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ICRC says 1000s have fled Mannar/Kilinochchi due to fighting
editor on 14 August, 2008 13:28:07 | 763 times read
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Tens of thousands of people have fled areas affected by fighting in the Mannar and Kilinochchi districts following an escalation of hostilities between government forces and the LTTE in northern Sri Lanka, the ICRC said today.
Among those displaced – most of whom headed towards Kilinochchi – are people who have had to abandon their homes several times in recent months, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in its monthly bulletin.
In the Vanni – where it works closely with the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society – the ICRC has distributed relief items to those most recently displaced, providing over 16,500 people in Thunukkai, Karachchi, Oddusuddan, Puthukkudiyirippu and Pooneryn with essential items. Temporary shelter materials, including cadjans, timber frames and wooden poles, were also distributed to the displaced, including those living with host families to help them accommodate their relatives.
“Although the upsurge in fighting is making it increasingly difficult for humanitarian workers to gain access to certain areas, the ICRC will continue to provide assistance to those affected by the conflict,” the ICRC said.
It added that in order to ensure prompt and effective assistance, the organization is coordinating its action with other humanitarian agencies both in Colombo and in the Vanni. "Many people have received basic humanitarian relief but as the number of displaced persons increases, so do their needs," said Anthony Dalziel, the ICRC's deputy head of delegation in Sri Lanka. "We are committed to staying the course and helping all those who have been affected by the most recent wave of violence in Mannar and the Vanni."
In June and July the ICRC also transferred the remains of 120 fighters on both the sides as part of its humanitarian efforts.
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