Lifeline print supplement #06
- Religious Organizations help IDPs in Batticaloa
- IDPs and mental health issues
- Food Access to IDP camps
- Knowing Your Rights: Women’s Rights
- Interview with Mark Patterson, Deputy District Manager for Save the Children in Trincomalee
Lifeline Daily Radio Show #11 (30 Mar 2008)
- Approaching communities through language training
- District Updates
- Sales of Vavuniya market affected by transportation problems to the south and the existing tight security check points
- Radio Drama “Your stories” (Ungal Kathaikal)
- Q & As from Trincomalee: Impact of flood in the price of rice.
- Bilingual Language training school “Sangaman” near Trincomalee Town
- COLOR IN THE LIFELINE: The Kaffir community from Puttalam
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Lifeline Daily Radio Show #10 (23 Mar 2008)
International Water Day: Importance of Water and Obstacles faced in Receiving Water
District Updates:
- According to the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC, umbrella organization which involves Government and Humanitarian agencies) (situation report #117 6-13 March 2008) the number of IDPs, as reported by GAs, is 239,442 in the North and East provinces.
- The Disaster Risk Management Centre in Trincomalee reported that 582 families (2,669 individuals) in Trincomalee Town and Gravets DS division were affected by the flooding. Government authorities/CBO/NGOs provided cooked meals to affected individuals.
- Restrictive procedures at checkpoints on the A14 road, including Uyilankulam, continue to cause serious problems with the supply of essential items, and are also resulting in price increases and fuel shortages. Since 4 February, access has been restricted to vehicles north of Madawachchiya checkpoint, creating additional challenges for civilian travel across Mannar District.
- WASH actors are conducting assessments on the 21 IDP camps in the Batticaloa district to identify needs for repairs & upgrades to WASH facilities, which will be compiled into a WASH Sector Action Plan.
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Lifeline print supplement #05
- Merlin provides health care to IDPs in Batticaloa
- Child Rights in Puttalam: local NGO helps to raise children’s voices
- World Vision provides education facilities in Mannar
- Knowing Your Rights: Right to Food
- 8th March: International Women’s Rights Day: Interview with Shreen Saroor country representative for the Ashoka Foundation
Lifeline Daily Radio Show #09 (16 Mar 2008)
Food Access to IDP camps
District Updates
- According to the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC, umbrella organization which involves Government and Humanitarian agencies) (situation report #116 27 Feb – 06 March 2008) the number of IDPs, as reported by GAs, is 262,087 in the North and East provinces.
- On 4th March in Trincomalee district, UN agencies conducted an initial assessment at the Pallikkudiyiruppu and Sinnakulam villages in Pallikkudiyiruppu GN, Muttur DS (within Muttur East/Sampoor HSZ). Authorities plan to resettle IDPs originally from these villages currently displaced to Batticaloa and Trincomalee District. Resettlement is planned to take place in March 2008, with initial plans to resettle 150 families.
- UNHCR conducted a rapid assessment in IDP camps in Batticaloa following concerns raised by various actors on the conditions in the camps. Issues raised Range from complaints on food quantity, inadequate water and sanitation facilities, the need for NFRI replenishment, upgrades to shelters and a lack of Livelihood support (including for skills development training). Actors from the IDP Technical Working Group agreed at the 4 March meeting to conduct Inter-Agency verification missions to camps to address concerns.
- Also in Batticaloa, IOM reports that IDPs scheduled to return to Mayvadduvan/Chenkalady after 10 March have started clearing their house premises in preparation for shelter construction prior to return. IOM will support returnees with transitional shelter assistance. The clearance started after IDPs, supported by the Government, conducted a “Go & See” visit to the area on 23 February.
- RDHS of Vavuniya received the first quarter medicine for 2008, which is now pending approval from MoD to transport the supplies to LTTE controlled areas of Mannar and Vavuniya district. Approval for transport of fourth quarter 2007 medicine to Manthai West has also not yet been received from MoD.
- PSA on the Guiding Principles for Humanitarian and Development Assistance in Sri Lanka: Field Officer of UNOCHA Trincomalee, K. Arulvaratharajaah, speaks on the Guiding Principle #10 Security and Safety.
