UK's AID makes real difference for the lives of recently displaced civilians in Sri Lanka

By Nesan Shankar Raji

(March 13,London, Sri Lanka Guardian) The humanitarian aid programme in Sri Lanka initiated by UKaid of the Departmemt for International Development (DFID) has made a huge difference to the lives of the civilians recently displaced by the conflict in Sri Lanka.

Since September 2008, DFID has committed £12.5 million to the humanitarian response to Sri Lanka. Mike Foster, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the DFID on his visit to Sri Lanka in September 2009 made it clear that the focus of UK funding would move to support returning people from their camps to their homes, demining and livelihoods recovery work.

In recent months I am informed that the DFID's funding has helped support the HALO Trust to undertake specialist mine surveillance and clearance activities and the UN Operations Team to provide transitional shelter for over 2,000 returning internally displaced persons to the Vanni. It is also important to note that all of the DFID's funding has been provided to neutral and impartial humanitarian agencies rather than directly to the Government of Sri Lanka.

The DFID has also supported the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to provide transport for those returning from the camps to their homes, provide transition shelter for 350 households; and safe water, sanitation and hygeine promotion. Thier grant also helped 40,000 civilians access primary healthcare.

The DFID supported the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) to provide 3 bushels of rice seeds to 8,800 returning families in the Vanni region.

The United Nations Operations (UNOPS) is also providing shelters for returning IDP's to Killinochchi and Mulaitivu districts. This programme will also help improve rural roads and repair irrigation ponds and channels.

Having spoken to various government ministers and other dignitaries, I am confident that the UK government will continue to advocate for an inclusive political process which includes Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities.