| MULTILATERAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND PREPARATIONS FOR TOKYO CONFERENCE
In preparation for the Tokyo donor conference scheduled for 9-10 June 2003, a comprehensive (‘multisectoral’) Needs Assessment exercise has now been completed, and submitted to the Government by the Multilateral Group, comprising the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, and the UN agencies. The objective of the Needs Assessment was to identify the immediate and medium term needs of the conflict-affected areas, as well as other parts of the country, in respect of conflict-induced difficulties. The documents produced will accompany the Government’s own policy document, Regaining Sri Lanka, and the bridging document, and will serve as an information, analysis and pledging document for donors at the Tokyo Conference. Copies of all the documents prepared by the Government for the Tokyo Conference can be viewed at: www.peaceinsrilanka.org.
RETURN OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS/IDP SURVEY
Spontaneous movement of the displaced, largely back to their homes in the north and east, continues to occur, despite the present interruption to progress in the peace talks. Official reports from the Government, finalised and released by the Ministry of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Refugees (M/RRR) recently, show that 12,161 individuals (3040 families) moved home in the month of March, and another 6576 individuals (1644 families) in the month of April. When added to previous movement figures, this results in a total of 302,586 individuals (78,828 families) returning to their homes within Sri Lanka from January 2002 up to and including April 2003.
Several nation-wide maps showing the district-level results of the IDP survey, covering issues relating to numbers intending to move or return, places of residence prior to displacement, solutions to displacement, reasons to remain and numbers requiring assistance are displayed on the Ministry of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Refugees (M/RRR) website,< www.rehabsrilanka.org>.
Data on IDP movements continues to be gathered by Government Agents in each district and subsequently reported to the M/RRR in Colombo. With the exception of a minor drop in April, over the past six months the rate of IDP return has been fairly consistent at approximately 10,000 individuals/ month.
Despite the political setbacks, we have also witnessed some tangible signs of progress regarding the rehabilitation of conflict-affected areas in recent months. Kilinochchi District received more than fifty new telephone connections, with a further 5,000 to follow (priority will be given for government and NGO sectors), and work on widening and rebuilding the A9 road started, although progress commenced slowly. Work also commenced in April to provide power for isolated Tamil villages in the eastern District of Ampara and the Government expressed the need for private sector participation on a priority basis to improve and expand the supply of drinking water in uncleared areas. The train service between Batticaloa and Colombo resumed, a service that has not been in operation since 1996, after part of the track was destroyed.
DURABLE SOLUTIONS FOR THE DISPLACED: ADDRESSING PROPERTY AND LAND ISSUES
The draft of the joint Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka/ UNHCR property study has now formally adopted by the Commission, clearing the way for the document to be made available as a conference room paper at the Tokyo Donor's Conference on 9-10 June. Finalisation of the document will also allow UNHCR and the Commission to commence advocating to the negotiating parties that they adopt the study's recommendations, which include:
· Establishment of a Sri Lankan Commission on Land, Housing and Property Rights (CLHPR), to resolve and coordinate all relevant issues;
· Inclusion of land, housing and property rights within the final peace agreement between the Parties; and
· Sponsoring and supporting measures of legislative and policy reform supportive of IDP and refugee rights to recover their habitual residences.
UNIFIED ASSISTANCE SCHEME (UAS)
Distribution of the Government’s Unified Assistance Scheme (UAS) continues in most districts. The scheme is intended to provide financial assistance, in the form of a grant of LKR 25,000 to eligible returning IDP and refugee families, to help them restart productive livelihoods. In his statement to Parliament of 6 May 2003, the Prime Minister stated that at that time 10,000 families had been recipients of the cash grant.
CHILD PROTECTION
Under-age recruitment has continued in 2003 despite the LTTE leadership’s assurances that recruitment has ceased. However, UNICEF is pleased to note that there has been a significant decrease in recruitment in recent months, especially since February when UNICEF and other agencies intensified their advocacy and the press highlighted the issue. In 2003, the figures for under-age recruitment are as follows: January, 101 reported cases; February, 33 reported cases; March, 25 reported cases; April, 8 reported cases. In recent months we have not seen any significant number of releases.
