North East Situation Report

by Inter Agency Standing Committee, November 13, 2008

Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaithivu, Mannar, Vavuniya, Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts Situation Report # 152

IDP situation as reported this week by GAs

Displacement after April 2006

Situation update

- The security situation remained tense across Jaffna District during the reporting period. Artillery shelling continued. Areas around the Muhumalai and Nagarkovil FDLs were particularly volatile with armed clashes and military confrontations reported almost daily.

- Restrictions on communications remain unchanged with mobile phones functioning intermittently and only selected CDMA phones operational. Curfew remains in place daily from 2100 - 0430.

Displacement/Returns

- On 10 November, 15 people including 8 females and 2 children reached Thanankilappu, Jaffna by boat from the Vanni. They have been placed in Kayeetha School (an abandoned school in Jaffna Town) which is being used as a temporary accommodation centre along with the 47 people that arrived previously. This brings the total number of IDPs reaching Jaffna by boat from the Vanni to 62 people.

- On 11 November, a man swam from Poonaryn to Jaffna across the Jaffna Lagoon. He was arrested by the Security Forces while he was swimming and was sent to court. The court ordered him to go to the welfare centre.

KILINOCHCHI & MULLAITHIVU DISTRICTS

Situation update

- The situation in the Vanni continues to be tense. Kilinochchi town was shelled on 14 November and a number of aerial attacks have been reported, particularly in the Poonaryn area.

- On 15 November, the Security Forces announced the capture of Poonaryn, with fighting continuing in areas nearby.

- Tensions remain high in and around Puliankulam since confrontations in the area on 11 November followed by further intermittent shelling towards the area.

Sector Developments/Gaps

- The 5th Humanitarian Convoy organised by WFP entered the Vanni on 10 November carrying 588 MT of dry food rations in 29 WFP trucks and 10 commercial trucks. This amount can feed 168,000 IDPs for 7 days. Government officials in the Vanni subsequently distributed a 3 day ration of rice, a 5 day ration of dhal and a 3 day ration of flour. Oil and sugar were not available for distribution. The next convoy planned for 20 November will request clearance for 50 trucks of food and 2 trucks of NFRIs from UNHCR. The trucks will contain soap, water containers and mosquito nets.

- The inter-agency Shelter Coordination Cell (SCC) responded to the latest request from the GA for shelter assistance to assist 24,000 of the most vulnerable IDP families in the Vanni by carrying out a gap analysis and stock taking exercise. Due to the current restrictions on shelter material such as shelter kits, tents and tarpaulins, shelter agencies looked at what quantities of locally available material (wood and cadjan) were realistically available in the Vanni. The 6 suppliers in the Vanni can presently provide enough wood for 5,000 shelters and cadjan for 500 shelters. The deficit alone in cadjan to meet identified needs by the GA would require hundreds of trucks to transport it from outside the Vanni. In Vavuniya the stock of shelter kits, tarpaulins and tents is sufficient to provide shelter solutions for around 20,000 IDP families.

- The RDHS confirmed during the reporting period that there are now 16 cases of malaria in Kilinochchi District. There were also 84 dysentery cases reported for October and an outbreak of scabies amongst IDPs is also being treated by health workers. There is concern over the spread of waterborne diseases due to insufficient watsan facilities for IDPs and the GA of Kilinochchi has requested agencies in Vavuniya to help. Stocks of tube-wells, water tanks and toilets are available in Vavuniya for transportation. The "humanitarian volunteers" under the GA structure have been conducting public health awareness promotion amongst IDPs.

Full report here.