"We strongly support the desire of the Government of Sri Lanka to return internally displaced persons to their homes safely and quickly so they can begin to rebuild their communities,” the editorial of the Voice of America reported quoting James R. Moore, US Charge d'affaires.

The editorial said in the year 2009 the US government has provided approximately 57 million US Dollars for humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka. This includes $42 million in emergency food aid and over $11 million in emergency non-food relief to agencies such as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

It said "The government of Sri Lanka has pledged to release most of the displaced people from the camps by the end of the year".

"Most of this assistance has been directed to help Sri Lankans who fled the conflict in the North, and was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development to procure food and medical aid, including individual hygiene and baby kits, and emergency health response kits filled with bandages and medicines, and to fund health outreach programs. Some of the money will be used to build sanitation and bathing facilities, as well as temporary shelters, and to pay for emergency transportation," the editorial said.

The Sri Lankan government stated that the internally displaced persons, cannot go home until former combat areas are de-mined, the U.S. announced that the Department of State's Bureau of Political and Military Affairs Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement will provide $6 million for mine removal.