OCHA Situation Report
Sri Lanka
4 - 10 May 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Situation Report
Overall Situation

Japan's special peace envoy to Sri Lanka, Yasushi Akashi warned on 
Wednesday that Sri Lanka's strained peace process was at its lowest ebb 
since he took the job in 2002, and called for talks to resume.

Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe 
handed over the 10 year Road Map on Disaster Risk Management to 
President Mahinda Rajapakse at Temple Trees Wednesday in the presence of 
the UN RC/HC for Sri Lanka Miguel Bermeo.  This is the first time in the 
history of the country that a National Disaster Risk Plan is in place. 
On Thursday 11 May, the Road Map was officially launched in Colombo 
where a statement by the UN Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, Bill 
Clinton was read.  In it he encouraged donor agencies to strongly 
support the Road Map.

Main challenges and response

In Trincomalee the procedure to gain access to LTTE controlled areas is 
changing. According to the previous agreement organisations had to 
provide a list of items to be delivered in official letter to the 
check-point, where items present in the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) list 
went through normal procedure. However agencies are now asked to provide 
lists prior to movement and have to wait for the response of the GA's 
office.

Coordination and common services

The Foreign Correspondents Association and Sri Lanka Press Institute in 
cooperation UNDP, Ministry of Finance, and RADA launched a photo 
exhibition to commemorate the tsunami: "One Coast, One People: The 
Tsunami Story" at Galle Face Green in Colombo 6 May. The mobile photo 
exhibition will tour the country until the 13th July visiting all 
tsunami-affected districts.

OCHA has produced maps showing the displacement movement trends in 
Trincolmalee district.  An ongoing challenge is in providing the proper 
information at the right time as the situation changes.

Awareness programs are being carried out by Disaster Management Center 
(DMC) in collaboration with UNV DRM, in the divisions of Galle district 
and four volunteers have been appointed for each division to be 
responsible for early warning, search and rescue, security and First 
Aid, in case of an emergency. A training program on first aid conducted 
by St. Johns Ambulance has been arranged for these volunteers. The 
evacuation route plan for Hikkaduwa, Galle is being prepared by DMC and 
UNV DRM and assessments are on going with this regard in identifying 
evacuation routes and safe areas.

OCHA/UNHCR in Batticaloa has set up a new mechanism to follow up on IDP 
tracking and coordinate aid deliveries.  Each area of displacement is 
divided into 3 and 3 organizations active in those areas are identified 
as Focal Points. Requests for assistance will/should come to OCHA/UNHCR 
through DS. OCHA/UNHCR will compile the requests and task the Focal 
Points to verify information, needs and figures. When the information is 
verified and an intervention is planned organizations will be asked to 
take appropriate action and report.

OCHA and UNHCR had a discussion with the GA on 3 May regarding the IDP 
situation and collaboration between the humanitarian actors and the 
Government authorities and more specifically with DS representatives. GA 
stressed the need for NGOs to coordinate with the Government.

IOM's registration of tsunami-affected persons continues along the 
east-coast of Sri Lanka. In Ampara, registration is scheduled to 
conclude on May 12. Information has been collected from about 100,000 
tsunami affected people living in the district.

OCHA through the Media Working Group facilitated the Sri Lanka College 
of Journalism in their real life training, which this year focuses on 
the tsunami.  Some 60 journalism students were briefed on the role of 
NGO's, INGO's and UN agencies in Sri Lanka, and their operational 
strategies. After the week the students shall have a deeper 
understanding on how to professionally report the reconstruction and 
rehabilitation work done in Sri Lanka after the tsunami and will 
understand the need to tell 'Stories from the real life' and how to link 
them to larger scenarios.

UNDP STRONG PLACES project has established 16 Intermediaries at the 
district level and 417 CBOs have received grants in the tsunami-affected 
districts by early May. Under CADREP, 10 training centres are being set 
up in each district, and will be equipped with essential equipment and 
personnel with IT experience, and sites have been selected and tender 
process is finalised for building nine centres (CADREP Art Gold).

Food security

VAM (Vulnerability assessment Mapping) surveys are on going in Galle 
district and WFP announced its possibility of moving it's programs to 
more remote and interior areas which are vulnerable, although not 
affected by tsunami, such as DS Division Thawalama.

Under the Food for Education program in Galle district 36 schools have 
been identified to receive a mid-day meal to children from grade 1 to 
grade 9, benefiting 18,000 children.

Health

Merlin has agreed to send a mobile clinic with a team of doctors to 
Trincomalee district.  Although there are no major health concerns as a 
result of the recent displacements Eachchilampatti Hospital, is still 
not fully operational and suffers from a shortage of medical personnel. 
There is no government hospital active in the LTTE controlled areas of 
Muthur. Only one medical centre by the LTTE is serving the displaced 
population in this area and doesn't have the capacity to cater for all.

Sri Lankan Red Cross continues to operate mobile clinic services with 
support from INGOs to displaced populations.

Water and sanitation

Temporary toilets have been constructed by ACF in Muttur and Oxfam in 
Eachchilampattai for displaced persons.  Drinking water needs are being 
covered by the system in place post tsunami.

Non-food items and shelter

According to statistics gathered by RADA in Ampara District regarding 
Home-Owner Driven housing, there is a total of 12,368 houses fully 
damaged needing rebuilding n the Home Owner driven programme, out of 
this number 7,455 houses has been pledged by donors to co-finance the 
government grants, of which UN Habitat is building 6,000 houses (more 
than half of the required houses). There is still an outstanding balance 
of 4,913 houses for co-financing by donor agencies.

