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IMADR has launched an emergency appeal to raise funds to support IMADR-AC’s activities to assist Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Sri Lanka’s north and east.

Background
In February 2002, after nearly 20 years of civil war, the people of Sri Lanka came close to achieving peace with the signing of a ceasefire agreement between the Singhalese-majority government and Tamil Tiger rebels. Following the election of a new hard-line president, however, the country has once again slid to the brink of civil war. Fresh negotiations were conducted in February and October 2006, but since April 2006, we have observed the abandonment of the peace agreements and the recommencement of war, with air raids, gun battles and indiscriminate attacks by both sides. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), over 200,000 people have been internally displaced since April 2006, and 15,000 people have fled to Tamil Nadu, India.

IMADR’s Asia Committee (IMADR-AC), based in Sri Lanka, has been working with grassroots partners to ensure that minorities are not left out of the peace building process and post-tsunami reconstruction, and to help empower minorities. IMADR-AC has dispatched fact-finding missions to the East several times in the last year, and hopes to supply essential items such as powdered milk, medicine and dry rations to the camps located in the reachable areas. In Trincomalee, a request has been made for schoolbooks, stationery and clothes for the children. In Batticaloa, there is an urgent need for powdered milk, towels, underwear, sanitary napkins, basins and mats. IMADR-AC requests your help in helping provide basic necessities for those displaced by the Sri Lankan conflict.

Latest Fact-finding Mission Reports
Batticaloa Fact-finding Mission Report (May 2007) [PDF217KB]
A team from the Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA), INFORM Human Rights Documentation Center, IMADR and the Law and Society Trust (LST) visited Batticaloa District from May 17 to 18 2007 to assess the resettlement process in Vellaveli (Porathivu Pattu D.S. Division) in Batticaloa west. The team spoke to displaced persons awaiting settlement, those who already been resettled and to local organizations and international agencies involved in humanitarian and human rights issues in the district.
Trincomalee Fact-finding Mission Report (April 2007) [PDF55KB]
A team from the Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and IMADR visited the Trincomalee District from April 23 to 27 2007 to assess the humanitarian and human rights situation. The team visited Internally Displaced Person (IDP) sites and other affected communities in Trincomalee Town, Mutur, Kilivetti, Lingapuram, and Kanguveli. In addition, the team spoke to individuals from local organizations, INGOs and the Government.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
Please donate funds to support IMADR-AC’s relief activities to assist the internally displaced in Sri Lanka. Send your contribution by bank transfer to:
Bank: Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Roppongi Branch
Acc #: 4891417 Holder’s name: IMADR
Bank address: 9-7, Roppongi 4-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032 Japan
Phone: (81-3) 3408-8117 / Fax: (81-3) 3408-8396
Bank Swift Code: BOTKJPJT
*Please clearly indicate that the funds are for assisting IDPs in Sri Lanka.