The LTTE, the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL), local and international organizations met in Kilinochchi on 10 - 11 April 2003, to agree on an Action Plan to address the needs and care of children affected by war in the North East. More than 70 people participated and put forward their ideas to complete this document. The workshop was successful in agencies working together and developing a plan that covers ten working sectors. The Action Plan document will be presented at the planned Tokyo Donor Conference in June.
Following the above workshop, at the request of the LTTE, UNICEF planned a child rights training workshop in mid-April. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the LTTE had to cancel at short notice. UNICEF adapted the training materials and provided training on child rights to the District Programme Coordinators of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO). This is a first stage for UNICEF in developing child rights training in the North East with its partners.
Regular working group meetings between UNHCR, UNICEF, and the Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission (HRC) are held in all districts in the North and the East to discuss the Human Rights situation and to share information. HRC in Trincomalee has recently commenced dissemination of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in schools, giving priority to schools known to be targeted for recruitment propaganda. UNICEF is supporting these efforts with additional CRC materials.
In Trincomalee, the District Monitoring Committee on Child Rights, chaired by the Government Agent, met for the first time since June 2002. The meeting agreed that a sub-group would be formed so that active and committed partners can move forward on child rights issues.
MINE RISK EDUCATION (MRE) AND SURVIVOR ASSISTANCE (SA)
Mine risk education continues to play a crucial role within the mine action programme as well as with the resettlement process of Internal Displaced People (IDPs). MRE activities aim at not only educating people of how to live with the threat of mines and UXO and develop safe behaviour, but also act as a link between communities and the demining teams before, during and after clearance operations, ensuring two way of information and mutual understanding so that demining can be most effective.
On April 18-22 the National Institution for Education (NIE) organised a workshop for the development of a MRE exercise book for students in Negombo, with the participation of 20 experts on school curriculum development. One million copies of an illustrated timetable for schoolchildren containing MRE messages are being distributed.
A Mine Awareness Campaign was carried out by the NGO White Pigeon, with UNICEF support, in the Vanni from 1-7 April. The campaign focused on schools and communities and the activities included school presentations, art competitions, posters, newspaper articles, radio messages and theatre.
EDUCATION
According to figures obtained so far for 2003, the number of grade one pupils enrolled is up by an impressing 40 per cent in the North East compared with the same time in 2002. This means that at least 17,500 additional children have entered school this year in those areas.
Catch-up education classes for grade-4 students in 33 schools in the Batticaloa educational zone started on 5 April 2003. Seven new temporary school sheds have been constructed in Kalmunai and Sammanthurai educational zones of Ampara district by GAFSO. Construction of three more have also recently started.
PSYCHOSOCIAL CARE
In Jaffna district the Wholistic Health Centre (WHC) continued to work with more than 500 widows in 15 divisions of Kopay, and more than 1000 children through various school groups and play centres. Non-violent communication training is carried out for prefects in schools who, in their turn, then train other students under the guidance of resource people provided by WHC. WHC is also working with women and children in welfare centres. In response to a request, Shanthiham carried out training programmes on psychosocial care for NGOs, INGOs and Gos earlier in 2003.
As part of the ESCO Rebuilding Lives Programme children’s clubs have been initiated in 18 villages in Pudmoddai, Trincomalee district. There are plans for an exchange between children in Trincomalee and Batticaloa. At the same time, psychosocial training for health workers in Chenkalady has started. The same programme started earlier in Kalawanchikudy and Valaicheni areas continued this month.
PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE
To complement work already underway on peaceful co-existence in Sri Lanka, in April a Peace Education Consultant based at UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva completed two weeks of training with staff from various UN agencies, and implementing partners.
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Violations Committed
by the GOSL - 351
