Those who have fled the war zone are often living in awful conditions. Picture: Tearfund
30 March 2009
New evidence of the scale of civilian suffering in Sri Lanka’s war has emerged from Tearfund partners responding to the crisis.
Thousands of people fleeing the war zone in the north of the Indian Ocean island are facing severe food and water shortages.
There’s been no let-up in the fighting which has seen government forces take large tracts of land previously held by the Tamil Tiger rebels.
In response, Tearfund has provided more than £150,000 for four partners to meet humanitarian needs.
One partner, Leads, is sending staff into camps for the displaced at Jaffna to provide essentials but also to spend time giving people emotional support and help with contacting family members in other areas.
Wounded people are brought to shore after being evacuated from the war zone by boat. Picture: Tearfund
Another partner, World Concern, is the only aid group to have access to the war wounded being treated in hospitals just outside the conflict area.
It’s providing the wounded with meals, bedding, toiletries and clothing and supporting hospital staff with food, beds and other services to help them cope with the sudden influx of patients.
So far World Concern staff have helped more than 4,000 people evacuated by ship from the war zone.
Tearfund’s Clare Crawford, who has just returned from Sri Lanka, said, `World Concern are finding people are incredibly hungry and thirsty. Cases of severe emaciation are increasing.’
Although a no-fire zone has been created by the government to offer protection to tens of thousands of civilians, there are daily reports of shells falling within the no-fire zone, with up to 100 people dying each day.
A government camp for people fleeing conflict - movement is strictly controlled, evidenced by the barbed wire. Picture: Tearfund
World Concern is reporting an increase in the number of severely wounded people they are seeing, including those requiring amputations.
There is also growing evidence that children are suffering. `World Concern are saying there are getting more children coming through with severe injuries,’ says Clare.
UNICEF backs this up, saying hundreds of youngsters have been killed and thousands are now at risk because of a critical lack of medicines, food and water.
The Sri Lankan government estimates 70,000 people are taking refuge in the no-fire zone but UN estimates put the figure at more than three times that.