Joint Humanitarian Update NORTH EAST | SRI LANKA JAFFNA, KILINOCHCHI, MULLAITIVU, MANNAR, VAVUNIYA AND TRINCOMALEE DISTRICTS REPORT # 24 | 10 - 23 APRIL 2010 Displacement after April 2008 IDP situation as reported by the Government Agents as of 29 April IDPs During the period 1 April 2008 to 29 April 2010 Vavuniya Camps: 73,0221 76,568 people are accommodated in temporary camps. Mannar Camps: 1852 Jaffna Camps: 3,3613 RELEASES & RETURNS 214,227 people have been released & returned in Vavuniya, Mannar, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Releases & Returns: Ampara, Polonnaruwa and Kandy. As of 2 May 2010 In place of origin: 119,706 With host families: 93,329 In institutions: 1,192 Ι. SITUATION OVERVIEW & HIGHLIGHTS Resettlement update • Return movements from Menik Farm and host families resumed on 16 April after a temporary suspension at the end of March over the general election period. During the second half of April, 4,804 people were returned as follows: To Mullaitivu District: 9 On 16 April, 1,071 IDPs from Menik Farm to Karaithurappattru in Maratimepattu District Secretariat (DS) division 9 On 18 April, 907 IDPs from Menik Farm to Oddusuddan DS division 9 On 20 April, 987 IDPs from host families to Karaithurappattru in Maratimepattu DS division 9 On 22 April, 787 IDPs from host families to Oddusuddan DS division To Vavuniya District: 9 On 27 April, 1,052 IDPs from Menik Farm to Vavuniya North DS division Replenishment of tin sheets for returnees required • Government authorities are working to replenish stocks of tin sheets. They are distributed as immediate shelter assistance to returnees, and will be particularly critical to have in place before the upcoming monsoon season in the Northern Province. Families continue to receive shelter assistance kits (tarpaulins and rope). 1 Source: Government Agent Vavuniya 2 Source: Government Agent Mannar. 3 Source: Government Agent Jaffna 1 United Nations Office of the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Sri Lanka | Joint Humanitarian Update | 2010 | Web site: http://www.hpsl.lk Joint Humanitarian Update NORTH EAST | SRI LANKA Returnees to Skanthapuram and Selvanagar moved following mine hazard concerns • In Kilinochchi District, Government authorities acted quickly to transfer twelve families to the Akkarayan School, after confirmation that their homes in Skanthapuram and Selvanagar (in Karachchi DS division) were located in a mined area. Although IDPs receive MRE in IDP camps and upon return to their areas of origin, families may place themselves in danger to assert ownership of their lands. Local authorities are introducing safeguards to prevent the reoccurrence of similar situations. Land documentation • Many returnees are facing difficulty to claim their properties in the absence of land documentation lost during their displacement. Clear land policies and procedures to resolve conflicts are required to avert community tensions when several parties stake a claim to the same lands. More surrendee sites in school premises decommissioned • In Vavuniya District, the surrendee sites sharing premises with the Vavuniya Hindu College, Poonthottam and Vellikulam Schools were vacated and decommissioned. Internews media services for Jaffna District returnees • From April, access to information for displaced and returning persons in Jaffna District improved through the distribution of the Internews weekly newspaper Lifeline and radio shows on the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Tamil National Service and the Yal FM Jaffna service. Internews services now extend to the IDP camps and resettlement areas across the Northern Province. Internews provides information services for IDPs and returnees in partnership with Government, UN, I/NGO, the private sector and others. II. Sector Overviews & highlights Shelter / NFI In the Vanni return areas: • Shelter and WASH sector leads are working with partners to ensure complementary support in the areas of return. • The Ministry of Resettlement has decided the following allocation of 400,000 cement bags donated by the Indian Government for returnees. Each resettled family will be provided eight bags of cement to construct shelters on their own lands. Resettlement Coordinators and Assistants will assist the respective Government Agent offices to carry out the distribution. District # cement bags allocated Jaffna 152,000 Mannar 64,000 Vavuniya 64,000 Kilinochchi 72,000 Mullaitivu 48,000 total 400,000 • NFI distributions in the return areas resumed on 20 April after a two week gap due to the general elections and Tamil / Sinhala New Year. Between October 2009 and 22 April 2010, 20,537 returnee families in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu Districts as well as Vavuniya North have received 25,272 NFI core kits, 20,225 lanterns, 23,107 hygiene kits and 15,623 tool kits. In Vavuniya District / Menik Farm: • Shelter agencies distributed polythene sheets for 950 tents and completed maintenance on 500 shelters in Zones 2 and 3. 