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Lifeline print supplement #04
- UN request US 18.6 millions to assist IPDs
- FORUT supporting livelihood initiatives in Puttalam (part 2)
- De mining works in Sri Lanka
- Knowing Your Rights: Access to Water
- Interview with Desabandhu Thiruchelvam, President of Trincomalee Trade Union
Lifeline print supplement #03
- Elections in Batticaloa
- FORUT supporting livelihood initiatives in Puttalam
- Accessing legal documents for returnees from India (IOM)
- Knowing Your Rights: Right to Food
- Interview with the National Child Protection Authority
Lifeline Daily Radio Show #08 (09 Mar 2008)
8th March: International Women’s Rights Day
District Updates
- According to the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC, umbrella organization which involves Government and Humanitarian agencies) (situation report #115 21-27 Feb 2008) the number of IDPs, as reported by GAs, is 262,101 people/72,345 families in the North and East provinces.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) resumed its flights between Jaffna and Colombo on 3rd March when it transported nine patients requiring specialized medical care, accompanied by two doctors and five bystanders. “We temporarily suspended ICRC-chartered flights between Jaffna and Colombo to re-assess technical arrangements and passenger safety”, says Toon Vandenhove, ICRC’s Head of Delegation in Colombo. “We worked under great pressure to resume flights, knowing that some patients would find it very hard to travel for more than 30 hours by sea and road to reach health facilities in Colombo”.
- Government authorities arranged “Go & See” visits for IDPs to Maylavaddavan/Chenkalady in Batticaloa district; and to Pallikkudiyiruppu Muttur DS division, for IDPs from the Paddithidal site, in Trincomalee district. In Batti, the return is anticipated to take place after 10th March, after IDPs participate in local government elections. IDPs were appreciative of the government’s decision. In Tinco, authorities are planning to start resettlement of the GN division in early March with an initial movement of 150 families returning to their place of origin in Pallikkudiyiruppu from IDP sites in Batticaloa and Trincomalee. “Go and See” visits offer the IDPs an opportunity to make an informed decision about whether or not to return to their place of origin.
- In Muttur, in Trincomalee district, the school in the newly resettled area of Amman Nagar was re-opened on 3 March. The school accommodates children of grades 1-5. Arrangements are being made by the Zonal Education Office Muttur for the children to have uniforms, textbooks and for the children in grades 6 and above to have access to schools in Muttur town.
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Lifeline print supplement #02
- Interview with GA Batticaloa on the first council elections in 13 years and how IDP could vote
- Challenges in the education sector in Trincomalee district
- Humanitarian agencies provide educational assistance for IDPs in Vavuniya
- Q&A with the information department: How to get a Birth Certificate and what the procedure is
- Knowing Your Rights: Child rights
- Interview with Women’s Rights Program Officer ActionAid Ms. Kavitha Arunagirinathar on women rights awareness activities
Lifeline Daily Radio Show #07 (02 Mar 2008)
First Urban Council Elections in Batticaloa in 13 years
District Updates:
- According to the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC, umbrella organization which involves Government and Humanitarian agencies) (situation report #114 14-21 February 2008) the number of IDPs, as reported by GAs, is 262,098 people/64,266 families, in the North and East provinces.
- WFP plans to include oil and sugar for the Mother Child Health & Nutrition (MCH&N) supplementary feeding programme. In addition to increasing the calorie values, the additional items are expected to make the Corn Soya Blend (CSB) recipes more palatable. MCHN beneficiaries (pregnant mothers, lactating mothers, children under five years) will get 300g sugar and 450g oil per person per month in addition to 1.5 kg of CSB.
- In Trincomalee, at a resettlement meeting called by the GA on 15 February, it was reported that the resettlement to Maylavvadavan/Chenkalady will take place after 10 March, when IDPs also participate in the local government elections. The government also agreed to conduct a “Go and See” visits for Mayvaddavan IDPs, although some IDPs are indicating a reluctance to return.
- The Ampara GA calls for assistance from humanitarian agencies to re-start the cultivation of thousands of acres that had not been cultivated for a long time due to ensuing situation in Thirukkovil DS. Displaced farmers starting cultivations in those areas will be given special protection and access, to Kanchikudicharu and Thankavelayuthapuram. Villages in the periphery will also be allowed access to renovate a tank, which is the main source of water in the area, destroyed by the conflict.
- RDHS Kilinochchi reports that no MoD permission has been given yet to transport essential drugs for the first quarter of 2008, which are stored in Vavuniya.RDHS also reports shortages of fuel impacting operation of health institution generators and vehicles. 50% of the fuel requested for January has been received.
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