OCHA Situation Report
Sri Lanka
17 - 23 February 2006

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Overall Situation

Truce talks between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the 
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ended Thursday evening in Geneva 
with both sides agreeing to meet again on April 19 for another round of 
talks. The Norwegian Minister of International Development released a 
statement on behalf of the parties which stated that the GoSL is 
committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure that no armed group 
or person other than Government security forces will carry arms or 
conduct armed operations. The LTTE also committed itself to taking all 
necessary measures to ensure that there will be no acts of violence 
against the Sri Lankan forces and the police.

Health authorities in Sri Lanka pledged to take aggressive measures to 
prevent the deadly virus from affecting Sri Lanka after India confirmed 
its first bird flu infection last Sunday.

The Health Department was carrying out surveillance in all areas and 
discussed with hospital authorities on providing isolation and intensive 
care facilities in the event of an outbreak. The World Bank has also 
pledged financial assistance to equip the Angoda Infectious Diseases 
Hospital with the latest facilities. The Government has already stopped 
the import of poultry products and pet birds from countries affected by 
the virus while an initial stock of the anti Avian flu drug, Tamiflu is 
in place via the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Over 500 people in Chettikulam division, Vavuniya district benefited in 
a mobile clinic on legal aid which was organized by the Additional 
Registrar General and the Additional District Registrar with support 
from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Danish Refugee Council (DRC), 
UNHCR and Rural Development Foundation. Most of the participants were 
IDPs, and they received information, counselling and legal assistance 
especially regarding civil documentation.

The Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED), in 
partnership with the European Commission - Humanitarian department, 
launched in January 2006 a humanitarian aid operation -- Emergency 
Assistance for shelter, water supply, sanitation, and livelihood in war 
and tsunami-affected areas in the east. In Vaharai division, North of 
Batticaloa district, the programme will benefit nearly 5000 people while 
the construction of 33 semi-permanent houses and 33 latrines has already 
started. Activities aimed at revitalizing the agricultural sector and a 
livelihood training program will bring together communities that have 
been isolated from each other for decades. ACTED, through this 
operation, is trying to link tsunami and conflict-affected communities 
and consolidate a sustainable basis for their economic reintegration.

Handicap International has signed an MOU with the Provincial Health 
Department to build Physical Rehabilitation Centers in Vaharai, 
Vellavelly, Karadianaru and Valaichenai in Batticaloa district. A 
discussion was held with the Senior Public Health Inspector on latrine 
accessibility for disabled persons and for them to participate in the 
latrine construction plans in future.

UNICEF fieldwork for the third round of the joint UNICEF/WFP/ Medical 
Research Institute nutrition survey regarding the health status of 
tsunami-affected children involving nine tsunami-affected districts of 
the South, West and East has been completed. The three districts of the 
North notably the district of Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu which 
were not yet covered due to security reasons will be surveyed starting 
next week and the results are expected in mid-March.

UNDP reports that the construction of 21 dug wells and a sales outlet 
have been completed by the Kappalthurai Farmer Organization in 
Trincomalee district while the rehabilitation of 2.5 kilo meters of a 
fisheries access road at Jaya Nagar, Kuchchaveli and a 2 kilo meter 
fisheries access road at Weerancholai is complete. Also, the 
rehabilitation of landing site/anchorages and an access road have been 
completed by Sandy Bay Fisheries Cooperative Society Ltd in Town and 
Gravets DS division, Tricomalee district.

Seven tsunami-affected villages in Kinniya have been selected for 
development with funds granted by the Asian Development Bank. Kinniya 
Vision and Socio Development Organization (SEDO) are the local partners 
for the project and a sum of Rs. 5,000,000 is to be spent for each 
village.

30 participants attended the UNICEF organised training programme on 
Emergency Preparedness and Response Planning (EPRP) on 22nd and 23rd 
February at the Ministry of Health branch in Trincomalee. Staff from 
UNICEF's Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara office with one 
representative from UNOCHA, FAO and IOM, as well as a representative 
from Consortium of NGOs and four Government officers engaged in a 
recreation of a complex emergency situation.

Under the UNDP Strong Places Programme office equipment and furniture 
worth 25,000 rupees was delivered to Goldstar Youth Club -- a community 
based organization in Weligama on 22 February.

Main challenges and response

The Japan Red Cross Society recently donated a 46 seat air-conditioned 
bus to the Trincomalee district branch of the Sri Lanka Red Cross 
Society under the Sight Restoration and Vision Correction Project to 
transport eye patients from Trincomalee district to Kandy General 
Hospital in the Central Province for cataract operations. Trincomalee 
Hospital has the facility to perform only 15 operations per week and 
cannot meet the current demand. JRCS is also providing assistance to the 
SLRCS Trincomalee branch to supply spectacles free of charge to these 
patients after operation.

Coordination and common services

Merlin in Ampara has reiterated the need to give beneficiaries 
information on when they can expect that their life situation will be 
changed. There is a strong need for the local authorities to embark on a 
public information campaign about the prospects/plans/estimated time for 
when these changes can take place. In the absence of a governmental 
public information campaign, voices are increasingly heard within the 
local humanitarian community in Ampara, that more dialogue/information 
must be provided to beneficiaries.

The Sri Lankan Red Cross Society disaster preparedness stock for 
contingency planning has started to arrive which will boost emergency 
preparedness. Non food relief items comprising 10,000 hygiene kits, 
20,000 hurricane lamps, 40,000 saris and sarongs and 1000 rolls of 
plastic sheeting have been sent to replenish stocks in the North, East 
and South of the country. In the South, the relief items will be stored 
at the Federations regional warehouse in Galle where the supplies can be 
easily distributed to SLRCS branches in Kalutara, Hambantota and Matara 
in the event of future emergencies. In the North and East, supplies have 
been dispatched to boost buffer stocks held in Ampara, Batticaloa, 
Trincomalee, Kilinochchi and Jaffna.

The Disaster Management Centre in Hambantota carried out an awareness 
program for community Disaster Management for the public in Tangalle on 
22 February. Throughout the past week, the Disaster Management Centre 
conducted a house to house awareness campaign on the importance of 
disaster preparedness and community participation by distributing 
leaflets in Matara town.

CHA conducted a one-day programme on Legal Consultation in collaboration 
with the Institute of Human Rights (IHR) for tsunami-affected 
communities in Matara District on February 17.

On 23 and 24 February OCHA conducted an introductory GIS and Database 
Management Systems training programme for six data entry operators of 
UNDP's Capacity Development for Economic Recovery (CADREP) Project in 
Galle.

Health

ICRC trained 60 volunteers from Vaharai (from 10 villages of Vaharai) to 
work in the Health Awareness Programs had an introduction session with 
the MOH Vaharai.

In the past week Christian Children's Fund (CCF) organized a workshop on 
school sanitation and hygiene education for 25 school teachers and 
conducted a health awareness programs for about 100 children.

Water and sanitation

Almost thirty short term projects across 7 districts are underway or 
have been completed by the International Federation of the Red Cross to 
assist in the task of maintaining and upgrading water and sanitation 
facilities in temporary camps. These works include the construction of 
bunds to prevent flooding at sites, construction of toilets and drainage 
facilities and installation of water storage tanks.

Under the construction of permanent toilets programme, 16 toilets were 
completed within this week (five in Polhena, Matara Division and 11 in 
Gurubebila, Weligama Division). The programme is funded by the American 
Red Cross.

100 beneficiaries in Suduwella (Dickwella Division), along with 168 
beneficiaries in Paramulla, Madiha (Matara Division) and 100 
beneficiaries in Gurubebila (Weligama Division) throughout this week 
will continue environmental sanitation work (refilling of abandoned coir 
pits, clearing of blocked drains and mosquito breeding centres) through 
a Cash for Work Programme funded by the American Red Cross.

Adventist Development & Relief Agency International (ADRA) indicated 
that 20 water treatment plants have been introduced in Hambantota 
district.

