IASC Inter-Agency Standing Committee Country Team

Inter-Agency Standing Committee Country Team IASC Colombo Sri Lanka

SITUATION REPORT # 88

KILINOCHCHI, MULLAITIVU, VAVUNIYA, MANNAR, TRINCOMALEE, BATTICALOA & AMPARA DISTRICTS

16-23 August 2007

KILINOCHCHI & MULLAITIVU DISTRICTS

Situation update • The general situation in Kilinochchi town has been calm while some shelling occurred in the Vanni during the week. • On 23 August, the United Nation Department of Safety and Security conducted a ‘Saving Lives Together’ training for INGOs based in the districts.

Internally Displaced Persons • A meeting on the identification of contingency sites took place on 17 August in Kilinochchi. A total of 27 sites in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu were identified and responsibilities shared among the participants (UN and NGOs).

Sector Response Shelter • By 21 August, CARE had completed the construction of 164 temporary shelters in the districts. • FORUT provided temporary shelter material to 25 IDP families settled in the districts. • As of 22 August, Solidar had completed the frame work of 5 temporary shelters in Paliaru, Manthai West (Mannar uncleared area).

Health • FORUT with the support of the Deputy Provincial Director of Health Services (DPDHS) and Zonal Director of Education (ZDEs) conducted awareness programmes on health and nutrition to pre-school teachers in the districts and Vavuniya north areas.

Water and Sanitation • UNICEF completed the construction of 30 temporary toilets at schools in Kilinochchi while the construction of 27 temporary toilets is ongoing for students being accommodated in temporary learning spaces.

Livelihood • CARE on 18 August gave three conflict-affected fishers from Kandawalai AGA division fishing nets and other fishing equipment. • It has been decided during the Livelihood Forum held on 21 August at FORUT - in order to stimulate the consumption of locally produced rice (stored in important quantities) – that the Forum will request WFP to consider purchasing rice flour from the local market instead of wheat flour for its ongoing dry ration distribution in the Vanni where one Kg of rice flour is available for Rs. 40.00 while one Kg of wheat flour is available for Rs.60.00. • FORUT assisted 32 IDP families living in six FORUT project villages in the districts in income generating activities such as poultry keeping, ox rearing, high land crop cultivation and small business enterprising.

Education • 13 UNICEF Temporary Learning Spaces are under construction in schools of Kilinochchi district where more displaced children are registered.

Food • On 17 August, WFP was able to transport 70 MT of wheat flour from Vavuniya for its dry ration distribution. • On 17 August, Multi-Purpose Cooperative Societies (MPCSs) of Kilinochchi district transported 5 MT of sugar, 10 MT of wheat flour and 3.5 MT of pulses for general public consumption.

Protection • UNICEF and local NGO White Pigeon continue with Mine Risk Education (MRE) activities across the districts for some 4,500 people. • Norwegian People Aid (NPA) destroyed 169 mines and 240 UXOs in the Kilinochchi and Mankulam areas last week.

VAVUNIYA AND MANNAR DISTRICTS

Situation update • The situation remains tense.

Internally Displaced Persons • On 18 August, 13 Sri Lankan refugees arrived in Talaimannar from India. • The GA office reports that there are 2,542 families (9,293 persons) displaced in Mannar district and 2,517 families (8,682 persons) displaced in Vavuniya district as of 23 August.

Sector response NFRI • From 12-17 August, Save the Children in Sri Lanka (SCiSL) distributed NFRI packages to 641 families living in Periyamadu, Paliaru and Arthimoddai GN division in Manthai West. • UNHCR provided 49 NFRI packages to IDPs and Indian returnees in the districts after they registered with the local office.

