All sponsored children are reportedly safe.

July 18, 2007

By Hasanthi Jayamaha and Pamela Sitko - Sri Lanka Communications


Following a stepped-up military offensive since April, Sri Lanka's government has recently declared the eastern part of the country free of rebel presence — the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Reports indicate that the east remains relatively quiet, but fighting continues in Thoppigala, west of the eastern city of Batticaloa. Meanwhile, military operations continue in the northeast, where ongoing, targeted strikes have been observed.

World Vision Assists Returnees

Since mid-May, the Sri Lankan government has coordinated with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to resettle 90,000 displaced persons to their original homes in west Batticaloa. As of June 22, the numbers of displaced in the area had been reduced to 52,221 people, or 13,943 families, the UN agency says.

Aid groups, including World Vision, are urging Sri Lanka's government to uphold international humanitarian standards to ensure that the displaced are allowed to return home voluntarily, safely, and with dignity. UNHCR staff members monitoring the situation on the ground are reporting that people want to return to their homes. World Vision's Sri Lanka office is supporting the return of conflict-affected families from our four sponsorship areas in the east.

Meanwhile, project staff members report that World Vision-sponsored project communities not affected by the fighting in the east and north are continuing to operate; all of the children in these projects are safe and attending school.

'Children Are Safe'

Vaharia villagers — part of the Vellaveli sponsorship area in eastern Sri Lanka — were among the first groups of World Vision-assisted communities in the region to return home recently. Residents had been displaced since March because of intensified military operations in the region.

Sinnathurai Premachandren, World Vision's Vellaveli area manager, says sponsored children in this region have recommenced schooling and are safe. Staff will slowly begin project activities, Sinnathurai says. "We have almost completed our assessment work [and] are planning to start economic recovery programs for the families by next week."

All 8,718 families from the Vellaveli area — including 1,800 World Vision-sponsored children — have now returned home. Our donors in Australia support this area's development projects.

Resettlement in Stages

Many of Vaharia's children, however, expressed bewilderment when they returned to find their houses in shambles, schools riddled with bullet holes, and places of worship suffering the effects of mortar explosions.

Ajantha and her younger brother, who have experienced more than their share of impermanence, were among those who returned to the village. "We've lived in five camps in the past two years," says the 16-year-old. "My father stayed behind to protect our house, and we haven't had contact with him since."

Three remaining World Vision sponsorship communities in eastern Sri Lanka — Paddipalai, Eravur Pattu, and Kiran — are at different stages in the resettlement process. Families from the Paddipalai area have returned home, and our staff is eagerly awaiting access to the area to recommence work. Resettlement in Eravur Pattu is due to begin this month, and families from Kiran will be resettled soon thereafter.