Joint Humanitarian Update NORTH EAST | SRI LANKA JAFFNA, KILINOCHCHI, MULLAITIVU, MANNAR, VAVUNIYA AND TRINCOMALEE DISTRICTS REPORT # 21 | 27 FEBRUARY TO 12 MARCH 2010 Displacement after April 2008 IDP situation as reported by the Government Agents as of 11 March IDPs During the period 1 April 2008 to 11 March 2010 92,828 people are accommodated in temporary Vavuniya Camps: 88,1981 camps. Mannar Camps: 1,0232 Jaffna Camps: 3,6073 RELEASES & RETURNS 185,127 people have been released and returned in Releases & Returns: Vavuniya, Mannar, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, As of 11 March 2010 Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Polonnaruwa and Kandy. In place of origin: 91,682 With host families: 92,253 In institutions: 1,192 I. SITUATION OVERVIEW & HIGHLIGHTS Support to the return process • Returns continued at an increased pace, particularly from Menik Farm. The Competent Authority for IDPs has shared a schedule of planned returns with agencies, which is constantly revised as demining operations make returns possible. Partners continue to support the Government to resettle IDPs through liaison with civilian and military administrations and demining authorities to assist in safe and swift return to return destinations. • Reports from Menik Farm suggest that IDPs generally receive three days notice before return to their districts of origin. The advanced notice enables IDPs to prepare for the movement, which is key to well- being during transition to home areas. Menik Farm Zone 5 continues to be used as a transit area where IDPs are provided with meals and sanitation facilities, which supports dignity in the return process. • On 8 March UNHCR Sri Lanka suspended the distribution of shelter cash grants to returnees due to funding shortfalls. Returnee perspectives • Returnees continue to report general satisfaction in being back in their home areas rather than in IDP camps. However there remain substantial concerns about livelihoods and access to basic services in return areas. UNHCR continues to monitor the challenges faced by returnee communities, particularly vulnerable groups. Recent focus has been placed on the areas newly opened for resettlement in Oddusuddan in Mullaitivu District, east of the A9 road. • There is an increasing trend where some returnees, mostly young people and women, leave the resettlement areas to find work and avail themselves of education services in other districts. 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 • Many returnee families say that they were eager to return to their home districts to reclaim their lands. Most people from the Vanni lost important documentation, including land documentation, during their displacement. Update on Menik Farm: • Humanitarian actors continue to engage with donors to secure funds for Menik Farm operations, where 88,198 IDPs remained as of 11 March. The level of services decreased at the beginning of March due to funding gaps. Donor advocacy is also sought to continue to maintain Government services and staff in line with camp populations, particularly for social services, protection of women and children, and health. • The Ministry for Social Services and Social Welfare continues to lead, with support from UNICEF, in the Child Focus Units and for referral of women at risk. However, gaps remain in services for children, especially for recreation and pre-schooling programmes. Diminished support in other sectors, such as water-sanitation and complementary food, has also had an impact on the overall protective environment. Update on the Mannar camps: • On 4 March, the Jeevodayam camp was closed and the remaining 75 IDPs were moved to the Sirrikundal camp. A total 1,023 IDPs live in the remaining 3 camps in the district. Authorities are looking for methods to further consolidate the camps or close them altogether within the next three weeks. Humanitarian access • The Mullaitivu Security Forces Headquarters (SFHQ) informed agencies that they must obtain permission to travel to the area by a fax sent to the SFHQ 24 hours in advance of the movement. • CTF has been granted access to the Mannar camps to carry out Mine Risk Education. II. Sector Overviews & highlights Shelter / NFI In Jaffna District (including return areas): • IDPs and returned refugees from India received Non-Food Item (NFI) kits. In the Vanni return areas: • Shelter agencies in Vavuniya are consulting with Government authorities on distributing approximately 4,000 emergency shelter kits (ESK). Some contingency will be held back for repairs or replacement at Menik Farm. • Shelter