SRI LANKA: POST-TSUNAMI REPORTS OF CHILD

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000347

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS
NSC FOR DORMANDY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM SMIG CE KWMM LTTE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: POST-TSUNAMI REPORTS OF CHILD
TRAFFICKING AND SEXUAL- AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE ARE
OVERBLOWN

REF: COLOMBO 324

Classified By: James F. Entwistle, Deputy Chief of Mission for reasons
1.4 (b,d)


1. (SBU) Summary. Sensationalist speculation in the local
media that the December 26 tsunami would spawn "spin-off"
misery for Sri Lanka's displaced--e.g. hordes of homeless
orphans, increased child trafficking, and an uptick in
sexual- and gender-based violence--has proven, fortunately,
unfounded so far. Over 95% of children orphaned in the
tsunami are living with extended family members. Only one

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case of attempted child trafficking has been documented thus
far, another remains under investigation. Neither of the two
reports of rape in tsunami-affected areas since December 26
occurred in welfare centers for the displaced. According to
anecdotal evidence presented to UNHCR representatives,
domestic violence in welfare centers is increasing, but data
confirming this trend do not exist. The vast majority of
reports of child trafficking, sexual-and gender-based
violence, and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) child
recruitment in tsunami-affected areas and welfare camps
appear unfounded--and are perhaps the result of the
international and local media's seemingly infinite appetite
for tales of tsunami suffering. End summary.


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Most Tsunami Orphans Living With Extended Family
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2. (SBU) Local and international media coverage after the
December 26 tsunami focused on the fate of children who might
have been orphaned by the destructive waves. According to
UNICEF Protection Officer Bo Viktor Nylund, despite the heavy
death toll exacted by the tsunami--about 31,000 confirmed
killed and another 5,000 missing--only 1,087 children lost
both parents in the December 26 tsunami. Of this total, all
but 40 are living with extended family members, an
arrangement UNICEF is working to encourage in both the near
and long term. The remaining children are living with
community members or are in orphanages. UNICEF's Nylund told
poloff that children in 3,674 families lost one parent.

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Reports of Trafficking and Gender-Based Violence Overblown
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3. (C) Despite the increased vulnerability of child victims
of the tsunami, and despite harrowing and sensationalist
stories printed in the local media in the initial days after
the tsunami, the actual incidence of post-tsunami child
trafficking documented so far, fortunately, is minimal.
Harendra de Silva, Director of the National Child Protection
Agency (NCPA),told poloff that there was only one documented
case of attempted child trafficking after the tsunami: that
of a grandfather attempting to sell his grandchild in
Colombo. UNICEF documented this case (initially reported by
the BBC),and is looking into one other possible case in
Batticaloa. In all, UNICEF has heard of fewer than five
cases of child trafficking since the tsunami. Child
recruitment by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE),
however, continues despite the tsunami. UNICEF Chief
Protection Officer Christine Watkins told poloff that 51
children had been recruited by the LTTE since December 26,
although only 4 of them were from tsunami welfare centers
(Reftel).


4. (SBU) In the crush of increased international and local
media coverage after the tsunami, many media outlets
erroneously reported an increase in gender- and sexual-based
violence in welfare camps housing tsunami-displaced persons.
NCPA's de Silva and UNHCR representatives Savithri Weragoda
and Monika Sandvik all concurred that these reports were
overblown by the press. NCPA's de Silva noted that only a
few cases of sexual abuse against children had been
documented, although some NGOs had told him more sexual
harassment was occurring in the welfare centers. De Silva
pointed out that an increase in reporting from welfare
centers would not surprise him, as closer quarters and less
privacy naturally lead to an increase of reporting of child
sexual abuse.


5. (SBU) In response to increased reports of sexual violence
against women in welfare centers, UNHCR's Weragoda told
poloff that there were two documented rapes in
tsunami-affected areas, neither of which occurred in welfare

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centers. UNHCR's Sandvik told poloff that anecdotal reports
of domestic violence were increasing, but was not aware of
data supporting the accounts. She explained that an increase
in domestic violence within displaced communities--while of
concern-- is not unusual. In December 2004 UNHCR launched a
campaign in Sri Lanka to raise awareness about sexual- and
gender-based violence, including domestic abuse and sexual
harassment in the workplace. While the tsunami interrupted
UNHCR's media blitz, the organization is currently
re-tooling some of its messages to better fit a post-tsunami
environment. UNHCR hopes to continue the campaign through

2005.

LUNSTEAD