Non-food items and shelter

In Trincomalee, the Japanese Red Cross is close to completing 53 houses 
on the Ranjith Kodikara site where 60 homes will be built, while the 
construction of 71 homes at the 5th Mile Post site commenced this week. 
In Batticaloa district the Irish Red Cross has begun construction on 50 
houses at a site at Arayanpathi and the Federation has completed 
foundations for 16 houses on a site at Uriyankaddu where 58 homes will 
be built. The Irish Red Cross is also working on the Janaraja Vidyalaya 
site in Kalutara where construction has been completed up to the first 
floor level on 64 two storey apartments. At the Lagos Watta 2 site in 
Kalutara, the Spanish Red Cross is building 69 houses out which 20 have 
been completed up to roof level. In Matara district the 18 houses being 
built by the Federation at Kananke Watte will be completed by the end of 
March and another site at Kongala Hena, 24 foundations have been laid 
and block work has reached up to roof level on 12 houses.

Over 511 families living in the transitional settlements in Kuchchaveli 
division in Trincomalee district are receiving assistance to upgrade, 
repair and maintain their shelters while getting support to strengthen 
their capacity to care and maintain their own sites, through the Care 
and Maintenance unit, a sub-component of the Norwegian Refugee Council 
(NRC) ECHO funded Site Management Training Project (SMTP). NRC also 
conducted a two-day workshop on site management for site managers in 
transitional shelters and NGO officers working at shelter sites in 
Hambantota District on 23-24 February.

Venezuela signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently with the 
Reconstruction and Development Agency (RADA) to launch a housing project 
to assist tsunami survivors.

Currently, 530 families residing in Thiraimadu relocation site in 
Batticaloa have informed the Divisional Secretary that they are willing 
to go back to their original villages after the reduction of the buffer 
zone.

Plan International has signed a MoU with the Galle District Secretary to 
provide Rs 450,000 per house for the beneficiaries of the homeowner 
driven program, in addition to the government grant. A total of 250 
houses will be covered.

Forty permanent houses completed by World Vision were handed over to 
beneficiaries in Kirinda, Tissamaharama on 17 February.

Education

UNICEF in Jaffna held orientation workshops for teachers on Child 
Friendly Schools in Valikamam and Jaffna Educational zones on 11-12 and 
18 -19 February respectively. A total of 197 teachers from 27 schools 
gained knowledge on the concept of Child Friendly Schools.

Two hundred books were donated to Youth Clubs in Batticaloa district 
last week to form mobile libraries by the National Youth Service Council 
(NYSC) with UNICEF funding.

On 21 February, IOM made arrangements for children from 30 shelter sites 
to visit a Chinese acrobatic circus and a zoo in Colombo district.

Livelihoods

The ILO - CB TREE (Skills Development for Economic Empowerment and 
Creation of Livelihoods) Project held a rapid community planning meeting 
in Sengamam in Pottuvil Division, Ampara to identify new enterprise 
proposals from the community. In addition, a three-day orientation 
workshop was conducted for 24 community coordinators and trainers on the 
CB TREE methodology. They will be working with selected project 
communities in organizing the training and setting up group enterprises. 
An awareness presentation was made on the methodology for prospective 
national level project advisory committee members as well.

Eight International Federation of the Red Cross/ Sri Lanka Red Cross 
Society vocational training programs in construction related skills are 
ongoing in Galle and Matara districts for 175 participants.

The Entrepreneur Development and Service Center in Matara conducted five 
business development workshops for a total of 125 selected beneficiaries 
in Matara.

AMURT International has distributed coir carpet making tools and 
machinery to 100 beneficiaries in the areas of Telwatte, Peraliya and 
Galle Four Gravets on the 19th of February.

A pillow and mattresses factory is being built by an American NGO named 
Friends of Foster at Brahmanawatte, Balapitiya that would be completed 
in another week's time. 6-10 employees are to be employed to produce 
pillows and mattresses.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International              web: www.cidi.org
    Disaster Information          listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                                guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -