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Tsunami
Relief, UNHCR's Maiden Mission Outside Caring for
War Refugees |
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UNHCR
has completed the first phase of rescue operations and is
now ready to move on to the transitional phase of providing
shelter and protection to tsunami victims.
Reviewing the progress of UNHCR's first phase of emergency
operations, Assistant High Commissioner Kamel Morjane said:
"I believe the saving of lives, the first phase of our
humanitarian assistance to the Government is over. The risk
is minimal to-date but we need water and sanitation systems
to set up in affected areas".
"We have to start the transition phase of the tsunami
disaster and it will be to provide shelter to those
displaced by the tsunami. The issue of providing shelter to
internally displaced persons (IDPs) has become complex with
victims of tsunami adding to the IDPs of the North and East
conflict.
From the information we have gathered so far, IDPs in the
North and East have either displaced by the North and East
conflict or tsunami or both," Morjane said.
The
Assistant Commissioner also highlighted the importance of
protecting vulnerable groups such as children and women who
are more exposed to sexual and gender based violence and
abuse.He said that in UNHCR's history, this has been the
first occasion where they have taken an exceptional decision
to assist with victims of a natural disaster, thus going
beyond caring for refugees fleeing conflicts and
persecution.
UNHCR has distributed 23,356 plastic sheets as temporary
roofing while another 2,000 tents will arrive by the end of
January to be distributed in Ampara, Matara, Killinochchi,
Jaffna, Batticaloa and Mannar to assist with emergency
shelter needs.
UNHCR has distributed over 261,905 non food relief items to
140,136 beneficiaries islandwide. |
           
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