SRI LANKA: HEAVY FIGHTING RESUMES AFTER TWO-DAY PAUSE – UN

After the end of the two-day lull in fighting in northern Sri Lanka, intense fighting – including small arms fire, mortar fire and aerial attacks – has been reported in the so-called no-fire zone, the United Nations said today.

The world body's top relief official yesterday said that the 48-hour ceasefire in clashes between the Government and separatist Tamil rebels was inadequate in easing the plight of more than 100,000 civilians caught up in the conflict.

"Unfortunately, it is also clear that not only did this not allow more civilians to get out, there seemed to be less civilians getting out during the pause than before," Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes told reporters in New York.

Over 64,000 people have left conflict areas, with most of them sheltering in camps and some 800 others are seeking treatment in hospitals, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said today.

The International Red Cross said it was able to evacuate close to 1,000 people from the no-fire zone, a 14-square kilometre area in the Vanni region, during the 48-hour ceasefire, bringing the number of people evacuated since 11 February to just over 9,000.

A ship carrying more than 1,000 tonnes of humanitarian supplies bound for the no-fire zone is scheduled to depart in three days.

In the camps in the Vanni region, efforts to construct shelter, clear sites and provide health care, among others, are continuing, but water and sanitation services have been identified as being inadequate.

According to OCHA, the continued use of schools as sites for internally displaced persons (IDPs) continues to strain education services in the district, affecting both uprooted students and host students.

Mr. Holmes, who said he would have preferred a longer pause in fighting, said yesterday that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) prevented civilians trapped in the no-fire zone from leaving during the ceasefire.

"Civilians should not be used as pawns or human shields in this way," he stressed, calling on the LTTE to allow safe passage out of the no-fire zone to those who wish to leave.
________________

NEEDS OF DISPLACED PERSONS IN COLOMBIA MUST BE MET, TOP UN OFFICIAL SAYS

NEEDS OF DISPLACED PERSONS IN COLOMBIA MUST BE MET, TOP UN OFFICIAL SAYS
New York, Feb 24 2009 12:00PM

The United Nations' top humanitarian official, on the first day of his mission to Colombia to assess relief operations for victims of natural disaster and civil strife, saluted actions taken but said much more must be done to protect civilians and aid displaced persons.

"It is clear that there is a serious humanitarian situation in Colombia, particularly the problems of millions of internally displaced persons, and that there is a requirement collectively to do more to respond to these needs," John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said yesterday in the capital city of Bogotá.

During a day of meetings, Mr. Holmes saw ministers and senior officials in the Government of Colombia, as well as humanitarian actors from the UN, Colombian civil society, and non-governmental aid organizations.

Government figures visited included the country's ministers of justice and foreign affairs, its director of the Department for Prevention and Response to Disasters (DPAD) and its presidential advisor for social action.

"Mr. Holmes praised the Government's action and progress achieved, but urged increased dialogue on the humanitarian situation and the necessary response, particularly on protecting civilians," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a press release.

There was also agreement on the need to increase prevention and preparedness for natural disasters, OCHA added.

The country has recently suffered the harshest, most destructive rainy season on record, which wreaked havoc on the Sucre, Bolivar and Chocó provinces, affecting one million people and destroying 44,000 hectares of crops.

In addition, continued violence has caused large-scale internal displacement in many areas.

In a meeting with a large group of representatives from Colombian civil society, including
indigenous people and Afro-Colombian, human rights, women's and youth groups, Mr. Holmes heard a wide range of concerns about the consequences of such displacement and the continuing violence.

Mr. Holmes expressed particular concern about the situation of indigenous and Afro-Colombian
communities, following the recent killing of members of the Awá group in a remote area in the country's south-west which the UN refugee agency says suffers from some of the worst forced displacement.

"There is a need to pay particular attention to the future of indigenous people and other vulnerable groups that have a special dependency on and attachment to their lands," Mr. Holmes said.

Today, Mr. Holmes is travelling to the Chocó region, where he is expected to meet with Afro-Colombians, indigenous communities, and groups of displaced persons.
________________