150 route de Ferney, P.O. Box 2100 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland Tel: 41 22 791 6033 Fax: 41 22 791 6506 e-mail: [email protected] Appeal Coordinating Office Sri Lanka Assistance to Riot Affected Communities ASSL-32 Appeal Target: US$ 21,119 Geneva, 6 June 2003 Dear Colleagues, Muttur, in Trincomalee district on the north- eastern coast is an area where Muslims and Tamils have coexisted peacefully. But the two decade long violent ethnic conflict between the Sinhalese and the Tamils in Sri Lanka had a severe impact in this area and its mixed communities. Following the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed more than a year ago, between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Government of Sri Lanka, this violent ethnic conflict between the Sinhalese and the Tamils in Sri Lanka subsided substantially raising hope for lasting peace. It also meant that both Muslims and Tamils were now able to access freely each others areas, the so called “cleared” and “un-cleared” areas representing the areas under the control of Sri Lankan forces and those under LTTE control respectively. However, since the signing of this MOU, the conflict between the Muslim and the Tamil community, that had laid dormant for some time, begun to re-emerge in certain areas. Recently two riots have taken place between the Muslims and Tamils in the Muttur area, the latest one being the most severe. These riots were triggered by the disappearance of two Muslims who went into an un-cleared area. The disappearance was blamed on the Tamil community which refuted the claims. The situation very quickly got out of control and the Government had to impose a 24-hour curfew and send additional security forces to the area. Eight regions of Muttur were very badly affected. ACT member, the National Council of Churches, Sri Lanka (NCCSL) is proposing a relief and rehabilitation programme comprising: dry rations, mats, house repair materials and mediation facilitation. The relief assistance has already been implemented and it is hoped that those expenses can be recovered through this appeal. ACT is a worldwide network of churches and related agencies meeting human need through coordinated emergency response. The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland. Assistance to Riot Affected 2 ASSL-32 Appeal Project Completion Date: 30 September 2003 Summary of Appeal Targets, Pledges/Contributions Received and Balance Requested US$ Total Appeal Target(s) 21,119 Less: Pledges/Contr. Recd. 0 Balance Requested from ACT Network 21,119 Please kindly send your contributions to the following ACT bank account: Account Number – 240-432629.60A (USD) Account Name: ACT - Action by Churches Together UBS SA PO Box 2600 1211 Geneva 2 SWITZERLAND Please also inform the Finance Officer Jessie Kgoroeadira (direct tel. +4122/791.60.38, e-mail address [email protected]) of all pledges/contributions and transfers, including funds sent direct to the implementers, now that the Pledge Form is no longer attached to the Appeal. For further information please contact: ACT Director, Thor-Arne Prois (phone +41 22 791 6033 or mobile phone + 41 79 203 6055) or ACT Appeals Officer, Mieke Weeda (phone +41 22 791 6035 or mobile phone +41 79 285 2916) ACT Web Site address: http://www.act-intl.org John Nduna Acting Director, ACT Assistance to Riot Affected 3 ASSL-32 Appeal I. REQUESTING ACT MEMBER INFORMATION National Christian Council of Sri Lanka(NCC/SL) II. IMPLEMENTING ACT MEMBER & PARTNER INFORMATION The membership of the National Christian Council of Sri Lanka consists of the following Churches and Institutions. Member Churches:- Church of Ceylon – Diocese of Colombo Church of Ceylon – Diocese of Kurunegala Methodist Church of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Baptist Sangamaya Church of South India Dutch Reformed Church The Salvation Army The Presbytery of Lanka Member Institutions Young Men’s Christian Association(YMCA) Young Women’s Christian Association(YWCA) Ceylon Bible Society Christian Literature Society(CLS) Student Christian Movement The National Christian Council of Sri Lanka has been in existence for approximately forty-five years and promotes joint action in many areas of the life and witness of the churches. Peace & Reconciliation, Relief & Rehabilitation, Christian Education, Communication, etc. are some concerns where the Council generally co-ordinates the activities on behalf of all its members. However, the members are also free to initiate activities on their own. The churches and institutions belonging to the members are spread throughout the work area and greatly enhance the implementation capacity. Since 1983 the Council has been systematically involved in relief and rehabilitation work in all affected areas in the country and has a separate unit to implement such work serving all communities. It is also recognised by the State as an approved organisation to work in the “un-cleared areas”. For