The 25+ year war
Sri Lanka’s 25+ year internal conflict has killed more than 70,000 people and displaced tens of thousands of children and their families. Fighting intensified in January 2008 after the Government of Sri Lanka’s abrogation of the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement (CFA). At the start of February 2009, the conflict between the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) escalated in the north of Sri Lanka, killing several hundreds of children, and injuring many more. On 18 May, the Government declared combat operations over. The quarter-century hostilities however have resulted in a grave humanitarian crisis of human dignity for over 200,000 displaced men, women and children. Because of the war, as many as 100,000 people, approximately one third of whom are children, reportedly fled the conflict zone and entered Government territory between 20 and 23 April. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were placed in camps around Vavuniya, Mannar and Jaffna. The number of IDPs in camps is expected to grow to more than a quarter of a million people. Women, men and children coming out of the conflict affected areas have endured extreme conditions, including scarcity of food, water and sanitation. They are arriving into camps sick, malnourished and some with untended wounds of war. Besides the great dangers to the safety of children and civilians, scarcity of food and clean water, insufficient health care, and poor shelter are of great concern. Access to some IDP camps however has become restricted. UNICEF and its partners are calling for the Government to ensure full and unimpeded humanitarian access so that children and women can receive the assistance they so desperately need.
30 May 2009
Sri Lanka Children's Crisis Appeal 2009 Audio 20 May 2009: Newsline - Sri Lanka 20 May 2009: 13 May 2009: 12 May 2009 20 April 2009: 20 April 2009: 18 March 2009: 17 February 2009: |
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