US to provide $8 mn for Tamil IDPs

I / Colombo August 19, 2009, 16:23 IST

The US today announced an $2 million assistance for the displaced Tamil civilians who are languishing in relief camps, even as it pledged another $6 million for de-mining activities in the north where Sri Lankan troops and LTTE fought battles.

The US Government is contributing $6 million for de-mining activities in Sri Lanka's Northern Province to help people displaced by the conflict return to their homes in Wanni as quickly as possible, the US Embassy said here.  

"The US Agency for International Development (USAID), through the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), is also providing $2 million for short-term assistance to benefit 2 lakh IDPs," its said in a statement here.

 

"USAID is supporting the work of NGOs to ensure that the needs of displaced Sri Lankans are met. Our new funding will support the welfare and safety of IDPs until they can return to their homes," USAID Mission Director Rebecca Cohn said.  

A USAID grant to Internews will produce and disseminate news and information to IDPs in Manik Farms.  

Internews is an US based international media development organisation whose mission is to empower local media worldwide.  

A second grant to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) will address humanitarian needs in the North (Sri Lanka) in partnership with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the Embassy said. 

Gareth Price-Jones, program manager for UMCOR said that USAID funds will address critical needs to improve conditions in the camps and provide lifesaving interventions.  

"For example, one of our projects, in partnership with the Sri Lanka Ministry of Health, provides medical supplies and equipment for 180,000 IDPs in Vavuniya and Jaffna," he said. In 2009, USAID provided $4.5 million to UMCOR to support various activities.

"The American people, through the US Agency for International Development, have provided development and humanitarian assistance in developing countries worldwide for nearly 50 years," the Embassy statement said.  

Since 1956, USAID/Sri Lanka has invested nearly $2 billion to benefit all the people of Sri Lanka, it said.

The funding for demining will be undertaken through the US Department of State's Bureau of Political and Military Affairs Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (State/PMWRA).  

The funding would be granted to four non-governmental organizations (NGOs) currently working on de-mining activities in Sri Lanka.  

This additional funding is aimed at allowing the demining NGOs to increase their demining capacity and expand their work over the next twelve months, the US  Embassy said.  

The US Government has provided more than $68 million for humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka in 2008 and 2009. This includes more than $42 million in emergency food aid and more than $1 million in emergency non-food relief.