2 United Nations Office of the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Sri Lanka | Joint Humanitarian Update | 2010 | Web site: http://www.hpsl.lk Joint Humanitarian Update NORTH EAST | SRI LANKA WASH In the Vanni return areas: • Sarvodaya, Oxfam, FSD, IRD, JENS and LEADS received PTF approval to support WASH interventions in the resettlement areas. Local authorities have prioritized support to community areas, schools and health institutions. • Status of well / toilet cleaning and rehabilitation in the return areas as of 25 April District # Cleaned # Rehabilitated # Toilets built # Toilets repaired wells wells Completed Completed Completed Completed Mannar 333 445 188 864 Kilinochchi 985 7 295 13 Mullaitivu 847 0 299 0 Vavuniya 469 0 0 0 Total 2,634 452 782 877 • Water bowsering operations continue in areas where well-cleaning is ongoing. • In Mannar and Vavuniya Districts, Zonal Education Directors are currently carrying out an assessment of WASH needs in priority schools. WASH agencies will collaborate with government authorities to plan operations on the basis of assessment results. In Jaffna District (including return areas): • The ongoing dry season has increased the need for bowsering water to the Ramavil camp. The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWS&DB) continues provision of water to the camp, with financial support from WASH partners, which has been extended for six months. • The second phase of a scheme to provide piped water to the Ramavil camp will commence soon with sector support. • The NWS&DB will implement a water supply scheme in Mandaitive with support from the WASH sector. The scheme will benefit approximately 1,700 people, including around 720 returnees, in the water-scarce Mandaitive area. • On 27 April, WASH sector lead UNICEF organized a knowledge management workshop on Participatory Hygiene Promotion and Transformation Series (PHAST) for 16 project staff from partner WASH agencies. Important points covered in this workshop included; 9 Practical problems and issues related to hygiene promotion in the Jaffna context were discussed, facilitated by a resource person from Regional Directorate of Health Services (RDHS). This discussion included the recent outbreak of dengue fever. 9 An overview of a hygiene promotion framework and implementation strategy was discussed. In Vavuniya District / Menik Farm: • Water bowsering services have increased from 7 litres / person to an average supply of 10.3 litres / person in line with Sphere standards. Despite improvements, inequalities remain in some zones. • With the return of IDPs to their places of origin and reduced levels of needs, 49 toilets in Zone 5 were decommissioned. As of 23 April, a total of 4,123 toilets have been decommissioned across Menik Farm. Toilet maintenance in the remaining facilities has been collectively prioritized by agencies. 3 United Nations Office of the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Sri Lanka | Joint Humanitarian Update | 2010 | Web site: http://www.hpsl.lk Joint Humanitarian Update NORTH EAST | SRI LANKA FOOD In the Vanni return areas: • People in return areas receive WFP food rations for 6 months as follows: District # Returnees Kilinochchi 60,071 families (228,423 individuals) Mullaitivu 8,623 families (5,861 individuals) Mannar 8,365 families (30,165 individuals) Vavuniya 28,501 families (126,226 individuals) Total 105,560 families (390,675 individuals) Food ration distribution • The Government Agent offices are collecting CBO proposals to implement WFP-sponsored Food for Work and Food for Training (FFT) programmes to extend food assistance in resettled communities beyond the six-month timeframe. • Students in reopened schools receive midday meals under the WFP school feeding programme as follows: District # Schools # Students Kilinochchi 35 5,227 Mullaitivu 37 4,144 Mannar 18 3,137 Vavuniya 26 1,899 Total 116 14,407 • In Vavuniya and Mannar Districts, approximately 22,000 pregnant and lactating mothers and children under five years received Corn Soy Blend (CSB) through clinic programmes. In Vavuniya District / Menik Farm: • Around 9,400 pregnant and lactating mothers, children under five and elderly people receive supplementary feeding. HEALTH & NUTRITION In the Vanni return areas: • Following a needs assessment, health agencies are supporting the Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition to procure basic and essential equipment needed for hospitals in Mannar, Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi Districts. • Health agencies plan to complete refurbishing of the maternity and paediatric