Reuters AlertNet Lite - Over 100,000 displaced people cut off from humanitarian aid, as Sri Lanka conflict escalates

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Over 100,000 displaced people cut off from humanitarian aid, as Sri Lanka conflict escalates

16 Nov 2006 09:45:00 GMT
Source: Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) - Norway
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC)

Website: Website: http://www.internal-displacement.org

Background

• Sri Lanka conflict

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GENEVA, 16 November 2006 - Some 130,000 internally displaced people - more than half of those uprooted by the current intensification of violence in Sri Lanka - are cut off from international assistance and exposed to serious human rights abuses, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre says in a report released today.

"Last week's shelling of a displaced persons camp by government forces was just the latest serious incident in an escalating series of attacks on civilians by both sides in the conflict", said Elisabeth Rasmusson, the Head of the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. "The government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE must stop these violations of the ceasefire and other serious human rights abuses immediately, and allow access of international humanitarian organisations to the affected populations."

More than 60 people were killed and hundreds injured when government security forces shelled a camp full of displaced Tamils and Muslims in the east of the country on 5 November. This most recent escalation of human suffering came only days after the latest round of talks ended on 29 October without result and little apparent interest on both sides to re-engage in talks. Altogether, over 3,300 people have been killed and more than 200,000 displaced since the long-simmering conflict began to re-intensify at the beginning of 2006. All parties in the conflict are accused of recruiting child soldiers to fill their ranks.

In a welcome step, the government signalled last week that access restrictions to affected areas may be eased, but concerns remain that burdensome bureaucratic procedures will in effect continue to prevent humanitarian workers from reaching the civilian populations caught in the middle of the conflict.

"Despite the failure of the last round of talks, the international community must insist on both parties returning to the negotiating table", said Elisabeth Rasmusson. "Only a political solution to the conflict can end the suffering of the civilian population in Sri Lanka."

Read Full Report
Internal Displacement Profile
IDMC Sri Lanka country page

Contact:
Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher
Head of Monitoring and Advocacy Department
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
Norwegian Refugee Council
Chemin de Balexert 7-9
CH-1219 Chatelaine (Geneva)
Tel.: +41 (22) 799 07 03
Fax +41 (22) 799 07 01
www.internal-displacement.org

e beginning of 2006. All parties in the conflict are accused of recruiting child soldiers to fill their ranks.

In a welcome step, the government signalled last week that access restrictions to affected areas may be eased, but concerns remain that burdensome bureaucratic procedures will in effect continue to prevent humanitarian workers from reaching the civilian populations caught in the middle of the conflict.

"Despite the failure of the last round of talks, the international community must insist on both parties returning to the negotiating table", said Elisabeth Rasmusson. "Only a political solution to the conflict can end the suffering of the civilian population in Sri Lanka."

Read Full Report
Internal Displacement Profile
IDMC Sri Lanka country page

Contact:
Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher
Head of Monitoring and Advocacy Department
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
Norwegian Refugee Council
Chemin de Balexert 7-9
CH-1219 Chatelaine (Geneva)
Tel.: +41 (22) 799 07 03
Fax +41 (22) 799 07 01
www.internal-displacement.org

ri+Lanka+-November+2006.pdf">Internal Displacement Profile
IDMC Sri Lanka country page

Contact:
Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher
Head of Monitoring and Advocacy Department
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
Norwegian Refugee Council
Chemin de Balexert 7-9
CH-1219 Chatelaine (Geneva)
Tel.: +41 (22) 799 07 03
Fax +41 (22) 799 07 01
www.internal-displacement.org

e beginning of 2006. All parties in the conflict are accused of recruiting child soldiers to fill their ranks.

In a welcome step, the government signalled last week that access restrictions to affected areas may be eased, but concerns remain that burdensome bureaucratic procedures will in effect continue to prevent humanitarian workers from reaching the civilian populations caught in the middle of the conflict.

"Despite the failure of the last round of talks, the international community must insist on both parties returning to the negotiating table", said Elisabeth Rasmusson. "Only a political solution to the conflict can end the suffering of the civilian population in Sri Lanka."

Read Full Report
Internal Displacement Profile
IDMC Sri Lanka country page

Contact:
Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher
Head of Monitoring and Advocacy Department
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
Norwegian Refugee Council
Chemin de Balexert 7-9
CH-1219 Chatelaine (Geneva)
Tel.: +41 (22) 799 07 03
Fax +41 (22) 799 07 01
www.internal-displacement.org

e beginning of 2006. All parties in the conflict are accused of recruiting child soldiers to fill their ranks.

