The Peace Secretariat welcomes the recent report on Jaffna Welfare Centres by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Office in Sri Lanka. This timely report, based on careful research, is in marked contrast to a recent highly critical release by the  UNHCR office in Geneva, which it seems was issued without consultation with the Sri Lanka Office.

The JWC Report is issued in collaboration with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), and details findings of a survey conducted in the 69 welfare camps which host long term displaced persons in the Jaffna District. Surveys were held in the areas of shelter, water and sanitation, health and medical, protection, safety and security, food and nutrition, livelihoods and education. The total number of displaced in these Centres is 9,652. Though a number of people have been displaced since, this figure suggests that the problems are less grave than some figures in circulation would suggest.

Though the people in these Centres still face a number of problems, the Report also records a number of positive factors, indicative of the determination of the Government of Sri Lanka to provide humanitarian services at a higher level than in many situations with which comparison is made. Most remarkable perhaps is the affirmation of the Sri Lankan commitment to education. All but one of the 1252 children of primary school age are in schools, as are over 80% of those of secondary school age. In accordance with the government policy of providing free school uniforms, in addition to text books, 83% have enough uniforms.

Though food supplies are limited, it is noteworthy that 97% of the Welfare Centres receive Government IDP rations, with Government / WFP supplying 3 %. INGOs/LNGOS have once or twice provided food assistance to 13% of Centres while UNICEF gives biscuits, either weekly or monthly, to 68%. 78% of the Centres have additional food supplies for children under 5 while 67% have this for pregnant / lactating women.

It is also noteworthy that 100% of the Centres have access to work to supplement the given rations. The study notes that, though some items are expensive, staples such as rice and dhal and vegetables and sugar are freely available and affordable to almost all Centres.

Statistics with regard to security are even more heartening. Incidents with regard to what is termed ‘Protection’ are in single figures except in three categories. Most worrying of these is 12 incidents of torture/physical abuse, since there should be none of these. However, 134 instances of security checks do not seem a problem, in the context of the particularly grave threat of terrorism that is current. With regard to 62 incidents of domestic violence, though this is a matter for deep regret, it is obviously related to personal interactions.

Police or other security is provided to 97% of the Centres, with Legal Aid available to 81%. There are Child-friendly spaces in 78% and Counselling/Reporting of Sexual and Gender Based Violence in 62%.