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

Sri Lanka

Joint Humanitarian and Early Recovery Update January 2012 - Report #39

Attachments

This report indicates the UN and NGO partner response to continuing humanitarian needs and early recovery concerns, in support to the Sri Lankan Government’s efforts to rebuild the former conflict-affected regions. Activities show progress towards the sectoral priorities and goals described in the 2011 Joint Plan for Assistance.

I. SITUATION OVERVIEW & HIGHLIGHTS

By the end of January 2012, 432,566 people (129,479 families) had returned to the Northern Province. This figure includes 225,788 people (71,333 families) displaced after April 2008 and 206,778 persons (58,146 families) displaced before April 2008.

At the end of January 6,567 IDPs (1,972 families), displaced after April 2008, remained in camps awaiting return to their areas of origin. An additional 7,503 IDPs (2,036 families) from the protracted or long-term caseload, displaced prior to April 2008, remained in welfare centers in Jaffna and Vavuniya districts.

During February, a total of 438 members (134 families; 191 males and 247 females) moved to Kombavil relocation site from Menik Farm. According to the government officials in Mullaitivu, 102 families are originally from Mullivaikkal West village and the other 32 families are from Vadduvagal village in Mulliwaikkal West GN.

Another 88 members (27 families) from Menik Farm returned to Kokuthoduwai Center in Maratimepattu DS division in Mullaitivu district in mid-February.

The Government and the United Nations acknowledge that there are persons/families displaced before 2008 and that an undetermined number of those persons may still be in need of durable solutions. Moreover, the Government and the United Nations and its partners acknowledge that there are a number of persons/families, who were displaced and are living with friends and relatives, or who left camps and are still living with friends and relatives. Humanitarian partners will be consulting with the Government on how best to arrive at numbers on the persons who still require assistance. Joint programmes in 2012 will therefore be developed to address and identify solutions for those determined to be in need in order to resolve displacement in a durable manner.

Moreover, the Government and the UN are committed to finding solutions for displaced people, who sought shelter with friends and relatives, left camps and are still living with friends and relatives, or are stranded in transit sites. Again, determining the number of people falling under this category and whether they continue to live with hosts by choice or for lack of solutions will be critical to support future strategies of assistance.

Disclaimer

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.