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FROM THE FIELD

Plan acts on health concerns as conflict intensifies in Sri Lanka
12 May 2009 13:43:00 GMT
 Source: Plan UK
Adryon Stuart/Plan UK

Website: Website: http://www.plan-uk.org/

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Tamil children look out of a camp, alongside others made homeless
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Tamil children look out of a camp, alongside others made homeless
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Background

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For 25 years Sri Lanka has been embroiled in a brutal civil war between the Government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). More than 70,000 men, women and children have lost their lives during the conflict, a staggering 6,500 in the last three months alone according to internal UN reports, and tens of thousands more have been displaced from their homes.

Since the 2002 ceasefire agreement was broken in January 2008 the armed conflict has intensified, with the Government scaling up its military offensive in recent months. The UN estimates that there are approximately 50,000 civilians trapped in the conflict zone without access to food, water, sanitation or adequate medical treatment. This zone includes an area previously specifically designated a no fire zone.

Despite calls from the international community for a humanitarian truce, the government continues to push forward its military offensive, in its bid to acquire the last territorial stronghold of the rebel group and bring an end to the war. Although the government committed to scale down its use of heavy weapons in the conflict zone in an effort to safeguard civilians caught in the crossfire, reports from people leaving the conflict zone indicate that heavy fighting continues.

Between 27 October 2008 and 06 May 2009 alone, some 192,094 people have journeyed from the conflict zone to government-controlled areas where they are accommodated in camps, or transferred to hospitals for medical attention. These figures include a significant number of children; however, the exact figure is unknown at this time. The massive outflow of individuals from the conflict zone in recent weeks has placed considerable stress on the services and facilities at the camps.

At the moment the most urgent issues that Plan is looking to address are:

• Sufficient supplies of safe water for drinking, cooking, and bathing.

• Adequate sanitation facilities including the availability of separate latrines for men/boys and women/girl with hand washing stations, and functioning drainage and solid waste disposal systems.

• Appropriate medical services including providing facilities with essential medicines, medical equipment and other supplies.

Plan will support the Department of Health in order to enable them to continue the delivery of quality health care services to the communities of Plan's working areas.

In the North, where Plan does not have a presence, we will work in partnership with a local NGO with an existing presence in the camps to meet the immediate needs of those made homeless. Plan will focus on water, sanitation and hygiene as well as health and nutrition.


[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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Topics

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[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

Background information

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Pakistani airport staff unload relief supplies from UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) for people fleeing military operations in the Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, at Islamabad airport May 12, ...


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Last updated:Tue May 12 14:01:43 2009