this proposal the implementing partners will be: the Department of Social Response Committee and the Methodist Church Trincomalee. III. DESCRIPTION of the EMERGENCY SITUATION Background Following the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed more than a year ago, between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Government of Sri Lanka, the two decade long violent ethnic conflict between the Sinhalese and the Tamils in Sri Lanka subsided substantially raising hope for lasting peace. But the conflict between the Muslim and the Tamil community, laid dormant for some time, began to emerge in certain areas. Assistance to Riot Affected 4 ASSL-32 Appeal Muthur, in Trinco district on the north-eastern coast is an area where Muslims and Tamils coexist. The communities have been dependent on each other for day to day trade, cultivation and employment. There are “cleared” and “un-cleared” areas representing the areas under the control of Sri Lankan forces and those under LTTE control respectively. The Muslim population number more than Tamils in cleared areas while the “un-cleared” area are totally Tamil. With the signing of the MOU, the Muslims were able to go freely to their fields in the un-cleared areas, and the Tamils could go to the cleared areas without difficulties. However, since the signing of MOU, two riots have taken place between the Muslims and Tamils, the latest one being the most severe. In April 2003, two Muslims who went into the “un-cleared area” were reported missing. For three weeks there were frantic searches with no success. The Muslim community suspected that the LTTE had abducted them, claiming that they had good reason for their suspicions. However, the LTTE denied the allegations. Meanwhile, the mother of one of those missing persons committed suicide. This prompted some members of the Muslim community to react by abducting one of the Tamils and beating him up. Both sides were by this time agitated and violent riots broke out between the two communities. The situation very quickly got out of control and the Government had to impose a 24-hour curfew and send additional security forces to the area. Eight regions of Muttur were very badly affected. As a result of the riots electricity supply lines to Muttur were damaged and the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction estimates that about 8, 314 families has been affected in 20 villages. Since the NCCSL has gained credibility for its neutrality, and social concerns, it was possible for the Priest in Trinco to initiate relief work to the affected people and to successfully play the role of mediator between the Muslims and Tamils. Current Situation Tamils took refuge in a Methodist and Catholic church in Muttur, and in four schools, namely Kiliveddy Maha Vidyalayam, Paddithidel Tamil Vidyalayam, Mallikaitivu Tamil Vidyalayam and Chenaiyoor Maha Vidyalayam. The Muslims took refuge in schools near the Sri Lankan Army camps. In their haste to flee the violence, people took only a small amount of food or nothing. Those sheltering in the above churches and schools needed dry rations milk foods and mats to survive until such time that they could return to their own homes. NCCSL, through its member church in Trincomalee, provided immediate relief to those affected in the Muttur area with direct involvement of the Methodist Churches in Trincomalee and Muttur. Impact on Human lives The final death toll is 5 civilians with 9 seriously injured and a further 18 slightly injured. Of these, 27 were men and 5 were women. In all 8, 314 families were affected of whom about 3,180 families were displaced; the latter figure kept increasing as the tensions grew. The food situation was serious as all the shops, including the co-operative society shops in Muttur were closed. The NCC/SL Co-ordinator in Trinco immediately arranged for food assistance and followed up with milk food and mats for needy families. A lorry load of essential food and milk food items, escorted by the security forces, was sent to Muttur from Trinco. Not only did IDPs lack food but they were also in dire need of water and sanitation. For instance, over six hundred people were sheltered at the Methodist church where there were only 3 latrines and a water well. Medical facilities and ambulances were not available and NCC/SL assisted in the transportation of injured people to the nearest hospital which is three hours drive away. Only after a week, were ambulances on the scene. Assistance to Riot Affected 5 ASSL-32 Appeal Description of Damages A number of houses and shops were burnt and looted. Details are given as below: Houses totally destroyed 103 Houses looted 310 Houses damaged 76 Houses with shops destroyed 12 Shops destroyed 29 Houses with shops damaged 2 Shops damaged 5 Houses with Shops looted 1 Shops looted 01 Locations for the Proposed Response The locations selected for assistance are in the Muttur region in Trincomalee District in north-eastern Sri Lanka.