Joint Humanitarian Update NORTH EAST SRI LANKA | JAFFNA, KILINOCHCHI, MULLAITIVU, MANNAR, VAVUNIYA and TRINCOMALEE DISTRICTS Report # 13 | 6-20 November 2009 Displacement after April 2008 - IDP situation as reported by the Government Agents as of 19 November IDPs 138,226 persons are currently accommodated in camps and During the period 1 April 2008 hospitals. to 19 November 2009 Vavuniya Camps: 129,1031 Mannar Camps: 2,2762 136,242 people are accommodated in temporary camps. Jaffna Camps: 2,0593 Trincomalee Camps: 2,8044 1,9845 IDPs (injured and care givers) are in hospitals in various Hospitals: districts6 as of 28 August 2009. RELEASES, RETURNS & TRANSFERS 27,663 people have been released from temporary camps into Releases: host families and elders’ homes as of 19 November 2009. The majority of these people are elders, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. Returns to places of origin: 112,209 have been returned to Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mannar, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Ampara, Kandy and Polonnaruwa districts between 05 August and 19 November 2009. 1 Source: Government Agent Vavuniya 2 Source: Government Agent Mannar. 3 Source: Government Agent Jaffna 4 Source: Government Agent Trincomalee 5 Source: Ministry of Health 6 This includes GH Vavuniya, BH Cheddikulam, BH Poovarasankulum, Pampainmadu Hospital, DGH Mannar, BH Padaviya, GH Polonnaruwa, TH Kurunagala 1 United Nations Office of the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Sri Lanka | Joint Humanitarian Update | 2009 | Web site: http://www.hpsl.lk Joint Humanitarian Update NORTH EAST | SRI LANKA I. Situation Overview & highlights In a 21 November statement, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon acknowledged the progress made by the Sri Lankan Government in releasing over half of the IDPs from the camps in northern Sri Lanka. He also welcomed the Government’s decision to grant increased freedom of movement to the remaining camp population and encouraged the Government to continue to prioritise IDP returns. The Secretary-General noted that these are steps, which the UN has long advocated in its intensive engagement with the authorities in Sri Lanka. He urged the Government to continue to work with the UN and other humanitarian partners to improve the quality of the returns process, including through consultation with the IDPs themselves, and to ensure the best possible assistance and services to returnees. From 17 to 19 November, the UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes was in Sri Lanka. On 17 November, USG Holmes flew to Jaffna District, where he visited Ramavil IDP camp. He also saw Manatkadu village, in Maruthankerny District Secretariat (D.S.) Division, where returned/released families from the Jaffna and Vavuniya IDP camps are being temporarily sheltered. He met the Jaffna Government Agent, an inter-faith group led by the Bishop of Jaffna and UN/INGOs. On 18 November, USG Holmes visited Menik Farm, in Vavuniya District, and return areas in the Manthai West region of Mannar District. He also held discussions with the UN and I/NGOs in Vavuniya District. On his return to Colombo on 18 November, the USG met with the Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama. On the final day of his mission, Mr. Holmes met with President Mahinda Rajapakse, Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe, the Secretary of Defense Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Resettlement, Development and Security in the Northern Province (PTF) Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa. Mr. Holmes also held meetings with donors and ambassadors. This was his fourth visit to Sri Lanka in 2009. On 18 November, the Government lifted the security clearance restrictions placed on civilians travelling from Jaffna District to Colombo. The restrictions imposed in August 2008 required travelers to obtain security authorization and a Police report stating that they were from the Jaffna Peninsula. According to the Governor of the Northern Province, Maj. Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri, civilians from Jaffna may now travel on the basis of their National Identity Card or any other valid identification document. There are reports that INGOs may be able to commence work in resettlement areas in a phased manner, given certain conditions, such as strong national partnerships, experienced national staff from the proposed geographical areas and a minimum number of expatriates. It is reported that the PTF may call a meeting with selected INGOs by the end of November/early December to discuss the matter. 