In a welcome step, the government signalled last week that access restrictions to affected areas may be eased, but concerns remain that burdensome bureaucratic procedures will in effect continue to prevent humanitarian workers from reaching the civilian populations caught in the middle of the conflict.

"Despite the failure of the last round of talks, the international community must insist on both parties returning to the negotiating table", said Elisabeth Rasmusson. "Only a political solution to the conflict can end the suffering of the civilian population in Sri Lanka."

Read Full Report
Internal Displacement Profile
IDMC Sri Lanka country page

Contact:
Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher
Head of Monitoring and Advocacy Department
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
Norwegian Refugee Council
Chemin de Balexert 7-9
CH-1219 Chatelaine (Geneva)
Tel.: +41 (22) 799 07 03
Fax +41 (22) 799 07 01
www.internal-displacement.org

ri+Lanka+-November+2006.pdf">Internal Displacement Profile
IDMC Sri Lanka country page

Contact:
Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher
Head of Monitoring and Advocacy Department
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
Norwegian Refugee Council
Chemin de Balexert 7-9
CH-1219 Chatelaine (Geneva)
Tel.: +41 (22) 799 07 03
Fax +41 (22) 799 07 01
www.internal-displacement.org

ri+Lanka+-November+2006.pdf">Internal Displacement Profile
IDMC Sri Lanka country page

Contact:
Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher
Head of Monitoring and Advocacy Department
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
Norwegian Refugee Council
Chemin de Balexert 7-9
CH-1219 Chatelaine (Geneva)
Tel.: +41 (22) 799 07 03
Fax +41 (22) 799 07 01
www.internal-displacement.org

e beginning of 2006. All parties in the conflict are accused of recruiting child soldiers to fill their ranks.

In a welcome step, the government signalled last week that access restrictions to affected areas may be eased, but concerns remain that burdensome bureaucratic procedures will in effect continue to prevent humanitarian workers from reaching the civilian populations caught in the middle of the conflict.

"Despite the failure of the last round of talks, the international community must insist on both parties returning to the negotiating table", said Elisabeth Rasmusson. "Only a political solution to the conflict can end the suffering of the civilian population in Sri Lanka."

Read Full Report
Internal Displacement Profile
IDMC Sri Lanka country page

Contact:
Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher
Head of Monitoring and Advocacy Department
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
Norwegian Refugee Council
Chemin de Balexert 7-9
CH-1219 Chatelaine (Geneva)
Tel.: +41 (22) 799 07 03
Fax +41 (22) 799 07 01
www.internal-displacement.org

ri+Lanka+-November+2006.pdf">Internal Displacement Profile
IDMC Sri Lanka country page

Contact:
Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher
Head of Monitoring and Advocacy Department
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
Norwegian Refugee Council
Chemin de Balexert 7-9
CH-1219 Chatelaine (Geneva)
Tel.: +41 (22) 799 07 03
Fax +41 (22) 799 07 01
www.internal-displacement.org

the last round of talks, the international community must insist on both parties returning to the negotiating table", said Elisabeth Rasmusson. "Only a political solution to the conflict can end the suffering of the civilian population in Sri Lanka."

Read Full Report
Internal Displacement Profile
IDMC Sri Lanka country page

Contact:
Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher
Head of Monitoring and Advocacy Department
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
Norwegian Refugee Council
Chemin de Balexert 7-9
CH-1219 Chatelaine (Geneva)
Tel.: +41 (22) 799 07 03
Fax +41 (22) 799 07 01
www.internal-displacement.org

ri+Lanka+-November+2006.pdf">Internal Displacement Profile
IDMC Sri Lanka country page

Contact:
Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher
Head of Monitoring and Advocacy Department
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
Norwegian Refugee Council
Chemin de Balexert 7-9
CH-1219 Chatelaine (Geneva)
Tel.: +41 (22) 799 07 03
Fax +41 (22) 799 07 01
www.internal-displacement.org

99 07 01
www.internal-displacement.org

ri+Lanka+-November+2006.pdf">Internal Displacement Profile
IDMC Sri Lanka country page

Contact:
Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher
Head of Monitoring and Advocacy Department
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
Norwegian Refugee Council
Chemin de Balexert 7-9
CH-1219 Chatelaine (Geneva)
Tel.: +41 (22) 799 07 03
Fax +41 (22) 799 07 01
www.internal-displacement.org

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

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Last updated:Thu Nov 16 11:53:11 2006