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Tuesday, 18 January 2011

Visiting UN official to launch appeal for Sri Lanka humanitarian assistance

A high-ranking United Nations official due to arrive in Sri Lanka tomorrow to assess the humanitarian needs of country's flood and conflict displaced population will launch an appeal to support the mobilization of humanitarian assistance.


The UN Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Catherine Bragg, will be in Sri Lanka from 19 to 21 January, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a press release on Tuesday.
In its latest humanitarian report released Tuesday (18), OCHA said the UN Humanitarian Country Team has finalized a Flash Appeal to support the mobilization of humanitarian assistance for Sri Lanka's flood affected and displaced population.
Ms. Bragg will launch the Appeal on 20 January as part of her mission to Sri Lanka to highlight the country's humanitarian needs and to advocate on behalf of the most vulnerable.
During her mission, Ms. Bragg will visit the north of the country where thousands have returned following the end of the conflict, as well as visit the worst-flood affected areas in the east. She will also meet representatives from the Government, donors, and aid agencies, the UN said.
As of noon Tuesday 1,060,273 people have been affected by the floods that devastated the country's North Central and Eastern provinces. Although flood waters have begun receding and people are returning to their flood-damaged homes, another 17,413 people still remain in camps. A total of 43 people have died and 51 persons have been injured while 4 are reported to be missing.
In addition to the flood-displaced another 20,000 people displaced by the war are still housed in government-run camps waiting for their resettlement, which may further be delayed due to the floods in the North and East hampering the demining operations.
The OCHA also warned that the receding waters may unearth buried mines and other explosives and wash them into already demined areas.
According to the agency Mine Risk Education partners are alerting community volunteers and child animators in flood affected areas to raise awareness on landmines/Unexploded Ordnance, which may have been dislodged by the flood waters.
The UN official's visit is expected to provide an opportunity to emphasize UN's commitment to Sri Lankan people in despair and to rally donors to support and expand ongoing national efforts to respond to the growing humanitarian needs, the UN said.
"Humanitarian work is about reaching all people in need and in particular the most vulnerable, providing them with emergency assistance, and supporting them through their most difficult time. This includes helping them recover and rebuild their lives," Ms. Bragg has noted.
According to OCHA, the flood returnees will face significant humanitarian challenges of food security, water quality, housing damage, crop loss and resumption of livelihoods.
The UN says the world body and humanitarian partners are supporting the Sri Lankan government to provide critically needed emergency supplies such as safe drinking water, food, sanitation, and emergency shelter.
Several countries have pledged relief assistance of ready meals as well as non-food items to the floods-affected communities.
At the Sri Lankan Government's request, the Chinese Government is looking into the possibility of providing roofing material to the affected families to rebuild their homes, OCHA said.
In Ampara District, a medical team from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia consisting of 8 medical doctors and 2 medical administrators been deployed to Kalmunai, to assist meeting health needs.
The Sri Lankan government has estimated the flood and landslides damage to be about US$ 500 million.

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