Joint Humanitarian and Early Recovery Update July 2011 - Report #34

I. SITUATION OVERVIEW & HIGHLIGHTS

• By end July, the total population returned to the Northern Province stood at 372,138 people (110,252 families) – this figure includes 209,054 people (65,436 families) displaced after April 2008 and 163,084 persons (45,741 families) displaced before April 2008

• At the end of July, 9,371 IDPs (2,849 families) displaced after April 2008 remained in camps awaiting return to their areas of origin. An additional 8,376 IDPs (2,319 families) from the protracted or long-term caseload (displaced prior to April 2008) remained in welfare centres. .

• Long-lasting solutions are also sought by a total 110,619 IDPs living with host communities in the north: 57,540 persons (20,142 families) displaced after April 2008, in addition to 53,079 long-term IDPs (15,562 families).

• A total 1,364 IDPs (376 families) remained stranded in transit situations in the five northern districts.

• As of 4th August 2011, Kodikamam Ramavil camp in Jaffna has been closed, after the families returned to their areas of origin in three recently opened GNs in Vadamarachchi East DS Division, Jaffna District.

• Recent consultations with the authorities on plans for those IDPs in Menik Farm who originate from areas that remain closed by the military authorities to IDP return, indicate that the government is keen to relocate these remaining IDPs to an alternative relocation site during 2011. However, at this stage, these plans are not yet clear and the UN and larger humanitarian community await further details before determining their engagement or any commitments to assisting such relocation.