Red Cross International Aid Trust of Canada

Published purpose

The conflict between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has continued to intensify with increasing numbers of civilian casualties, alleged human rights violations and internally displaced persons (IDPs), particularly in the northern part of the country. The ongoing conflict has affected the ability of IDPs and host communities to access food, water, secure shelter and basic social services. In 2008, the International Comittee of the Red Cross (ICRC) focuses on emergency assistance and protection activities in northern and eastern regions of Sri Lanka affected by the conflict. Assistance activities include: the provision of essential household items, food, hygiene kits, temporary shelter and water and sanitation services to internally displaced persons; livelihood assistance to returnees and host communities; and support to the Government of Sri Lanka's immunization and antenatal care programmes. To respond to protection needs in Sri Lanka, the ICRC continues to remind all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law; visits detainees to which they have access and endeavour to gain access to all other persons detained in relation to the armed conflict; continues to act as an intermediary at crossing points and collects and follows up allegations of child recruitment; and restores and maintains family links between relatives separated by the conflict and provides information to families on the fate of missing relatives.