Water and Sanitation • FIRM completed the construction of 25 toilets in Malayaparuththikkulam in Vavuniya South for CARE International. • UNICEF and partner FORUT commenced the construction of four wells and 50 latrines for 75 IDP families at the Mannankulam School in Vavuniya North. • UNICEF and partner Rural Development Foundation (RDF) started the construction for four latrines for 131 families recently displaced to the Kalkathekama School from the Alughagama, Alugalla and Theevuwegama villages. • ZOA completed the construction of 17 toilets for vulnerable and long term IDP families living in Pannankaddikoddu GN division in Mannar.

Education • On 17 August • Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) inaugurated a fully computerized English Academy center to develop the knowledge of English among students in Mannar district. • From 12-17 August, SCiSL distributed education kits to 296 displaced children living in Moonrampity GN division in Manthai West DS division. • On 21 August, ZOA and partner MARDAP conducted a skill development competition including essay, poem, song writing, general knowledge quizzes and drawing for seventy disabled students. • JRS is assisting 370 students with catch up education classes through 71 evening coaching centres located in rural villages of Mannar district.

Protection • UNHCR reports that ten (10) additional home guards have being deployed at three Sinhalese villages where displacement and return recently took place. The clearing of forested areas is underway and a bunker (dirt wall) will be built on completion. • On 17 August, JRS opened a girl’s home for orphans and destitute girls at Valkaipattankandal in Nanaddan DS division in Mannar. • From 16-22 August, ZOA and partner FAMILIAN conducted counseling program for 167 children and 50 women in Konaiyankudiruppu, Pesalai, Keeri, Madhukarai, Thampanaikulam, Pannavettuvan and Madhukarai in Mannar.

Health • ZOA and partner MARDA conducted health awareness programs for 119 disabled students in Tharmapuram, Shanthipuram, Thalvupadhu and Pesalai.

Food • WFP was able to transport 0.169MT of rice and 3.12 MT of dhal to Mannar district and 7.89 MT of rice, 2.7 MT of dhal and 0.149 MT of sugar to Vavuniya district for its IDP dry ration distribution. • On 18 August, ZOA provided meals and a traveling allowance to the 13 Sri Lankan refugees who returned from India.

Shelter • ZOA constructed six semi-permanent shelters for vulnerable and long term IDP families living in Palamunai East, Pattithoddam, Shanthipuram, and Pannankaddikoddu in Mannar and upgraded five shelters in Thampanaikulam, Vankalai and Kathankulam in Nanattan division. • On 17 August, JRS handed over 50 newly built houses to 50 vulnerable and long term IDP families in Talaimannar village in Mannar district. • Oxfam started the construction of two common wells, 32 emergency shelters, 32 latrines and the renovation of a 1.5 km road at Ulukkulam, in order to resettle people displaced from Avaranthulawa in Vavuniya.

TRINCOMALEE DISTRICT

Situation update • The situation remains tense. • Several INGOs reported that the police visited their offices and asked them to submit staff/vehicle details including personal address/information to the DIG Office during the course of the week.

Internally Displaced Persons • On 16 & 18 August, 620 families (2,200 persons) were returned from Batticaloa district and Kiliveddy Transit Sites to Illankaithurai and Illankaithurai Mugathuvaram GN Divisions in Eachchilampattai. So far a total of 2,524 families (8,700 persons) have being returned to Eachchilampattai.

Sector Response Shelter • In Poomarathadichchenai, CARE completed the construction of 38 semi-permanent shelters for returnee families. The construction of another 88 shelters is in progress and is expected to be completed within two weeks. • Semi-permanent shelter construction in Eachchilampattai by other agencies including ZAO, JRS and NRC are progressing.

Food • WFP dispatched 13 MT of Corn Soya Blended (CSB) foods to two MOH divisions in the districts for 4,649 pregnant/ nursing mothers and children under five years. • Due to fumigation procedures at the District Warehouse in Trincomalee some food dispatches were delayed this week. However, 2,240 people who returned from Batticaloa to Eachchilampattai on the 16 & 18 August received WFP's food assistance.

