The United States welcomes the sustained efforts of relief providers, both from the Sri Lanka Government and the local and international organizers, to address the critical needs of this very large community of IDPs, said Eric P Schwartz, US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration, on the situation of the IDPs in the North of Sri Lanka.

He said US Government would contribute an additional USD $ 8 million to support the return, recovery and resumption of normal and more productive life for many of the thousands who were forced to flee their homes, in the operations against terrorism. This was in addition to US $ 50 million provided for humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka in 2009.

He was addressing a media briefing yesterday(27) following his visit to the IDP refugee villages at the Menik Farm complex, after discussions President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP, who heads the Task Force on IDP relief and resettlement, and officials engaged in IDP relief work.

Mr. Schwartz was enthusiastic about the Government’s efforts to carry out a large number of resettlements of IDPs next month. He welcomed the Government’s invitation to him to visit later and observe the progress of resettlement work, and said he would return for such observation.

At an earlier meeting with Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama Mr. Schwartz welcomed President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s unequivocal commitment to the resettlement process of the nearly 300,000 IDPs, and pledged U.S. support to the process.

Rebecca Cohn, Director USAUID, Sri Lanka told the media this US$ 8million would be in addition to US$ 30 million of food aid already given to the World Food Programme this year alone, which food can support the IDPs returning home by providing up to six months of dry rations.

The US Assistant Secretary of State said that “working in collaboration with local and international partners, the Sri Lankan authorities face the formidable task of providing food, shelter, healthcare to some 280,000 displaced persons, while at the same time facilitating returns in condition of safety and dignity.”

He was encouraged to learn that significant and substantial returns will take place over the next month, in the districts of Mannar, Vavuniya and parts of Kilinochchi, as ell as other parts of Sri Lanka.

Moreover, officials had told him they were determined to strongly support development in the overall well-being of the population in the affected areas. The US Government welcomed these commitments, he said.

Answering a question about fears expressed regarding these relief canters being made permanent holding place for the IDPs, Mr. Schwartz said he saw no spectre of permanence. Every official he spoke to had assured him that the camps were temporary and the stay of the IDPs would be limited. In fact suggestions made to build some permanent structures had been rejected because of the need for these to be temporary centres.

Mr. Schwartz also said the US remained deeply concerned about a range of issues where further progress was essential. He made reference to the majority of displaced persons remaining confined in camps, and said there were burdensome limitations to access to the camps for international humanitarian organizations and others in a position to ameliorate conditions faced by these victims of the conflict.

He suggested that the IDPs should have more access to information about their situation and government plans for resettlement and rehabilitation, which had been conveyed to government.