Sewalanka staff in Batticaloa have been distributing relief items to IDPs in four camps since the start of 2007.

In early April 2006 the relatively peaceful state of Sri Lanka changed dramatically following renewed fighting between the Sri Lankan military and the LTTE. This increase in violence quickly led to an emergency situation in the north and the east of the country with hundreds and thousands of people displaced from homes and left without food, water, shelter and sanitation.

According to Government figures, more than 215,000 people have been forced to flee their homes since the violence erupted in April. This figure is in addition to the 313,000 people who were displaced prior to the 2002 ceasefire agreement. With individuals flocking to hastily established, and often overcrowded, refugee centres, Sewalanka staff were quick to distribute relief packages (food and non-food items) to displaced families and provide much-needed water and sanitation facilities to camps and shelters.

Working with government actors, UN agencies and other local and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Sewalanka's efforts to date have focused on addressing the basic human needs of the affected communities. Once these basic needs have been met, the organisation will begin the transition to resettlement and rehabilitation activities in the hope of restoring a sense of normality to the displaced families.

The following summaries provide a look at the work undertaken to date by Sewalanka staff in Batticaloa, Trincomalee and the country's north.

Batticaloa

Sewalanka has been providing humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in four temporary camps in the Batticaloa district since the start of 2007. Working with international organisations including UNICEF, UNHCR, Merlin, Norweigan Refugee Council and the Italian Red Cross, cooked meals have been supplied and food and non-food items have been distributed.

Sewalanka staff attended camp management training programs and worked on the ground to distribute aid in a non-discriminatory manner. Sewalanka also ensured the medical needs of IDPs were met by arranging examinations by physicians.

Live performances were organised to provide entertainment for camp occupants. Toys were distributed and play clubs established.

Relief activities will continue in Batticaloa until resettlement takes place. During this time, Sewalanka will arrange links with various other organisations to obtain further help in the rehabilitation phase.

North

The number of IDPs increased dramatically in Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Jaffna between the months of August and October 2006 following intense fighting in and around Thenmarachy and the coastal areas of Allipady, Mantaitivu and Mankumpan.

Over this period, 24,805 people were displaced in Mullaitivu and 46,048 people where displaced in Kilinochchi. These IDPs travelled from the uncleared areas of Vadamaratchi East, Pallai and Poonagari and from the cleared areas of Thenmaratchi and Vadamaratchi. Sewalanka's relief efforts in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu have provided food to over 12,500 families and temporary shelters to over 1400 families. These projects were funded by BMZ and ECHO and implemented in partnership with German Agro Action (GAA).

In Jaffna approximately 12,000 displaced families (30,000 individuals) were forced to live in refugee camps or with friends and relatives, while temporary shelters were constructed.

With the A9 road to Jaffna closed due to heavy fighting, limited access by boat and at times, no electricity, Sewalanka's Jaffna district staff have been providing much needed supplies to the families who have fled conflict-affected areas to temporary camps in Jaffna Town and Vadamarachy. All relief work has been coordinated with staff from UN and INGO/NGO agencies.

Initial emergency relief work was also carried out in Mannada, Theevu, Alanthivu, Varani and Manthuvil.

Upon the request of the Government Agent in Jaffna, Sewalanka provided over 6000 families with dry food, much needed fresh vegetables, eggs and meat; non-food items; nutritional packs for children and pregnant and lactating mothers; and thousands of litres of water and a water pump.

Illness, health and psychosocial issues have been monitored in temporary camps by coordinating with medical specialists.

The aid work in Jaffna was funded by ECHO and NOVIB and was implemented in partnership with GAA..

Over recent months, refugees in the Jaffna district have been slowly returning to their homes and now, in February 2007, IDP figures for the region have decreased.

Sewalanka will continue to provide food and infrastructure to support IDPs in the north throughout 2007.

Sewalanka staff members have been distributing aid in Trincomalee since August 2006.

Trincomalee

Since the escalation of fighting between the Sri Lankan military and the LTTE at the start of August in Trincomalee District, over 5535 individuals and families have fled from their homes. These individuals and families have sought shelter in approximately 70 camps, schools and religious buildings located in neighbouring divisions.

Sewalanka and partner GAA have been working in coordination with a number of other agencies including UNHCR, UNICEF, International Committee of the Red Cross, OXFAM, the World Food Program, Muslim Aid International and Save the Children in Sri Lanka, to meet the basic needs of displaced individuals by providing shelter, water and sanitation facilities and basic food and non-food items.

Throughout the last six months, Sewalanka has assisted IDPs at nine camps in five Divisional Secretariat (DS) of Trincomalee and is currently providing ongoing relief to displaced individuals in two camps as a result of the more recent conflict in Kallar.

In the Kantale Division, in August, Sewalanka assisted IDPs at Aggrabodhi Temple (340 IDPs), Batukachchiya Vidyalaya (43 IDPs) and Al Munira Mosque (318 IDPs). In Seruwila Division, Sewalanka has provided assistance at Mahaweligam Vidyalaya (400 IDPs) and Kavanthissa Vidyalaya (300 IDPs).

In September, following the Government's decision to declare Muttur a safe town and to encourage refugees to return to their homes, these camps in Kantale and Seruwlia Divisions were closed.

To foster a successful reintegration into their original communities, Sewalanka distributed basic non-food items to IDPs (with food being provided by the World Food Program).

A further 1138 families (3579 individuals) from Seruwila Division were displaced in December, sheltering temporarily in schools and temples within Kantale Division. Sewalanka staff distributed clothing, medicine, sanitary and other non-food items to these IDPs.

At the beginning of 2007, Sewalanka provided the Kantale DS with a vehicle to transport aid items from the DS office to camps.

Sewalanka will continue to work in coordination with aid agencies in Trincomalee to provide non-food items to IDPs and to ensure water and sanitation needs are met.