Water and Sanitation • On 22 August, Oxfam handed over a gully sucker to the Assistant Commissioner Local Government (ACLG) to operate in Muttur DS division. ACLG will appoint and pay the salary for the driver of the gully sucker and Oxfam will pay the operation cost until the end of this year. • CARE completed construction of four common wells in Soorangal and Nadooththu in Kinniya DS division this week.

Education • UNICEF has setup children and youth clubs in Illankaithurai in Eachchilampattai DS division. • The coordination meeting on child friendly activities took place in Kiliveddy on 16 August and focused on solving partners’ practical issues and ways to increase enrolment at schools.

Health • On 16 August the SLA, with the support of the DPDHS, facilitated the transportation and incumbent expenses of civilian medical personnel of the Health Authorities to the rural hospital of Eachchilampattai. The medical staff performed check-ups of returnees.

Food Security • FAO with the Department Of Agriculture distributed vegetable seeds and fertilizer to 100 resettled families in Chenaiyoor, Vaddavan, Mavadichchenai and Verugal in Eachchilampattai division on 22 August.

BATTICALOA DISTRICT

Situation update • The situation remains tense.

Internally Displaced Persons • According to Government statistics as of 20 August, the total registered IDP population in the District is 11,528 families (42,595 individuals). • Return of IDPs to Batticaloa west is complete except for Aythiyamalai North and South in Vavunathivu division where de-mining is not yet finished. • Access to the west part of Batticaloa has improved. During the past week 11 NGOs were able to enter the divisions of Vellavely, Paddipalai and Vavunathivu.

Sector Response Shelter • NRC has upgraded 122 damaged shelters and provided 155 new transitional shelters to the returned families of Uriyankattu and Vaharai Central in Vaharai division. In total 891 individuals benefited directly. • Temporary shelter roofs at Man Power IDP camp in Manmunai North division have been covered with plastic sheets by NRC to prevent water leakage during rains. 233 families benefited from this assistance. • IOM has finished the construction of 53 shelters at Aalankulam in Vaharai division. Construction material were received at the Panichchenkerny site for the proposed 440 shelters and work on them commenced on 21 August.

Food • Agencies continue to provide basic food ration assistance for all displaced in welfare centres. GA-WFP provides food rations to 78% of the displaced in welfare centers while Sewalanka provides to 10%, ASB-Koinonia to 11% and NCM Lanka to 1% of the displaced in welfare centers. GA-WFP provides basic food rations to all displaced residing with host families. • GA-WFP continues to provide basic food rations to all resettled persons in the three divisions in southwest Batticaloa and BRCS continues to provide the cash equivalent of food to all resettled persons in Vaharai.

• Appeal for complimentary foods assistance in the district:

There is an immediate need for complimentary food in Manmunai North for 1,469 families (5,230 persons) in 13 of the 15 camps, until mid September at the least; In Chenkalady, 2,697 families (9, 985 persons) in 12 of the 15 camps immediately need complementary food until mid September at the least; In resettled areas (Batticaloa West), only two organizations have so far confirmed complimentary foods assistance to that covers 20% of the resettled families in the three divisions. In 24 Grama Niladari divisions in the resettled areas of Vavunathivu there is a need for complementary food for 5,098 families (17,377 persons); In 24 Grama Niladari divisions in the resettled areas of Paddipalai there is a need for complementary food for 5,702 families (18,794 persons); In 34 Grama Niladari divisions in the resettled areas of Vellavelly there is a need for complementary food for 6,428 families (20,808 persons);

