IDPs - Nowhere people - 40,000 more

Nimeshi · **Posted:** Sat Jul 01, 2006 12:59 pm

Nowhere people - 40,000 more

By Easwaran Rutnam
@ DM / 01 July 2006

Since the latest upsurge in violence in April, nearly 40,000 people have been displaced in Sri Lanka, Amnesty International said and it blamed the Sri Lankan government, the LTTE and other armed groups for the intensifying bloodshed.

AI said the violence while creating new waves of displaced people was adding to the fear and insecurity felt by hundreds of thousands already forced out of their homes by the conflict and the 2004 tsunami.

AI quoted UN figures to say that a total of 39,883 people had been displaced in the north and east since April 7 adding that a total of 314,378 people were displaced by the conflict while around 325,000 people were estimated to have been displaced by the tsunami.

It said the increasing violence was forcing many Sri Lankans to flee the country and that more than 2,800 people had sought shelter in India this year.

"The state's failure to provide adequate security and to ensure that attacks against civilians are prosecuted has resulted in widespread fear and panic," AI Asia-Pacific director Purna Sen said.

"Almost every major attack in recent months has had a devastating ripple effect as people flee from their homes and villages in search of sanctuary."

AI said many of the displaced, including those living in organised camps, were "extremely vulnerable" to violence and harassment by the LTTE, other armed groups, and the Sri Lankan security forces.

Amnesty said displaced people also had to cope with the lack of work opportunities and limited local health and education services.

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IDPs - Nowhere people - 40,000 more

IDPs - Nowhere people - 40,000 more

IDPs - Nowhere people - 40,000 more

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