Sri Lanka: Hundreds of thousands trapped in the Wanni need urgent shelters

19.11.08 - 22:21 ... source : Amnesty International

... 19 November 2008 The Sri Lankan government must immediately end its policy of blocking humanitarian aid needed to reach an estimated 300,000 displaced people in the Wanni region of northern Sri Lanka, Amnesty International said today. Thousands of people displaced by the conflict between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and government forces are currently in desperate need of shelter, food and sanitation. As the north-east monsoon season approaches, only 2,100 temporary shelters for 4,000 families have been provided, leaving at least 20,000 families in need of protection from the elements. Around two thirds of the civilian population of the Wanni region have been forced out of their homes and are living in camps in areas controlled by the LTTE. They are trapped in the north-eastern area of Sri Lanka known as the Wanni, the last stronghold of the Tamil Tigers who impose a strict pass system ...» Next (HTML)