2 United Nations Office of the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Sri Lanka | Joint Humanitarian Update | 2009 | Web site: http://www.hpsl.lk Joint Humanitarian Update NORTH EAST | SRI LANKA II. Sector Overviews & highlights SHELTER / NFI Vavuniya: As of 19 November, approximately 6,700 tents and shelters have been decommissioned from various zones across Menik Farm. Government authorities have indicated that all the small sites will be closed in the near future, starting with Veerapuram, Sumathipuram, Tharmapuram. There are continued reports that some of the small sites will be used to accommodate ex-combatants. Approximately 1,200 leaking tents have been covered with polythene sheets. The polythene has generally worked well as an improvised solution in keeping the tents dry, although leading to a slight increase in the temperature inside the tents. More agency commitments have covered the remaining maintenance gaps. The Shelter Sector will replace the tents in Blocks 2, 3 and 5 of Zone 5 with barracks, once camp authorities confirm that these blocks will be converted to a collection centre. Barracks are more advisable for a temporary collection centre than tents for reasons of hygiene. On 18 November, a special Technical Working Group (TWG) discussed shelter assistance to IDPs going to host families. Once Shelter agencies reach a decision upon the TWG’s recommendations, assessments will be carried out in the return areas where access is possible, followed by assistance to returnee families. Returnees to Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu districts housed at the Mallavi Central College transit site received NFI assistance and were registered for the shelter grant. During their stay in the transit site, they were provided with cooked meals by local Government authorities. Tool kits, donated by the Indian Government, were distributed to all families. Capacity for distribution in the return areas remains low, as Government structures have not been re- established yet and NGO access is limited. A second distribution of leftover rainy season NFIs will be organized to large families still remaining at Menik Farm, IDPs with host families in Vavuniya and other vulnerable groups. The suggestion has also been made to distribute the balance rainy season NFIs to the returnees Jaffna: In return areas, Shelter and WASH agencies are conducting joint needs assessments, in coordination with the respective Divisional Secretaries. Also, a Technical Working Group of Shelter agencies is working on eligibility criteria for transitional and temporary shelter assistance to returnees. Shelter agencies are working with Government authorities on decommissioning the Kopay, Kodikamam and Mirusuvil IDP sites, which were closed following the recent releases in November. Distributions of NFI return kits have continued to returnees from Vavuniya, as well as those released from sites in Jaffna District. The return kits include standard NFIs, hygiene items, tarpaulins and tools. In addition, agencies have continued to distribute NFIs to IDPs remaining in the Ramavil and PRI IDP sites. WASH Vavuniya: Water distribution to the camp was disrupted, when the pumps and the water treatment plants were affected by the increased turbidity of the Malwathu Oya river as a result of the rains. Additional bowsers were directed to Zones 0 and 1 to address the inequality in supply. Groundwater upgrade plans for improved pump, storage and power supply at the various groundwater sources around the Manik Farm continue. Liquid and solid waste management plans, implemented by the office of the Assistant Commissioner for 3 United Nations Office of the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Sri Lanka | Joint Humanitarian Update | 2009 | Web site: http://www.hpsl.lk Joint Humanitarian Update NORTH EAST | SRI LANKA Local Governance (ACLG) with Sector support, continue to yield sound results. The sewage stabilization ponds and emergency landfill have been completed. The dumping of solid waste and remediation of the site have commenced. Hygiene promotion continues in all IDP camps. Maintenance of toilets and other sanitation facilities continues and the overall the situation is promising with visible results of a contained situation. There has been a special focus on developing training materials for further campaigns targeting children. Jaffna: On 11 November, a WASH Sector coordination meeting was held. It was agreed that agencies, who provided WASH facilities, would be responsible for decommissioning these facilities in camps being vacated. Agencies also agreed on the importance of ensuring harmonized Shelter and WASH responses in the resettlement areas. On 13 November, a TWG focusing on WASH services in support of resettlement occurred. WASH agencies considered the Sri Lankan Code of Practice for the design and construction of septic tanks, as well as different toilet designs. Agencies responsible for toilet