EU gives new aid package for Sri Lanka conflict victims

Help for Sri Lankan refugees in Tami Nadu, too

[Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 5.30 GMT]

The European Commission has allocated a € -15 million humanitarian package to help conflict-affected people in Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan refugees in Tamil Nadu, India. This new allocation, including a specific € - 3 million for food aid activities, will cover basic needs such as shelter, water, sanitation, food security and healthcare.

The European Commission in a statement issued in Brussels yesterday (July 25) said this new allocation will meet the vital needs of the conflict communities in Sri Lanka, but will also improve access to water and sanitation for the Sri Lankan refugees living in Tamil Nadu, India.

Conflict victims will be supported through a wide range of humanitarian interventions - shelter, food, food security, water/sanitation, basic items, healthcare, education, livelihood support, protection activities and disaster preparedness programmes.

Funds allocated are channelled through the European Commission Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) under the responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel. Projects will be implemented by the Commission's humanitarian partners already working in the field - NGOs, UN agencies and the ICRC.

Among the observations of Commissioner Michel in announcing the package are that the Commission is extremely worried by the increase in violence affecting Sri Lanka; the brutality of the conflict is appalling and major violations of international humanitarian law are perpetrated in a climate of impunity, and that thousands of civilians are caught up in the conflict, with barely no chance of escape from the violence and massacres.

According to the European Commission since 1983, the conflict between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government in the North and East of the country has claimed more than 70,000 lives. Around 800,000 people have been internally displaced during almost 25 years of civil war. A further 100,000 Sri Lankan Tamils have fled to refugee camps in neighbouring India. 4500 people have been killed in the last 12 months including at least 1500 civilians. Unfortunately, the conflict is expected to intensify in the short to mid term which will have a major impact on the humanitarian aspects of the situation.

Since 2004, the Commission has given a total of € -79 million in aid for victims of humanitarian crises in Sri Lanka, including € - 3 million of food aid and € - 42 million for the tsunami victims.

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Last Updated Date: July 26, 2007 - 5.30 GMT