Sri Lanka tsunami situation report: Report Number 6

The tsunami of 26 December 2004 devastated the lives of millions of people in the Indian Ocean region. After a year, despite massive amounts of aid provided to the countries in the region, the long-term livelihood prospects of survivors remain uncertain. International agencies say that the pace of permanent housing reconstruction has been slow and is not meeting the expectations of the tsunami’s survivors. In Sri Lanka, some 339,000 people displaced by the war and 457,000 people affected by the tsunami still remain displaced. More people were displaced in the north-east in late 2005 and early 2006 due to violence, leading to new refugee arrivals in India. The Tamil Information Centre (TIC) recognizes that some international aid is reaching the north-east and that international and national agencies are working in the region, but believes that a joint mechanism is essential for the efficient delivery of post-tsunami assistance, promotion of human rights and durable peace. It is crucial that consultation with all affected communities in the north-east forms an integral part of the relief and reconstruction process to ensure equitable distribution of aid.