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

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Mannar, Jaffna, Trincomalee, Batticaloa & Ampara Situation Report #76

Attachments

24-31 May 2007

KILINOCHCHI & MULLAITIVU DISTRICTS

Situation update

The Omanthai FDL (Forward Defence Line), which was temporarily closed last week, was reopened on 30 May. The Omanthai and Uyilankulam crossing points will be officially open for traffic three days a week from 9 am to 5 p.m. (Monday, Wednesday and Friday).

As part of the Bilateral Donor Group humanitarian field assessments, a team comprising the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO) and Swiss Development Cooperation SDC) visited the Vanni 24-25 May.

Internally Displaced Persons

Government Agent reports 78,493 individuals displaced in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts. The movement of IDPs has stabilized with some exceptions in areas of Manthai East and Thunukkai where families moving from Vavuniya North and South AGA divisions continue to arrive.

Sector Response

Shelter

UNHCR reports that 8,249 temporary shelters out of a committed 12,528 shelters have been constructed by various agencies in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu district since August 2006 while the construction of 2,237 shelters is ongoing.

FORUT has completed 32 emergency shelters out of a committed 100 in Thunukkai AGA division [Mullaitivu] and completed 26 temporary shelters out of a committed 50 shelters in Vavuniya North division. In the Iyankankulam village [Mullaitivu], FORUT is preparing the land to construct 50 temporary shelters.

As of 30 May, Oxfam had completed 95 temporary shelters in the Poonakary and Karachchi divisions (Kilinochchi district) out of a planned 355 shelters while in Mullaitivu, Oxfam has completed 64 temporary shelters out of a planned 295 shelters.

Health

Oxfam with DPDHS (Deputy Provincial Director of Health Services)-Mullaitivu organized a two-day discussion on Public Health Promotion for 43 staff from local organizations at the MOH Mullaitivu office on 25 and 26 May.

Watsan

Oxfam renovated two bathing places at the Theravil IDP camp in Mullaitivu benefiting 56 displaced families.

Capacity Building

On 25 May, Oxfam conducted a one day training for 41 persons on Community Based Disaster Management at the AGA office-Puthukkudiyiruppu (Mullaitivu).

Food

WFP transported 110 MT of dhal on 30 May for its ongoing dry ration distribution in the districts.

Food Security

On 27 May, FAO, through its implementing partner FORUT provided field training on Backyard Poultry Management for 148 recently displaced farming families, settled in the Thevipuram IDP location (Mullaitivu district). FAO in collaboration with the Government Agent of Mullaitivu and with the support of the Federation of the Fishermen Cooperative Societies, provided prawn net packages for 60 displaced fishers last week.

Mine Action

NPA [Norwegian People Aid] the leading de-miner in Vanni updated their last week activities as follows.

A NPA (Norwegian People Aid) MRE (Mine Risk Education) team conducted a Task Impact Assessment [TIA] of the Thadduvankoddy village located close to Elephant pass in Kilinochchi. According to the TIA, 25 families are living in Thadduvankoddy village now as opposed to 170 families in 2002.

The NPA Explosive Ordinance Devices (EOD) Team is actively removing UXOs in an IDP camp in Mankulam area (more than 80 UXOs).

The NPA MRE team is active in the Vadamarachchi east area which is not accessible to other INGOs and the UN.

NFRI

124 IDP families from the 9th mile post Akkarayan settlement [Kilinochchi] were given camp cleaning items by Oxfam.