As the tension increases in the north of Sri Lanka and fighting in the region controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) escalates, ADRA Sri Lanka prepares to bring aid to the thousands of Internally Displaced People (IDP’s) that have fled the zone and are now being sheltered in temporary camps.
ADRA New Zealand will join with other humanitarian agencies in an effort to ease the situation in these camps where the number of displaced people has risen to over 190,000, mostly trapped inside makeshift and substandard camps of plastic and temporary materials with little or no shelter from sweltering heat.
The conditions described in situation reports from the ADRA Sri Lanka workers, are of a rapid decline in the quality of housing, water and sanitation within the camps where civilians are attempting to stay alive. The area is designated as a “no fire zone”, yet under heavy shelling causing many casualties.
The Sri Lankan government has estimated that these temporary camps will house IDP’s for up to three years and has asked United Nations agencies (representing the Non Governmental Communities) to put procedures into place that will meet the needs of these IDP’s.
While most NGO’s are presently unable to access the affected areas, ADRA’s Adventist network (local churches, schools and other contacts) means we have people on the ground in the controlled areas who facilitate ADRA Sri Lanka to carry out assessment and respond to this crisis.
At the end of April, ADRA Sri Lanka was allowed to enter an IDP camp near the city of Vavunyia, for three days to conduct an assessment of the situation and is now in negotiations with local NGOs to establish a partnership on water trucking, hygiene, sanitation and other activities.
“Bringing immediate response has been difficult as the UN and NGOs were asked to withdraw from the LTTE controlled area effectively cutting off the population from humanitarian assistance.” said Edgar Castillo, Country Director for ADRA Sri Lanka. “We are very happy to be getting access into the camps and hope to begin our activities very soon.”
ADRA Sri Lanka has identified water and sanitation as the priority needs in the temporary camps and can draw on their strength and previous experience to start interventions in these areas. In the past ADRA Sri Lanka has carried out the installation of water tanks, hand pumps, hand dug wells, water disinfection units and water trucking to tsunami-affected communities and is the only humanitarian agency in Sri Lanka that owns and operates a drilling rig for borehole drilling.
ADRA NZ has allocated funds to assist with the immediate relief of people but the need is great and more resources are required to address the escalating situation.
Please identify any donations as “Sri Lanka Appeal” and thank you for your continued support.
For further information:
Adventist Development & Relief Agency, New Zealand
743 Great South Road, Wiri 2104
Contact: Dayan Eager, International Programme Director
Phone: (09) 262 5623, 021 774655
Email: dayaneager@adra.org.nz
Web: www.adra.org.nz