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| Sunday, 2 May 2004 |
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UNHCR calls renewed attention to plight of IDPs UNHCR called renewed attention to the plight of the Sri Lanka's internally displayed persons (IDPs). "It is critical that the remaining internally displaced, who still number some 370,000 individuals are able to achieve a long term solution to their displacement, whether that solution means returning home, relocating elsewhere or integrating into the community in which they are displaced," said Dennis McNamara, UNHCR Inspector General who was on a two-week mission to Sri Lanka with a team of officials, last week. The team had visited Puttlam, Mannar, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Kilinochchi and Jaffna and had met representatives of IDPs, recent returnees, LTTE, government officials and representatives from local and international NGOs, donor agencies and civil society organisations. According to UNHCR statistics, 53% of the estimated number of IDPs in February 2002, 53 per cent or 386,104 individuals remained displaced at the end of 2003. And nearly 25 percent of them did not wish to return to their homesteads but wanted to be integrated to the community where they lived in for several years or move elsewhere. The main factors behind this decision are security concerns, lack of educational and economic opportunities and landlessness. Stressing the need of addressing IDP concerns McNamara said that it required a renewed focus on removing obstacles, by way of addressing the destruction of housing, returning land and property to its rightful owners, clearance of land-mines and identifying pragmatic solutions for those whose homes are in High Security Zones. Speaking of the importance of attention being given to the return of minority groups such as displaced Muslims, he said, "The treatment of minorities in such situations is often a litmus test of the real spirit of peace, reconciliation and stable society." Where minority groups are concerned, special care needs to be taken in giving them the option of return especially in cases where they were forcibly removed, said John Breusch, Public Information Officer, UNHCR Colombo elaborating on the subject. They will be more cautious in returning to their homesteads. Further, Puttlam district with a majority of IDPs from the Muslim community needs consideration, for 3/4 of the displaced stay in welfare centres, he said. UNHCR works with the IDPs, returnees, asylum seekers and stateless people, in the areas of protecting human rights including ensuring that people have basic documentation, violence against women, peace building measures, supporting people to settle property disputes and providing support to get access to legal services. Empowerment of the IDPs in welfare centres and awareness creation on land-mines are carried through local organisations. The budget for UNHCR programme activities is US $ 4.3 billion, for the year 2004 and no major changes are envisaged but will depend on the peace process, said Breusch. |
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