADS) and ZOA Refugee Care) have started erecting emergency shelters. IOM has committed to build one kitchen while another three kitchens will be built by FORUT, supported by WFP. CARITAS has started building four preschools at this site.

NFI

- In Vavuniya, as of 2 June, UNHCR reports that 18,407 complete NFI packs, 34,952 hygiene kits and 16,528 baby kits are available for distribution with humanitarian organizations.

- In Vavuniya, during the last week, UNICEF provided 8,668 hygiene kits which were distributed by Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam and UNHCR in Menik Farm zones 2 and 4. In addition, UNICEF also distributed 412 toilet cleaning kits through the Assistant Commissioner Local Government (ACLG), while fifty five 1000 liter water tanks were distributed in zones 2, 3 and 4 through CARE.

- In Vavuniya, the NFI cluster has decided that due to ongoing access discussions and ongoing limitations in Menik Farm, agencies that have access will distribute NFIs on behalf of other agencies who have not yet obtained access.

Health

- In Vavuniya, special ID cards were issued by the Ministry of Health for health personnel to access IDPs in Menik Farm.

Education

- In Vavuniya, distribution of 1,500 primary kits, 1,500 upper primary and 500 secondary kits was completed by UNICEF students of Menik Farm zone 1.

- In Jaffna, 75 percent (2,100 students) out of a total of 2,790 IDP students are attending school. IDP students in Nelliyady Centre College (324 students) and Chava Hindu Ladies College (365 students), will also be able to receive education at the Kodikamam Ramavil Temporary Learning Space (TLS) facility once they have been moved to the Kodikamam Ramavil site C&D in mid June.

Protection

- A total of 217 child surrendees have been identified and registered in IDP camps in Vavuniya. 58 of them were transferred to Ambepussa rehabilitation centre at the end of April. 69 (male) are currently accommodated at Nellukulam Technical College, together with over 1,721 male adults. UNICEF is advocating for the transfer of these children to a more suitable location. The remaining number of children is still in camps, awaiting identification of a new rehabilitation centre and the completion of the screening process.

- In Vavuniya, UNICEF completed 28 child-friendly spaces in Menik Farm zone 3, while 2 child-friendly spaces are being piloted in zone 2. This brings the total number of child-friendly spaces in Vavuniya camps to 35. 4,986 children are benefiting of the child-friendly spaces.

- UNICEF reports that to date, 69 cases of children separated from their families have been successfully resolved. Another 130 are pending court decisions.

WASH

- In Jaffna, 921 hygiene kits were distributed by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) to families accommodated at Chava Hindu Ladies College and Nelliyady Central College.

- In Jaffna, World Vision distributed 820 hygiene kits to families accommodated at Kodikamam Ramavil site A&B while UNHCR provided supplementary items such as soap and washing powder.

V. Communication / Advocacy

- On 4 June, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay delivered a keynote address to the Human Right Council in Geneva, which covered nine ongoing conflicts and two post-conflict situations. Referring to Sri Lanka, the High Commissioner welcomed Sri Lanka's statement to the Human Rights Council that it is committed to a reconciliation scheme.

- Briefing the General Assembly on 1 June on his recent visit to Sri Lanka and other travels, United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon reiterated his concerns over civilian casualties in the conflict between the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE. The Secretary-General also urged the authorities to follow through on commitments made in the joint statement issued with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the end of his trip, including addressing the aspirations and grievances of all communities, as well as finding a lasting political solution for long-term development following the long-running conflict's end.

VI. Funding / CHAP

- As of 5 June, the 2009 CHAP for Sri Lanka is 40 percent funded, with US$ 61,594,766 received out of the $155,112,669 required. In addition, $28,143,620 has been pledged by various donors, which would bring the level of funding up to 58 percent once the contributions are received.

- All humanitarian partners including donors and recipient agencies are encouraged to inform FTS of cash and in-kind contributions by sending an email to: fts@reliefweb.int

Disclaimer

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