UN humanitarian fund gives $10 million to boost Sri Lanka aid efforts

(Colombo/New York, 21 February 2009): An allocation of $10 million from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) will help United Nations agencies and the International Organization for Migration assist thousands of civilians affected by the brutal conflict in the Vanni region of Sri Lanka.

"This contribution is a clear demonstration of the United Nations' commitment to meeting the urgent needs of the people affected by the conflict," said John Holmes, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, who is also the manager of CERF. "I hope that donors will provide more support in other priority areas in the coming days, especially as humanitarian needs are so significant."

The largest portion, some $3.1 million, will go to the World Food Programme (WFP), to feed civilians who have fled to transit camps, and to those who are still caught in the conflict zone. The World Health Organization (WHO) will receive roughly $1.2 million to provide basic life-saving care.

The protection of civilians is a major concern in Sri Lanka, so some $1.1 million will be provided to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to boost capacity, including efforts to curb the recruitment of child combatants. Another $1.8 million from CERF will enable UNHCR, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to set up emergency shelters for the tens of thousands of civilians, who have already managed to flee south to escape the fighting. In complement, $1.9 million allocated to UNICEF will allow construction of emergency latrines, and provide clean water in the transit camps. CERF has also provided UNICEF with $385,000 for a programme to provide emergency nutritional assistance and another $475,000 for temporary learning centers.

Fighting between Sri Lankan government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has intensified since December 2008. The rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the North of Sri Lanka has been manifested in the large number of IDPs arriving in Vavuniya, Mannar and Jaffna, fleeing the heavy fighting in the Vanni region. More than 30,000 IDPs are already being accommodated in and around the town of Vavuniya alone, and many more are expected to arrive in the coming days and weeks.

CERF was established in 2006 to help agencies respond rapidly to new or deteriorating humanitarian situations. Since its establishment, more than 100 Member States and private sector donors have contributed 1.5 billion dollars to CERF, which is administered by OCHA.

For further information, please call:

Stephanie Bunker, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1917 892 1679, bunker@un.org;
Nicholas Reader +1 212 963 4961, mobile +1 646 752 3117,reader@un.org;
John Nyaga,+ 1 917 367 9262, mobile +1 917 318 8917, nyagaj@un.org;
Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA-Geneva,+41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570, byrs@un.org.

OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or http://www.reliefweb.int.