Sri Lanka’s 25 year long conflict saw dramatic developments during 2008. In January, the Government withdrew from the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement. Military activities increased in the northern Vanni region with displacement increasing sharply during the second half of the year. Rising insecurity forced United Nations and NGO staff to relocate in September 2008. Since then, assistance to address the most urgent humanitarian needs for the estimated 230,000 internally displaced persons has been provided through relief convoys.
In contrast to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the North, the East witnessed significant progress, including the return of 126,000 people who had been displaced in 2006 and 2007. Local elections in March, followed by provincial elections in May 2008 brought former fighters from a breakaway faction of the LTTE into government structures. Consequently, the focus of assistance moved from relief to recovery -- rebuilding homes, restoring livelihoods and stabilizing communities. Humanitarian assistance also continued for the remaining 22,000 IDPs in camps and host families.
Progress in the East has been tempered by significant, lingering protection and rule of law concerns. Populations outside of the conflict areas, including Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo, have been subjected to regular acts of violence including indiscriminate bombings and explosions. The country is also prone to natural disasters, especially flooding, which usually accompanies the bi-annual monsoon rains, causing large-scale, albeit temporary displacements.
In 2009, OCHA will continue to support humanitarian response efforts through its main office in Colombo and field offices in Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Jaffna. The Vavuniya office will be reinforced to support ongoing relief and protection needs in the North. The offices in Jaffna and the East will monitor residual humanitarian and protection needs as well as support the transition from humanitarian coordination to recovery and development structures.
Under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator (RC/HC), OCHA Sri Lanka will continue its support to the UN and humanitarian country teams, including to the UN Focal Points/Area Security Coordinators in the main conflict-affected areas. Integral to this support are the information products and services provided by the Information Management Unit.
OCHA will continue to lead the humanitarian planning process through the Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) as well as facilitate regular contingency planning exercises. OCHA will also support the UN RC/HC and the wider humanitarian community in developing advocacy strategies and communication messages ensuring humanitarian and protection needs are effectively addressed. OCHA will provide liaison support to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights to facilitate its role as Chair of the Consultative Committee on Humanitarian Affairs. Capacity building for information management and disaster planning and response will also be provided to the Ministry’s Disaster Management Centre.
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