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| Sunday, 13 March 2005 |
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UNDP responds to justice needs in tsunami affected areas The Equal Access to Justice Project of the United Nations Development Programme in Sri Lanka will hold the second in the series of mobile service camps to address judicial needs of those affected by the Tsunami, on the 18th, 19th and 20th of March in the District of Ampara. They will be held simultaneously in the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Kalmunai (Tamil), Kalmunai (Muslim) Sainthamaruthu, and Karativu and are being organized together with the Project's implementing partner, Ministry of Constitutional Affairs and National Integration. The mobile service camps will enable those affected by the Tsunami obtain legal documentation such as birth certificates, national identity cards, marriage certificates, examination certificates, deeds to property etc. as well as, access legal advice and legal help. The camps will have the representation of the Department of Registration of Persons, Registrar General's Department, Departments of Police, Motor Traffic, Labour, Pensions, and Examinations, Ministry of Finance, Divisional Secretariats of the 4 Divisions the mobile camps are being held, Sarvodaya Legal Services Movement, Legal Aid Commission, Legal Aid Foundation, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Department of Immigration and Emigration, and the Human Rights Commission. These camps are being held in response to three issues identified during a quick needs assessment by the Project; loss of documentation, land issues, and human rights issues, especially with regard to women and children in the camps. Ampara District was the worst affected by the Tsunami reporting 10,436 deaths, and 161 missing. The Tsunami affected 58,729 families in Ampara, displacing a total of 99,501 persons. The first of the series of mobile camps was held on the 12th and 13th of February in the Hambantota District, and served 9050 affected persons, processing 20,000 justice related requests. The most of number of requests were for National Identity Cards. According to the Project's National Coordinator, Mrs. Viveka Siriwardene De Silva, the mobile service camps held in Hambantota "proved to be a huge success". "The numbers that sought services way out-numbered original estimates", she added. It is estimated that the cost in relation to holding the mobile service camps in Ampara District will be around Rs. 5 million. The justice mobile camps will be held in all Tsunami affected areas of
the country. |
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