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Sri Lanka

Unsure future for displaced people

© DanChurchAid

Mrs. Kosala carrying her son. IDP camp in Valaichchnei, Sri Lanka 2006.

23-year-old Mrs. Kosala lives in an IDP camp located in Ceylon Pentecostal Mission (CPM) in Valaichchnei, which is a government controlled area. Mrs. Kosala is one of the many Sri Lankans who has had to move between temporary homes within the country.

Mrs. Kosala initially fled to an IDP camp a few kilometres from her home village, Ichilampattai in Trincomalee District. However, she was forced to move again, since the camp was a LTTE controlled area and crossfire, shelling, and aerial bombings continued.

Split families

Many families and communities are split as they are caught up in the rivalry between the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) and the Sri Lankan Army (SLA). Mrs. Kosala suffers same fate as thousands of IDPs loosing contact to family members – she has lost contact to her husband.

A few days before the first attack in their home village, Mrs. Kosala’s husband went to visit his mother in one of the neighbouring villages. He was not able to return due to the closure of the access roads.

Mrs. Kosala has not been able to contact her husband and inform him that she and their son are now living in an IDP camp. She has tried many times to reach him but has had no success so far.

Split families is a very common problem faced by many families living in IDP camps. They have no idea where many of their family members are residing now.

1442 people in one camp

The IDP camp where Mrs. Kosala lives hosts 392 families (1442 persons) in total. 126 families are from Mrs. Kosala’s poverty stricken and tsunami affected village Ichilampattai in Trincomalee District, which is in the LTTE controlled area. The IDP camp is situated in a church and managed by government representative assisted by staff from a local NGO.

The IDPs are living in open halls or temporary structures provided by the church and there is no privacy for the women at all. Men and women, who do not know each other, are forced to live in the same hut, which is culturally inappropriate for Mrs. Kosala and her fellow female IDPs. They are using the 24 common toilets available at the church and also using open air toilets in the bushes around the church premises.

© DanChurchAid

Distribution of dry rations such as Soya meat, rice, dhal, flour, gram, sugar, dry fish, coconut milk powder, coconut oil, canned fish, tea, salt, sugar, and baby soap. IDP camp in Valaichchnei, Sri Lanka 2006.

DanChurchAid and partners assist the IDPs

DanChurchAid and its local partner Sewalanka are providing dry rations and safe sanitation facilities for the IDPs living in the camp in Valaichchnei.

In October 2006, DanChurchAid received DKK 1 million from Danida to Sewalanka, which will cover 1,793 families in three camps until the end of December 2006. DanChurchAid has also transferred DKK 100 000 (USD 17 194) from own funding to Sewalanka. FinnChurchAid , DanChurchAid’s sister agency from Finland, has likewise forwarded DKK 212 353 (USD 36 512) to Sewalanka – both amounts to immediate relief support.

With the break down of the peace talks between LTTE and the Government of Sri Lanka, Mrs. Kosala has little hope of returning to her village. Mrs. Kosala doesn’t even know whether her small house in her home village still stands.