New UK support for victims of Sri Lankan conflict

27 April 2009

Press release

With camps for displaced people struggling to cope with the floods of people escaping the conflict zone, visiting Minister for International Development, Mike Foster, called on the Sri Lankan government to do everything possible to enable humanitarian agencies to help these vulnerable people.

Over 110,000 people have fled to the safety of the camps in the last week after spending months exposed to heavy fighting, however, an estimated 50,000 people remain trapped by the fighting.

Commenting on the humanitarian situation, Mike Foster said:

“I welcome the Government’s announcement that it will end combat operations in the conflict zone, and I call on both sides to allow civilians a safe passage to get to a place of safety.

“In order to ensure that the most urgent needs of all civilians are met, humanitarian agencies must be given access to both the Vanni region and to the camps. The Sri Lankan government must also fast-track visas for humanitarian workers and the movement of all humanitarian goods into the affected areas. Currently, desperately needed supplies are being delayed by administrative procedures.”

During his visit, Mike Foster visited Vavuniya where he saw two of the transit camps where arrivals from the conflict zone are first accommodated.

“It is clear that the present facilities for those escaping the conflict are unable to cope with such large numbers of people. The new arrivals urgently require every type of assistance, from food and water, to adequate shelter and access to health care and sanitation.

“To help meet the urgent needs of this traumatised population, the UK is committing a further £2.5 million in humanitarian assistance which will be allocated in the coming weeks. It is also vital that the displaced people are able to return to their homes at the earliest possible opportunity.”

The UK’s humanitarian funding to Sri Lanka now totals £7.5 million. New funding allocations have been made to UNHCR for the purchase of 5,000 family size tents, and to UNICEF for their work providing water and sanitation facilities in the camps, and protecting children separated from their families.