Bonn/Colombo, 18.8.2006. Welthungerhilfe
(German Agro Action) is increasingly concerned about the well-being
of the Sri Lankan civilian population in the face of renewed clashes. At
least 1,000 people have been killed since last December. More than 100,000
have taken flight.
Around the city of Muttur in the north-east
of the island, where the most recent wave of violence broke out at the
beginning of August, around 70,000 people have fled their homes. Refugees
have found shelter in interim camps in the towns of Kantale and Seruwila.
Welthungerhilfe and its partner organisation, the Sewalanka Foundation, are supplying 7,000 people with necessities here. Emergency relief includes the distribution of water containers, household utensils, children's clothing as well as sanitary products such as soap and toothbrushes.
"The women, men and children there are living in fear. With only a brief respite, they've been living in a climate of war and displacement for more than two decades. On top of that they've had to deal with the traumatic experience of the Tsunami," explains Heinz Seidler, Welthungerhilfe's regional coordinator based in Colombo.
After the outbreak of ground hostilities at the end of July, there is now fighting around the strategically important peninsula of Jaffna in the north. Welthungerhilfe is on standby here with an emergency relief programme, but the Sri Lankan government is still denying international aid organisations access to Tamil-dominated areas.
Heinz Seidler is available for interviews.
Deutsche Welthungerhilfe has been active in Sri Lanka since the 1970s. We have been working with the Sri Lankan NGO organisation, the Sewalanka Foundation (SLF), since 1992. Our work focuses on securing food and the reintegration of refugees of war, an activity which has intensified since the ceasefire agreement in 2002. Deutsche Welthungerhilfe contributed to the relief campaign in the aftermath of the Tsunami and is still active in reconstruction projects for victims of the disaster.
Contact:
Marion Aberle, press officer
Tel. 0228 / 2288 - 114
Mobil 0172 / 25 25 962
Assistant: Doris Theisen
Tel. 0228 / 22 88 - 128
Email
presse@welthungerhilfe.de
Internet
www.welthungerhilfe.de