In Ampara a discussion was initiated by OXFAM GB and UNICEF on 3 May 
regarding the site selection process of permanent houses in areas where 
there is clearly no supply of water available and would not be available 
within 2 or 3 years. A case study has been put forward by OXFAM GB of a 
housing site in Mandanai, Thirrukovil Division involving 740 people (148 
families) living there without provision of water. It is also reported 
that there is no electrical supply. The Water Board has reported of 
other areas of permanent housing sites without water in the divisions as 
follows: Sarvodayapuram in Pottuvil, Karalupo in Panama, Thamaraikulam 
in Thirrukovil. Alleyadivembu, Noracholai in Akkaraipattu, Alamkulam and 
Katchenar in Addalachchenai, Cwawalakadia in Navithanvelli.

It was agreed to engage in discussions with the GA and other government 
representatives involved in housing, revisit a checklist/ guideline of 
site selection criteria as presented by the Sphere standards and 
Government housing policies, consolidation of policies, consolidation of 
case studies based on the field situation (e.g. the case of Mandanai and 
other areas as listed by Water Board) and ensure communications and 
dialogue is held with claim-holders/ beneficiaries of their housing 
entitlements and options, and what is available to them in their 
options. IOM is in the process of conducting a transitional shelter 
assessment for care and maintenance and have been visiting the field in 
the recent past. The agencies identified to collaborate in this task are 
World Vision, Sewa Lanka, and Oxfam GB.

In Ambalangoda, Galle 62 houses constructed by the German Federal Agency 
for Technical Relief were handed over to beneficiaries on 5 May.

Care and Maintenance programs of Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) are on 
going in 20 twenty transitional sites in Galle district and NRC plans to 
expand these programs to Matara district.

Under UNDP's Housing Project, 233 new houses are being constructed in 
Moratuwa, Jaffna, Trincomalee and Galle. In the Moratuwa project, four 
houses were completed in late April and the beneficiaries have moved in, 
with the remaining 46 new houses in the area due for completion by the 
end of May. A total of 107 houses have now been repaired in the Kalutara 
district and 90% of work on repairing 100 houses in Jaffna is complete.

Education

Almost all schools in Trincolmalee district have been affected by the 
current situation resulting in schools remaining closed as displaced 
persons continue to occupy some buildings. With the impending A Level 
and O level examinations due end of this month, UNICEF is working 
closely with the educational department in Trincomalee to try and reopen 
schools however some teachers as well as students continue to stay away. 
UNICEF has organized alternative spaces to engage children providing 
them with items like "School in a Kit".

Livelihoods

The Ministry of Labour commenced the assessment programme for Training 
of Trainers. Thirty five identified officials from multi-disciplinary 
fields deployed in all tsunami-affected districts were included as they 
interact frequently with children during the course of their duties. 
Twenty four of the most suitable will be chosen to be trained as 
trainers.  The

ILO Teachers Kit on Child Labour which has been translated into Sinhala 
(Tamil version soon to be completed too) is being used.

The FAO/RADA pilot study into oversupply in Ampara (and Matara) is 
underway.  Community workshops have been held in most of the Kalmunai 
Tamil division.  Key priorities include identifying and verifying those 
who have not received assistance but are entitled to it and identifying 
beneficiaries who received un-seaworthy boats.  The second phase of the 
pilot study will develop mitigatory measures.

UNDP is engaged in fisheries projects in 10 affected tsunami districts 
in Sri Lanka. Supply of refrigerated trucks, tractors, diesel generators 
have been delivered or expected to be at site locations by mid-May. 
Flake ice plants have been installed at sites and production started in 
early April. In terms of construction, a fishermen's dormitory, canteen 
and community hall in Trincomalee is 45% complete, and 35% of all 
fisheries community infrastructure restoration sub-projects throughout 
the districts have been completed so far.

Under UNDP's Microenterprise Development (MED) project, first 
installment for RLFs released, training activities have commenced - some 
155 loans awarded to selected beneficiaries. 80% of construction work 
completed on expanding Jaffna fisheries federation, work commenced on 
five centres for trading purposes in Jaffna. Suntel Ltd is funding a 
UNDP project targeting women in a fishing community in Matara district 
under livelihood development. It is the first locally based 
Public-Private-Partnership UNDP has entered into in the context of 
tsunami recovery and the contract was signed in Colombo on the 10th of 
May.

IOM's Dry Fish Processing project in Jaffna district has been completed, 
implemented by one of IOM's partner PARC (Pacific Asia Resource Centre). 
Seventy women from three villages have received extensive training in 
fish drying techniques, marketing, business skills and organizational 
leadership, as well as equipment and raw materials.

In Tangalle, a ceremony was held to mark the start of new business 
opportunities for 96 women from Matara and Hambantota districts.  SEEDO 
(Social Economic and Environmental Development Organization), with 
funding from IOM, provided business training, English language courses, 
food hygiene and processing training and equipment and inputs for their 
businesses.

In Kalutara, 36 new business ventures have been established by local 
partner, Institute for Human Development and Training who have worked 
with 92 beneficiaries over the last 6 months.  These businesses comprise 
mostly of group ventures, the majority of the beneficiaries are single 
heads of households and two thirds of the beneficiaries are women.

IOM reports that on May 5, 30 youth from Jaffna completed a two-month 
vocational training course in Colombo conducted by the National 
Institute of Fisheries and Nautical Engineering (NIFNE). Participants 
received training in marine welding and each received a certificate in 
life-saving or coxswain. Following training, all participants have 
safely returned to their hometowns in Jaffna.

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