agencies are challenged to secure funds for and build permanent housing in a timeframe corresponding with the pace of returns. Approximately 14,000 permanent houses for returnees will be constructed under the North East Housing Reconstruction Programme (NEHRP) and by UN-HABITAT in 2010-2011. • The distribution of NFI kits to returnees continues. More partners may provide items for the NFI kits, which assists IDPs to set up their homes. In Mannar District: • Returnees in Mannar will be provided with 1,351 houses under the NEHRP. In addition, the Shelter sector currently has a collective capacity to build approximately 3,900 permanent houses once funding and access to return areas is secured. Shelter agencies continue discussions with authorities to identify a way to fulfill the shelter needs in line with the returnee process. Approximately 14,000 total return families are anticipated in the district. • The following opportunities for NFI assistance were identified in discussions between agencies and the local administration. Agencies involved in the provision of NFIs are pooling resources to cover these gaps as soon as possible: 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 - Clothing and slippers for returnee students in Mannar, Madhu, Musali and Manthai West District Secretariat (DS) divisions; - Emergency shelter kits and tarpaulins to set up school kitchens, and non-moving stock items plus kitchen sets to create a kitchen pack. An experimental school kitchen was set up and photographed to provide an instruction manual. Distribution of the kitchen construction material and kitchen sets to schools started in mid-March. - A pack for use by midwives, including towels, soaps, sanitary napkins and multi-purpose cloth. Mid- wives have already been provided bicycles to carry out their work. - Medical equipment (razor blades and ties) and baby packs to support both pregnant women and new mothers. - A simple bandage pack consisting of multi-purpose cloth and sanitary napkins to be improvised as bandages. Agencies will attempt to supplement this pack with other items as well. - A needs assessment is underway in orphanages in addition to homes for senior citizens and the disabled to decide the NFIs required by former IDPs from the Vavuniya camps in these institutions. • The distribution of hygiene packs to returnees in Manthai West and IDPs with host families in Mannar town has begun. In Vavuniya District / Menik Farm: • The IDP part of Zone 5 has been closed and the tents decommissioned. The transit area of the Zone continues to function. • Following a needs assessment in Zones 0 and 4, agencies have agreed to provide the following replenishment package of NFIs: jerry cans, a basin or bucket, mosquito nets, plastic mats, clothes for children and adults, as well as more cooking utensils for families with over five members. WASH In the Vanni return areas: • Government authorities and agencies have cleaned nearly 2,400 wells and renovated approximately 400 other wells in the Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya Districts. They have also constructed 440 semi-permanent toilets while repairing 600 existing toilets, repaired 80 tube wells and drilled 6 new ones. • Well-cleaning and new latrines are the most WASH urgent needs in returnee communities. This was revealed in a WASH assessment in the Poonakary, Karachchi, Kandawalai and Pachillaipalai DS divisions (Killinochchi District) and Manthai East, Thunnukai and Oddisudan DS divisions (Mullaitivu District). Partners estimate that 46,000 wells will need cleaning or repair, 31,000 new toilets will have to be constructed, and an existing 10,000 latrines will need repair to support resettled populations. • WASH facilities assessments are underway in schools and health centres in the Vavuniya North DS division, Killinochchi District, as well as Thunukkai and Oddusudan DS divisions in Mullaitivu District. • The Regional Director Health Services (RDHS) has approved the standard toilet designs (permanent, semi-permanent and for disabled use) for resettled villages in Kilinochchi District. Construction will start shortly. In Jaffna District (including return areas): • Government reports indicate that nearly 12,221 resettled families require toilets and a further 8,348 families require water provision. At present, some interventions are planned in Velanai, Kayts, Tellipalai, Kopay, Uduvil, Chankanai and Chavakachcheri. • On 15 March, the sewage treatment plant built by WASH agencies started operations, handling 6,000 litres of sewage per day. It also produces fertilizer as a by-product.