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URGENT
CRISIS APPEAL:
Thousands of persons from Ralkuli, Kadakaraichchenai, Senaiyoor,
Sampoor, Ilakkanthai, Sudaikuda, Paddalipuram and Upparu in the
Trincomalee district have been displaced due to the ongoing air, sea,
and ground attacks by the Security Forces of Government of Sri Lanka.
The IDPs affected by the previous week’s communal violence are also
streaming into LTTE controlled areas from the government controlled
areas. The number of IDPs has passed the 30,000 mark and continues to
rise.
Due to extensive and continuous shelling and bombing the relief and
rescue efforts are being severely hampered and travel to the affected
areas to carry out humanitarian work has been nearly impossible.
The disaster management structure of the TRO, though it has been
severely impacted, has responded to this emergency and the TRO staff and
volunteers are assisting the IDPs. In addition to the IDPs and
destruction to civilian structures TRO has sustained the following
damage itself:
• The Santhosam Children's Home run by TRO which cares for over 40
orphaned children suffered a direct hit by a Kfir bomb and the number of
causalities and extent of damage is unknown.
• A Transit Camp for Tsunami affected IDPs run by TRO with UNICEF
assistance has been shelled
• TRO’s office at Kadakarachenai has also been severely damaged.
The extent of civilian causalities is not known but it is anticipated to
be significant.
The IDPs consist of children, women, men and disabled of all ages who
are seeking shelter in Temples, Mosques and Churches in the LTTE
controlled areas.
TRO appeals to all international humanitarian agencies to urgently
respond to the following needs:
• Food (including infant/children’s needs)
• Shelter
• Water & Sanitation
• Non-Food Relief (cooking utensil, clothing, etc)
• Medicine & Medical Personnel
• Special needs of pregnant and lactating mothers
Access to, and procurement of, these items is severally hampered as
these items are not available in the LTTE controlled areas and
transportation from government controlled areas is impossible. There are
two co-op shops in these affected areas and neither have adequate stock
to deal with the current and anticipated needs. Small shops that were
previously open for business have all been closed due to the security
situation.
There are also no hospitals in the area and the two available medical
centers and dispensaries are staffed by visiting doctors and nurses.
Thus far these medical personnel have been unable to report for work due
to the continuing shelling.
TRO calls upon the ICRC and other international agencies to provide
urgent relief and humanitarian assistance.
TRO also requests the Government of Sri Lanka to permit access to the
affected areas.
V. Sivanadiyar
TRO President
[email protected]
077 981 4856
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