| Section The ICRC in Sri Lanka
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The war having ended, people displaced in northern Sri Lanka take part in a programme to resettle them.
The ICRC has been providing humanitarian assistance to civilians since 1989, with the agreement of the Sri Lankan government.
In 2008 and 2009, the worsening conflict left 250,000 people trapped in a 250-square-kilometre area. They faced intense fighting and lacked food, water, sanitation and health care. Although it was difficult to access the affected area, the ICRC worked with the Sri Lanka Red Cross to evacuate the sick and wounded from the combat zone by sea and to facilitate the delivery of food and limited quantities of medicines into the area. 24-2-2010 Sri Lanka: ICRC continues to respond to humanitarian needsAll over Sri Lanka, the ICRC continues to help those affected by the recent conflict, including detainees and their families, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the war wounded. Meanwhile, the organization continues its discussions with the Sri Lankan government regarding the scope of future ICRC activities in the country. The following is a report on ICRC activities in Sri Lanka between 1 July and 31 December 2009. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Operational update 29-4-2009 Sri Lanka: civilians caught up in battleRaging battle in north-eastern Sri Lanka continues to imperil the lives of thousands of civilians. In the following accounts, three people caught up in the conflict share with the ICRC’s Sarasi Wijeratne their harrowing experiences and hopes for a better tomorrow. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Feature Includes Photo 7-10-2008 Sri Lanka: a step towards self-relianceIn Sri Lanka lack of transport and financial means makes it difficult for hundreds of disabled people to get treatment and orthopaedic devices. An ICRC-supported rehabilitation centre in Jaffna comes to their aid. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Feature Includes Photo 24-9-2008 Sri Lanka: ICRC helps displaced people return to traditional livelihoodsThe ICRC is set to distribute seed and fertilizer to small farmers displaced by the armed conflict in order to enable them to generate an income the way they used to – by cultivating their land. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Feature 5-6-2008 Working between the lines dividing Sri LankaSri Lanka has only one crossing point between government-held areas and those held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), at Omanthai. The ICRC has the unique role of facilitating the smooth passage of people and goods "across the lines". Claudia McGoldrick went to Omanthai to meet an ICRC protection officer with a quite unusual job (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Feature Includes Photo 5-6-2008 A lifeline to the outside worldFormer naval commander, Ajith Boyagoda, was captured and detained for eight years by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). During this time, the ICRC regularly visited him and his fellow detainees. In Colombo, he spoke to Claudia McGoldrick about what helped him to get through his ordeal. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Feature Includes Photo 5-6-2008 Civilians' plight : Testimonies of victims of Sri Lanka's 25-year conflictAlmost three decades of armed conflict in Sri Lanka have had wide-ranging humanitarian consequences for the population. The ICRC works to improve the situation of affected populations, including separated families and the internally displaced, the wounded, the sick and the detained. Claudia McGoldrick heard some of their stories. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Feature Includes Photo 16-2-2010 Sri Lanka: new beginnings for local communities - ICRC livelihood projects 2008 – 2009In 2008 and 2009, the ICRC continued to support communities to resume or strengthen their primary and secondary livelihood activities in agriculture, fishing, craft and trade sectors. During the 2-year period, a total of 51 projects were implemented in the Northern and Eastern provinces which assisted 45'708 beneficiaries of Muslim, Sinhalese and Tamil origin. Projects were implemented based on a thorough analysis of needs, availability of resources and considering people's capacities. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Field newsletter Includes PDF 29-5-2009 Sri Lanka: displaced people anxious for news from familiesDisplaced people in Sri Lanka not only need food, water and medical care. Thousands need to know whether relatives are alive and well. The ICRC is extending its work in IDP camps, but the needs are overwhelming, explains Jacques de Maio, ICRC head of operations for South Asia. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Interview Includes Photo 22-5-2009 Sri Lanka: ICRC resumes assistance to displaced people in Vavuniya campOn 21 May, the Sri Lankan authorities restored the ICRC’s access to parts of Menik Farm. This is the largest camp for displaced persons in Sri Lanka, housing over 130,000 people. An update from Monica Zanarelli, the ICRC's deputy head of operations for South Asia. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Interview Includes Photo 20-5-2009 Sri Lanka: over 250,000 displaced persons in urgent need of assistance Now that hostilities have been declared over, everything possible has to be done to facilitate access for humanitarian aid agencies so they can help hundreds of thousands of displaced people. Monica Zanarelli, the ICRC's deputy head of operations for South Asia, explains the current challenges. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Interview Includes Photo 31-3-2009 Sri Lanka: ever more sick and wounded evacuated from conflict area to hospitalSince 10 February the ICRC has evacuated thousands of people from conflict-weary northern Sri Lanka to Trincomalee district for medical treatment. Martin Hermann, an ICRC surgeon, speaks about the evacuated patients and his work. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Interview Includes Photo 4-3-2009 Sri Lanka: ICRC reiterates concern for civilians cut off by the fightingJacques de Maio, the ICRC's head of operations for South Asia, speaks of the tragic humanitarian situation in northern Sri Lanka. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Interview 26-2-2009 Sri Lanka: organizing medical evacuations by seaPeople fleeing hostilities in the Vanni continue to arrive in Putumattalan, on Sri Lanka's north-eastern coast. Since 10 February, the ICRC has evacuated nearly 2,000 patients and relatives by sea for medical treatment. The evacuations continue, with the support of both parties to the conflict. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Interview 9-2-2009 Sri Lanka: parties must grant safe passage to stranded patients and medical staffOn 4 February around 300 patients, accompanied by 18 ICRC staff, fled Puthukkudiyiruppu Hospital in northern Sri Lanka after it was shelled repeatedly. Monica Zanarelli, ICRC deputy head of operations for South Asia, explains their predicament and what the ICRC is doing to help them. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Interview 2-2-2009 Sri Lanka: ICRC maintains support for hospital hit by shellingFighting between government forces and the LTTE is killing civilians and obstructing humanitarian operations. With hospitals coming under attack and civilians forced to seek refuge in areas scarcely less hazardous than those they have left, the ICRC is calling on both sides to comply with international humanitarian law. Interview with Monica Zanarelli, ICRC deputy head of operations for South Asia. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Interview 30-1-2009 Sri Lanka: helping families keep in touch across the front lineThe conflict in northern Sri Lanka has affected some 200,000 civilians in the Vanni. The majority have fled their homes, while others are at risk of displacement in this volatile situation. Many have not been able to talk to their families in recent days and weeks. Monica Zanarelli, the ICRC’s deputy head of operations for South Asia, explains the organization's efforts to re-establish family links in an extremely volatile situation. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Interview Includes Photo 9-6-2009 Sri Lanka: ICRC assists thousands of persons in government-run sites for the displacedThe ICRC has been bringing aid to thousands of civilians who fled the areas formerly held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and is visiting a growing number of persons held in relation to the conflict in government places of detention. The following is the latest report on ICRC activities between March and May 2009.
(The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Operational update Includes Photo 30-4-2009 Sri Lanka: thousands of civilians still trappedThousands of civilians, including women, children and elderly people, many of them wounded and sick, remain trapped and at risk in a small area along the coast that had been declared a "no-fire zone" by the government. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Operational update 17-3-2009 Sri Lanka: ICRC continues to help civilians as crisis escalatesFighting continues between Sri Lankan government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), prompting growing fears for the lives of those trapped in the conflict area. The ICRC has been bringing a little hope, evacuating the sick and wounded and escorting boats carrying food and limited medicines - ICRC activities in January and February 2009. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Operational update 15-1-2009 Sri Lanka: massive displacement of civilians amid escalating conflictEver more civilians have been leaving areas held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and entering government-controlled territory in recent weeks. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Operational update 11-12-2008 Sri Lanka: ICRC distributes aid in the Vanni, assists Jaffna flood victimsIn the wake of renewed fighting in the Vanni region and severe flooding in and around Jaffna, the ICRC has been distributing aid, restoring clean water supplies and pressing ahead with its other activities for conflict victims. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Operational update 14-11-2008 Sri Lanka: as rains arrive, ICRC steps up help for civilians fleeing conflict in the VanniLatest report on ICRC activities in the field (October 2008) (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Operational update 13-10-2008 Sri Lanka-ICRC continues to assist Vanni displaced as conflict approaches KilinochchiLatest report on ICRC activities in the field (September) (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Operational update 9-9-2008 Sri Lanka: ICRC steps up aid effort for displaced people in the VanniLatest report on ICRC activities in the field (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Operational update 6-6-2008 The many faces of Sri Lanka's long armed conflict![]() In Sri Lanka, 25 years of armed conflict between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have had serious humanitarian consequences for civilians throughout the country. Over the years many people have fled their homes, particularly in the conflict-affected areas in the north and east of the country, and families have become separated. The ICRC has been working in Sri Lanka for almost two decades, aiming to improve the situation of affected populations on both sides of the armed conflict - including the internally displaced, the wounded and the sick, separated families and detainees. (Info resources\Photos\Asia and the Pacific) Photo Collection Includes Photo 8-3-2007 Sri Lanka: fleeing for their lives![]() The armed conflict in Sri Lanka has once again caused massive population displacements. Tens of thousands of men, women and children have been driven from their homes and forced to seek shelter in camps. Most of them were unable to take anything with them and lack even the most basic necessities. (Info resources\Photos\Asia and the Pacific) Photo Collection Includes Photo 13-10-2006 Sri Lanka: violence persists and daily struggle continues for the internally displaced![]() A ceasefire in February 2002 led to hopes for peace in Sri Lanka, after many years of conflict between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). These hopes have been dashed in recent months as fighting resumed with a vengeance, prompting the ICRC to step up operations to help more than 60,000 displaced persons with essential relief items, water and medical supplies. This gallery captures the daily struggle of camp life for the displaced and the vital relief the ICRC brings. (Info resources\Photos\Asia and the Pacific) Photo Collection Includes Photo 21-4-2009 Sri Lanka: situation of civilians nothing short of catastrophicAt a press conference in Geneva on 21 April, the ICRC's director of operations, Pierre Krähenbühl, described the situation in the north-east of Sri Lanka as "dramatic". He explicitly warned that government forces and fighters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) must take immediate action to prevent further mass casualties among civilians. (The ICRC worldwide\Asia and the Pacific\Sri Lanka) Press briefing Includes Photo |
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