Water and Sanitation • Watsan Emergency Response Activities continue at 45 IDP camp locations in seven DS Divisions. Watsan coordination meetings are on-going on a bi-weekly basis with the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) as chair and UNICEF as secretariat. • Main Sector-wide issues for IDP camps include the provision of essential services (garbage collection, gully sucking, and water bowsering) to camps by local government & NGOs, on-going Care & Maintenance of watsan facilities, re- supply of hygiene kit and camp cleaning supplies, and decommissioning of hand pumps and toilets at closed camp locations. • The Pradeshiya Sabas and Municipal Council of Batticaloa are facing challenges to support the running costs for services. Advocacy efforts are ongoing through the GA to request reimbursement of the running costs for services to IDP camps and resettlement areas. • Watsan assessments in the four resettled DS Divisions of Vaharai, Manmunai West-Vavunathivu, Manmunai Southwest-Paddipalai, and Poraitivu Pattu-Vellavely are ongoing by UNICEF, ICRC, and NGOs. Joint field assessments and monitoring visits are ongoing with Water Board, Pradeshiya Sabas and UNICEF in all four divisions. • Dry season conditions are causing water supply shortages in drought-prone areas of all four resettled DS Divisions. Access to water supply is also limited due to damaged and unclean wells and hand pumps, wells with suspected UXO contamination, inaccessibility of some community wells, and unfinished and/or damaged watsan projects in tsunami resettlement villages. • UNICEF provided ten plastic 1,000 liter capacity water tanks, 25 tank stands, 30 spare taps, and 1 drum of chlorine to the Assistant Commissioner of Local Government for use by Pradeshiya Sabha Vavunathivu for a drought relief water supply program. • UNICEF provided three 1,000 liter capacity plastic tanks and 20 taps to the UNOPS Quick-Fix Team for maintenance repairs at IDP camps.

IASC CT Secretariat (UNOCHA) 202-204, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka. Tel: +94 - 11 - 4528689 Ext. 384 / Fax: +94 - 11 - 4528690 Email: [email protected] | Web site: http://www.humanitarianinfo.org/srilanka/ | http://ochaonline.un.org/srilanka/ Inter-Agency Standing Committee Country Team IASC Colombo Sri Lanka • During the week, ArchenoVa built 30 new tube-wells with hand-pumps in Manmunai North division. ArchenoVa finished on-site work of the drinking water supply system for IDP-camp of Kokkuvil 3 in Manmunai North division and the camp will thus not depend on water bowsering. ArchenoVa trained six local craftsmen and four ACTED field staff on maintaining and repairing hand pumps at IDP camps. ACTED constructed 115 tube wells for ArchenoVa in Kiran division. • Oxfam GB is constructing six permanent toilets for host families in Shanthively in Chenkalady division. Oxfam GB has done all pipe fittings of the Vaharai water purification plant and masonry work and the final water quality checking is in progress. • OXFAM GB, ArcheNova/ UNICEF, World Vision bowsered over 561,000 liters of water per day to sites in Valachchenai, Chenkalady, Kiran, Manmunai North, Manmunai West and Vaharai.

NFRI • On 20 August, Oxfam GB distributed 55 brooms to three IDP camps in Valachchenai and Kiran divisions. • 95 newborn baby kits were distributed by Merlin to lactating/ pregnant mothers on 16 August in Mavadivembu and Chenkalady in Chenkalady division. • UNICEF provided 30 site clean-up kits to ACTED for distribution to IDP camps in the district. • UNICEF provided 50 bacteriological water testing kits to ArchenoVa to use in the Safe Drinking Water Contingency Plan. UNICEF provided 720 hand washing soaps to ArchenoVa to use for hygiene promotion activities.

Psycho-social • The NRC Camp Management Training team conducted sectoral training at the Palemeenmadu and Thiraimadu NRC site and on-site training at Kokkuvil ArcheNova site and Kokkuvil Sewalanka site on 16, 20 and 21 August and visited the Kiran sites for assessments. • IOM’s fire drill and personal safety workshops were conducted by World University Service of Canada (WUSC) at Kayankerny and Vattawan in Vaharai division on 16 August for over 100 beneficiaries. The same workshop was conducted at Thiraimadu in Manmunai North division on 17 August for 153 participants. On 21 August, workshops on fire drill and personal safety were conducted again by WUSC at Rizvi and Farid Nagar in Kathankudy division for 158 beneficiaries.

Education • The construction of Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS) by NRC at Panichchenkerny, Kathirveli and Kaddumurivukulam in Vaharai division is in progress.

