UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Published purpose

21 March 2011- The decades-long conflict between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Sri Lankan government forces ended in May 2009. Approximately 300,000 civilians were displaced in the final stages of the conflict, and most were placed in government-controlled camps. The majority of the internally displaced people (IDPs) have returned to their home areas, and only about 20,000 people remain in displacement camps. However, returnees continue to require humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs, and many of them have been affected by the severe flooding that struck Sri Lanka in late 2010 and early 2011. In addition, the IDPs remaining in the camps are completely dependent upon assistance. CIDA's contribution is supporting the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to provide shelter, non-food relief items, protection and camp management assistance to internally displaced people (IDPs) and returnees in Sri Lanka. Activities include: distribution of non-food relief items to IDPs and returnees; provision of a shelter grant to returnees; monitoring, reporting and responding to protection concerns in camps and areas of return; and, the promotion of humanitarian principles through advocacy and training.