Geneva, 30 January 2009
Brief description of the emergency
The humanitarian situation has worsened causing great concern for civilians caught in an intensification of hostilities in Sri Lanka between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The government has taken control of almost the entire area formerly controlled by the LTTE with a military squeeze on the remaining 300 square km (115 sq miles) of LTTE territory in the northeast of the country. Reports are growing of death and injury to civilians trapped in the area while other displaced people are moving into surrounding areas.
Impact
Local infrastructure has been destroyed, access to people in the north-eastern war-zone area is extremely limited and telephone lines are damaged. Initial reports from NCCSL member churches and organizations operating in the affected areas indicate urgent need for basic items including food, utensils, candles, hygiene kits, mats and bedding, tarpaulins and tents and clothing to assist IDPs. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), there are currently approximately 230,000 IDPs. However, the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies in Sri Lanka reports more than 300,000 IDPs. The difference in these figures demonstrates the current difficulties in accessing the affected populations to accurately assess the situation and to deliver urgently needed assistance.
NCCSL reports that internally displaced persons (IDPs) have started moving out of the remaining LTTE controlled area into the surrounding Jaffna and Vavuniya districts in the northern part of the country. People are traveling on foot carrying nothing but their children. National media also report that the number of people crossing over is increasing daily. Since last week, the government claims to have established safe passage for Tamil civilians into government-controlled areas. The government has set up a few camps where people undergo a security screening before they are allowed to before they are allowed to move into areas where civilians have been living. ACT International member, the National Christian Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) has appealed to the government and the LTTE to create safe passage for civilians to move to safer places, and welcomes the State's declaration of a safe zone last week within the LTTE held area for the protection of civilians.
ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide.
The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.
At the same time, ACT International has received reports from a local church of aerial bombardments on January 28th within the declared safe zone that resulted in 40 civilians being injured including the pastor and three children from the church orphanage while they were taking shelter on the church premises. Concern for the protection of civilians still caught in the shrinking war zone remains high, as also expressed by the ICRC and other humanitarian agencies.
The NCCSL Executive Committee has also called upon the Government of Sri Lanka "to facilitate the presence of independent bodies, religious leaders, professionals and relief workers to enhance the goodwill of the State."
The statement added, "As a faith community we believe that human life is sacred, the dignity of which we need to preserve always. Therefore every human being should have the freedom to choose, to express views along with the freedom of movement. We are also bestowed with the responsibility of preserving and enhancing the quality of human life."
National and international response
The government is asking non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to assist the state in responding to the needs of the IDPs. Four local NGOs and eleven international NGOs have been invited to negotiations with the Sri Lankan government's Ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services. State agencies and a few international and national NGOs are assisting the IDPs in some areas. The NCCSL reports that state authorities in some areas have approached NCCSL member churches for support.
ACT International response
NCCSL member churches and organizations have deployed teams to assess the situation in these areas and the NCCSL is awaiting reports. Requests for support have already come from those operating in the government-controlled areas of Vavuniya, Mannar and Jaffna, where churches have been able to meet with IDPs and to begin assessing needs. The NCCSL is currently planning for an initial three-month response to deliver basic food rations and non-food items.
An NCCSL coordination committee with its member churches and organizations is operating from Colombo and local coordination teams will be set up in the regions. NCCSL will also be coordinating with other humanitarian organizations. NCCSL expects the response may involve the Methodist Church of Sri Lanka, the Diocese of Colombo, the Salvation Army, the Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) and the Jaffna Diocese of the Church of South India (JDCSI).
ACT member, Norwegian Church Aid is today meeting at the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo with other Norwegian NGOs to discuss the situation, and is exploring possibilities for support to local partner responses.
ACT member, Christian Aid staff in Colombo report that they have supported a small amount of assistance through local partners in Jaffna, "mainly filling the gap and targeting women", and is also exploring funding possibilities.
NCCSL has indicated that a request for ACT Rapid Response Funding or an appeal to the ACT alliance will be submitted in the coming days.
Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jessie Kgoroeadira, ACT Finance Officer (jkg@act-intl.org).
Thank you for your attention.
For further information please contact:
ACT Director, John Nduna (phone +41 22
791 6033 or mobile phone + 41 79 203 6055) or
ACT Program Officer, Michelle Yonetani (phone +41 22 791 6035 or mobile
phone +41 79 285 2916)
ACT Web Site address: http://www.act-intl.org