Health • After a 3 month effort, Oxfam GB completed a manual which can be used for promoting better hygiene practices to prevent diseases and educate the community on the use and maintenance of watsan related facilities. • Oxfam GB’s regular hygiene promotion activities are ongoing in IDP camps through volunteers, ESCO and Sarvodaya. As health related issues were identified at camp level, more attention was given to the safe disposal of excreta, use and disposal of sanitary towels, disposal of garbage, maintenances of watsan facilities. • From 14-18 August, Merlin trained 56 students and 16 teachers from 13 schools of Kalkudah and Batticaloa zones on First Aid. • On 17 August, Merlin organized a one-day health and sports festival program for 300 pre-school children in Kathankudy. • On 16 and 17 August, Merlin donated one mini autoclave with other infection control material to the Chenkalady Rural Hospital and Valachchenai Base Hospital. • UNICEF high energy biscuit (HEB) distributions are ongoing and from 17 August to 15 September, they will distribute 37,000 kg of HEBs to over 16,000 children under five years and pregnant and lactating mothers in resettlement and IDP sites in the district.

Livelihood • On 21 August, Oxfam GB and ESCO gave one sewing machine and material to Parangiyamadu camp in Kiran division. Oxfam GB did small business cash grant activities for IDPs in Parangiyamadu where 1 IDP received a

Protection • UNICEF conducted a training of trainers (TOT) on MRE for trainers working in camps and areas of return. • UNICEF conducted monitoring visits to return areas in Paddipalai and Vavunathivu to monitor the child protection situation. • Members of the Emergency Child Protection Coordination group are implementing and monitoring the minimum standards agreed upon by all agencies for the implementation of child protection activities in camps.

AMPARA DISTRICT

Situation update • The situation remains tense.

Internally Displaced Persons • UNHCR reports that IDP figures remain the same with 1,566 families (5,775 individuals) displaced in the district as of 22 August. The implementation of UNHCR Quick Impact Projects (QiPs) is under consideration.

Sector Response Shelter • In Sainthamaruthu, there is a looming problem for tsunami IDPs whose temporary shelters are located on privately owned land. Land owners are demanding that the IDP families vacate the land as they have not being paid land rental fees by the government. IOM has been requested to relocate 35 families in Sainthamaruthu to either land owned by the victims or to government land. There are concerns of provision of watsan services to these 'new' sites. The GA stated that the government would take over the responsibility if agencies are unable to provide assistance. • IOM completed the relocation of ten National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) shelters in Nintavur DS Division and upgraded the roof of 20 Oxfam shelters in Thirukkovil DS Division. • IOM identified 51 UNHCR shelters in Kalmunai and Akkaraipattu DS Division that need to have their kitchen’s upgraded; Work is in process.

Food • IDPs in all ten DS divisions continue to receive WFP food rations on a monthly basis. For the month of August, the delivery of 86 MT of mixed food is in progress for 5,747 beneficiaries (1,558 families).

Water and Sanitation • IOM completed the construction of two toilets in Kalmunai and upgraded five wells in Akkaraipattu. A further 50 new toilets and upgrades for 80 wells are ongoing. • An assessment carried out by Malteser in Mahaoya division shows that there is a need for drinking water by the communities living in this area. Though water wells exist they are contaminated and require attention. Agencies with capacity to assist are asked to come forward.

Health • IOM arranged health walk on safe water habits at Al – Noor Maha Vidyalaya in Addelaichenai DS Division on 22 August for 200 students. • IOM conducted a training programme on home composting techniques with the Agriculture Department and distributed home compost bins to 75 families in Navithanveli DS Division on 20 August. • IOM is supporting the Kalmunai Municipal Council to collect garbage at transitional shelter sites and has already started work in Sainthamaruthu and Kalmunai DS Division

Food Security • From 14-17 August, FAO conducted a TOT program on safety and security, for 60 fishermen in Kalmunai and Akkaraipattu division.