CCHA resettlement plan for East

by Deepal Warnakulasuriya

A post-development plan for the Eastern Province has been made by the Consultative Committee on Humanitarian Affairs (CCHA) focusing on three major areas. The CCHA met last week under the auspices of the Disaster Management and Human Rights Ministry and with the participation of UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Co-ordinator Sir John Holmes.

The major areas focused by the CCHA were Security, Immediate Development and Long-term Development. Under the security plan, they will improve the Police mediation and handling of all civilian related issues while the military is located purely only in strategic locations. The plan has focused to recruit more people from the area in the police force and at the same time to employ interpreters in all police stations and government offices as an interim measure.

The establishment of civil administration had been given much priority at the meeting. National Identity cards and health and education facilities will be provided. An immediate livelihood support plan has also been introduced prioritising agriculture and fisheries. Under the long-term development category, infrastructure development such as highways and improved irrigation would be implemented.

Minister Samarasinghe said that the CCHA is a high level policy making mechanism that enables international and government partners to work together to consider and resolve key humanitarian issues. He also said that in addition to the policy making and implementation, the CCHA will also address any shortcomings and take steps to correct them.

The UN Under-Secretary General commended the dynamic process of the CCHA and said that it is one of the best practical ways to tackle the humanitarian issues with the participation of all parties. He also pledged US assistance and support in implementing the plan.

Minister Samarasinghe said that the plan is in line with the guiding principles for Humanitarian and Development Assistance in Sri Lanka which were recently endorsed by major donor governments and agencies.