UN agencies in Lanka seek $66m for humanitarian aid in 2007

The United Nations humanitarian agencies and their partners working in Sri Lanka presented a Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) to the donor community, which sets forth priority activities over the next six to twelve months. To support these activities, $66 million in funding is requested.

The recurrence of violence and hostilities in the north and east of the country since April 2006 has impacted negatively upon the humanitarian situation of the civilian population - a situation already strained by prior conflict and the widespread destruction wrought by the December 26, 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

Nearly 213,000 people have been displaced in the past nine months, bringing the total number of displaced persons in the country to over half a million.

Of that total, some 315,000 remain displaced from earlier stages in the conflict, in addition to those who are still without permanent shelter due to the tsunami.

Access by both land and sea to the Jaffna peninsula in the north of the country has been limited in recent months due to the security situation. Additionally, thousands of Sri Lankans remain vulnerable in uncleared areas of Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts.

The international community, including members of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee country team in Sri Lanka, donors and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have been in regular contact with the Government of Sri Lanka regarding the shipment of relief supplies and facilitation of humanitarian access.