USAID/OFDA Humanitarian Assistance to Sri Lanka in FY 2009

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000577 STATE FOR SCA (BOUCER),SCA/INS AND PRM STATE ALSO PASS USAID AIDW FOR ANE/SCA, DCHA/FFP (DWORKEN, KSHEIN) AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA (PMORRIS, ACONVERY, RTHAYER, RKERR) ATHENS FOR PCARTER BANGKOK FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA (WBERGER) KATHMANDU FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA AND POL (SBERRY) GENEVA FOR RMA (NKYLOH, NHILGERT, MPITOTTI) USUN NEW YORK FOR ECOSOC (DMERCADO) SECDEF FOR OSD - POLICY PACOM ALSO FOR J-5 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREF MOPS PHUM PGOV PREL ASEC CE SUBJECT: USAID/OFDA Humanitarian Assistance to Sri Lanka in FY 2009 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) has provided more than USD 6 million to U.N. and non-governmental organization (NGO) partners in Sri Lanka for emergency relief assistance to date in Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 primarily in northern Sri Lanka. The funding complements and continues FY 2008 USAID/OFDA-funded activities focused on eastern as well as northern Sri Lanka which supported health, logistics, protection, disaster risk reduction, agriculture and food security, economy and market systems, shelter and settlements, humanitarian coordination and information management, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs. Currently, USAID/OFDA has deployed a two-member team to monitor humanitarian conditions, facilitate U.S. Government (USG) assistance, and coordinate with other humanitarian actors. A summary of FY 2009 USAID/OFDA-funded emergency relief activities follows. END SUMMARY. -------------- Background -------------- ¶2. Fighting between Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) intensified since the GSL formally withdrew from the 2002 ceasefire agreement with the LTTE on January 16, 2008. Heavy fighting since 2008 displaced thousands of civilians. From late October 2008 through May 26, nearly 290,000 people moved from the conflict zone to GSL-controlled territory. GSL military incursions into LTTE-controlled areas in the northeast in mid-April 2009 resulted in heavy combat that brought an end to the war on May 17. ¶3. As of May 26, nearly 270,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were in temporary camps in Vavuniya District, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The vast majority of these IDPs were forced by the GSL to settle in four hastily established IDP camps in the Manik Farms area southwest of Vavuniya town. The U.N. World Food Program (WFP) has provided food rations, and the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) has provided complementary rations of condiments and vegetables. While IDPs have access to sufficient food, the amount of water, number of latrines, and level of medical resources provided to IDPs in Manik Farms IDP camp do not meet international humanitarian standards. -------------- USAID/OFDA Contribution in FY 2009 -------------- ¶4. In FY 2009, USAID/OFDA provided more than USD 6 million to assist IDPs in northern Sri Lanka. USAID/OFDA assistance includes USD 3.5 million in small grants of up to USD 200,000 each to local and international NGOs through the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) Sub-Grants for Humanitarian Assistance and Relief in Emergencies (SHARE) Program. These grants support health, protection, risk reduction, agriculture and food security, economy and market systems, shelter and settlements, and WASH activities. The duration of each of grant is up to three months. In total, the UMCOR SHARE grants have benefited more than 206,000 people in FY 2008 and FY 2009. ¶5. In addition, USAID/OFDA contributed USD 1.7 million to the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) and nearly USD 900,000 to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to support health, nutrition, and WASH interventions in Manik Farms IDP camp in Vavuniya District. Details of USAID/OFDA projects funded in FY 2009 are below. -------------- Logistics and Emergency Relief Supplies -------------- ¶6. In FY 2009, UMCOR has granted approximately USD 250,000 to the NGO ACTED for the provision of 1,500 personal hygiene kits and 1,300 baby kits for IDPs primarily in Vavuniya District, as well as two 500-gallon water bowsers, or trailers, for transporting safe drinking water to IDPs. World Concern received more than USD 50,000 through UMCOR to provide emergency relief supplies, including clothes and mattresses, to 800 medical evacuees from the former conflict zone. With part of a USD 210,000 grant through UMCOR, Medical Teams International (MTI) is providing logistic support and relief commodities for IDPs in zones 2 and 4 of Manik Farms camp. -------------- Health -------------- ¶7. With a grant of more than USD 80,000 through UMCOR, MTI is providing affected populations with emergency medical services through the regional hospital in Manik Farms and though the provision of five U.N. World Health Organization-standard health kits that have been distributed to medical facilities in the Manik Farm IDP camps. The assistance is benefiting more than 50,000 people for a three-month period. In addition, UMCOR granted more than USD 380,000 to Handicap International for the provision of critical assistance to IDPs in Vavuniya camps, including diagnosis, referral, and the provision and replacement of mobility aids. The program is benefiting approximately 8,500 IDPs. ¶8. USAID/OFDA also contributed USD 880,866 to IOM to establish 10 temporary health centers in Manik Farms and provide three ambulances, benefiting 100,000 IDPs. The program began in May 2009 and is scheduled to end on December 31, 2009. The clinics will provide diagnosis, emergency care, health education, and referrals to regional hospitals. -------------- -------------- Humanitarian Coordination and Information Management -------------- -------------- ¶9. UMCOR has granted nearly USD 80,000 in USAID/OFDA funding to the local NGO Social, Economic, and Environmental Development (SEED) to strengthen the coordination mechanisms and capacity of civil society organizations and humanitarian agencies in conflict-affected areas of Sri Lanka. Through this funding, up to 250,000 IDPs will benefit from more effective information coordination. -------------- Nutrition -------------- ¶10. With USD 200,000 through the UMCOR umbrella grant, ZOA-Refugee Care is establishing food preparation facilities for IDPs in Manik Farms Camp. This program will benefit an estimated 40,000 individuals. In addition, USAID/OFDA has contributed USD 1.7 million through the 2009 Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) to UNICEF for nutrition and WASH activities at IDP camps. UNICEF is planning to establish nutritional screening centers at each of the 18 principal health clinics at Manik Farms IDP camp and to provide therapeutic food to severely malnourished children. -------------- Disaster Risk Reduction -------------- ¶11. With part of a USD 200,000 grant through UMCOR, MTI is building local and regional response capacity to ensure that timely and effective disaster response reaches the most vulnerable populations in Sri Lanka. MTI is also establishing an emergency medical communication system in Manik Farms that will link hospitals with primary health care centers and provide communications with field ambulances. -------------- Shelter and Settlements -------------- ¶12. With a contribution of approximately USD 180,000 through the UMCOR SHARE Program, ASB (Solidar) is providing emergency shelters to IDP families in Manik Farms, benefiting more than 4,000 people. With USD 200,000 in funding through the UMCOR grant, IOM is providing 700 emergency wood-frame shelters and accompanying site preparation, as well as bathing areas to IDPs in Manik Farms camp site, benefiting 5,600 IDPs. UMCOR has also provided more than USD 180,000 to CARE for the construction of 800 emergency shelters for IDP families in Manik Farms, benefiting an estimated 3,200 people. -------------- Economy and Market Systems -------------- ¶13. World Concern has begun implementing programs to improve the livelihoods of 230 households in northern Sri Lanka with part of a USD 200,000 grant through UMCOR. In addition, CARE is assisting households to resume livelihoods through backyard farming and establish small businesses in northern Sri Lanka, as part of a USD 200,000 grant through UMCOR. -------------- Protection -------------- ¶14. With part of a USD 200,000 grant through UMCOR, CARE is implementing programs to mitigate potential or actual protection threats among extremely vulnerable individuals, including women, children, and the elderly, in northern Sri Lanka. -------------- Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) -------------- ¶15. To help improve the WASH sector at Manik Farms IDP camp, UMCOR has contributed nearly USD 200,000 to the local NGO SewaLanka to provide 150 latrines, 75 water systems, 100 hand-wash stations, 100 water points, and 300 water bins, as well as hygiene education materials and programs, benefitting approximately 12,000 people. With a USAID/OFDA contribution of more than USD 160,000 provided through UMCOR, ASB (Solidar) is providing toilet facilities and cleaning supplies in IDP camps in northern Sri Lanka, benefiting 16,000 IDPs. ¶16. Also through the UMCOR umbrella grant, USAID/OFDA has provided nearly USD 200,000 to Relief International for WASH interventions in Manik Camps benefiting more than 15,000 IDPs. With part of a USD 200,000 grant through UMCOR, World Concern constructed and rehabilitated bathing structures. With funding from a USD 200,000 grant through UMCOR, CARE is assisting 95 returnee households to improve water and sanitation facilities. ¶17. USAID/OFDA is also supporting UNICEF through the 2009 CHAP to support WASH projects in IDP camp sites in northern Sri Lanka, benefiting approximately 250,000 IDPs. Activities include the provision of drinking water and hygiene and sanitation education services to IDPs. The program began in May 2009 and is scheduled to end on December 31, 2009. -------------- Additional USAID/OFDA Assistance -------------- ¶18. At present, a two-member USAID/OFDA team is in Sri Lanka, monitoring and reporting on humanitarian conditions, facilitating USG assistance, and coordinating with other humanitarian actors. Team members are working in Colombo and traveling to Manik Farms and other IDP locations to assess humanitarian conditions. MOORE