Sri Lanka: EU Commission provides €15m for conflict victims and refugees in Tamil Nadu

Louis Michel said: "The Commission is extremely worried by the increase in violence that is affecting Sri Lanka. The brutality of the conflict is appalling and major violations of international humanitarian law are perpetrated in a climate of impunity. Thousands of civilians are caught up in the conflict, with barely no chance of escape from the violence and massacres. I am also deeply shocked by the deliberate attacks against relief organisations that have caused the death of at least 25 aid workers since April 2006. This is totally unacceptable. Aid agencies need to have access to victims with full security and protection for their personnel. I urge all parties to respect international humanitarian law and condemn any attack against humanitarian operations and workers".

Since 1983, the conflict between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lankan government in the North and East of the country has claimed more than 70,000 lives. Around 800,000 people have been internally displaced during almost 25 years of civil war. A further 100,000 Sri Lankan Tamils have fled to refugee camps in neighbouring India. 4500 people have been killed in the last 12 months including at least 1500 civilians. Unfortunately, the conflict is expected to intensify in the short to mid term which will have a major impact on the humanitarian aspects of the situation.

This new allocation will meet the vital needs of the conflict communities in Sri Lanka, but will also improve access to water and sanitation for the Sri Lankan refugees living in Tamil Nadu, India. Conflict victims will be supported through a wide range of humanitarian interventions - shelter, food, food security, water/sanitation, basic items, healthcare, education, livelihood support, protection activities and disaster preparedness programmes.

Projects will be implemented by the Commission's humanitarian partners already working in the field - NGOs, UN agencies and the ICRC.

Since 2004, the Commission has given a total of €79 million in aid for victims of humanitarian crises in Sri Lanka, including €3 million of food aid and €42 million for the tsunami victims.

For further information:
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/field/sri_lanka/index_en.htm

| Arriba |

• EU Presidency Statement - United Nations 3rd Committee: Report of UN High Commissioner for Refugees (8/11/2007)
• European Commission calls for a European consensus to boost impact of humanitarian aid (13/6/2007)
• Post Tsunami reconstruction - triumph or tragedy? (7/6/2007)