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Update from Northern Sri Lanka
04 January 2005
Union Aid Abroad is supporting joint efforts by Norwegian, German and Swiss member organisations in the international SOLIDAR alliance, which unites the trade union-based humanitarian emergency and development agencies.
Norwegian Peoples Aid has been present with a landmine action program in the Vanni in northern Sri Lanka since 2002, with 600 local and 10 international staff working in the Humanitarian De-mining Unit (HDU). The NPA/HDU office is located in Kilinochchi.
When the tsunami hit, personnel were on leave for the holiday period. Operations were to re-commence on 5 January, but instead over 200 HDU personnel have been working in the emergency relief effort. NPA vehicles were used to transport wounded and dead to hospital immediately after the disaster. NPA is co-ordinating its emergency aid efforts with the Tamil humanitarian organisations along with Swiss Workers Aid and the German workers aid organisation (ASB, Workers Samaritan Union) in Kilinochchi. There is a list from the main Tamil relief centre of emergency supply requirements, in support of two camps housing approximately 23,000 people who lost everything in the tsunami. These camps are located in Pallai and Mullaitivu in the northeast. NPA procured emergency items in Colombo, and these were sent to Kilinochchi with NPA trucks, for distribution among the people in the displaced people's camps. NPA will continue to monitor and support these camps. According to reports from NPA field personnel the camps are well run, and people in them say they have what they need for now, but need continued support as they have lost everything. NPA and ASB are also supporting the hospital in Kilinochchi with much needed medical supplies, which NPA trucks from from Colombo.
In the longer term, NPA will support reconstruction of housing and livelihoods in local the fishing villages devastated by the tsunami. They will need a complete rebuilding of houses, sanitation, water, schools and other infrastructure, and not least new fishing boats and equipment in order to resume their traditional income generating and food security activities. NPA is currently co-operating with Tamil organisations, UNHCR, ASB and other relevant actors in order to co-ordinate planning for the next phase of support to affected communities. More information about the role of NPA efforts will become available in following weeks when the initial assessments have been done, and division of responsibility is agreed between relevant agencies. The initial plan is for survivors displaced by the tsunami to be in the camps for maximum 6 months, while reconstruction work is carried out in their communities.
For more information about the NPA efforts and photos of their work in northern Sri Lanka see the website.
Union Aid Abroad is also sending resources for the emergency, for displaced people and for rebuilding communities and livelihoods via union volunteer teams in southern Sri Lanka, and non-government community organisations in Aceh.
Contact Details
Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA
Ph: (02) 9264 9343
Fax: (02) 9261 1118
office@apheda.org.au
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