Christian response to the Christian response to the humanitarian crisis in Vannihumanitarian crisis in Vanni

What is happening?What is happening?

What are Christians doing? What are Christians doing?

What can we do?What can we do?

What is happening in the What is happening in the Vanni?Vanni?

•• More than 220,000 people are More than 220,000 people are displaced in Vanni displaced in Vanni

•• Majority of them since July 2008Majority of them since July 2008

•• Many have been displaced several Many have been displaced several times times

•• They flee from place to place, as the They flee from place to place, as the Sri Lankan army advancesSri Lankan army advances

•• Several civilians have been Several civilians have been killed and injured in shelling killed and injured in shelling and bombingand bombing

•• Including babies and childrenIncluding babies and children

•• Some people live in schools, Some people live in schools, churches and other buildingschurches and other buildings

•• Many live in the open air, on the Many live in the open air, on the roadside and under treesroadside and under trees

•• People made desperate pleas to People made desperate pleas to foreign staff of UN and International foreign staff of UN and International aid agencies not to leave themaid agencies not to leave them

•• But they left based on orders of the But they left based on orders of the GovernmentGovernment

•• There is no independent international There is no independent international witnesses to what is happening in witnesses to what is happening in the Vanni now (Except ICRC)the Vanni now (Except ICRC)

•• People are at the mercy of the Sri People are at the mercy of the Sri Lankan armed forces and the LTTELankan armed forces and the LTTE

•• Food, medicine and shelter materials are Food, medicine and shelter materials are in short supply due to restrictions imposed in short supply due to restrictions imposed by the government by the government

•• The severe restriction on fuel and resulting The severe restriction on fuel and resulting high prices (1 high prices (1 litrelitre of petrol is about of petrol is about RsRs. . 1,200) has made it even more difficult for 1,200) has made it even more difficult for people to movepeople to move

•• This had also made it difficult to provide This had also made it difficult to provide health services and water through health services and water through bowsersbowsers

•• As of early September, 75 schools As of early September, 75 schools and about 13,000 children have been and about 13,000 children have been displaced displaced

•• The GCE Advanced level examination The GCE Advanced level examination and Scholarship Exams were held and Scholarship Exams were held amidst this war amidst this war

•• Several hospitals have also been Several hospitals have also been displaced displaced –– injured people are there injured people are there even on the verandas of hospitals even on the verandas of hospitals

••Forced recruitment by the Forced recruitment by the LTTE continuesLTTE continues

•• The LTTE has placed restrictions on The LTTE has placed restrictions on people to leave from the Vanni to people to leave from the Vanni to government controlled areasgovernment controlled areas

•• People also fear to cross to People also fear to cross to government controlled areas as government controlled areas as around 700 people that have fled the around 700 people that have fled the Vanni continue to be confined to Vanni continue to be confined to camps in the Mannar districtcamps in the Mannar district

•• Phones lines in the Vanni have been Phones lines in the Vanni have been cutcut

•• Families are unable to find out about Families are unable to find out about wellbeing and whereabouts of their wellbeing and whereabouts of their relativesrelatives

•• Communication problems also affects Communication problems also affects the work of Church and aid agencies the work of Church and aid agencies

What are What are Christians doing?Christians doing?

•• Priests, brothers and sisters continue Priests, brothers and sisters continue to live with the people in Vannito live with the people in Vanni

•• They move with people, as they They move with people, as they continue to be displaced from one continue to be displaced from one place to anotherplace to another

Despite security risks, Despite security risks,

•• The Bishop of Mannar visited people The Bishop of Mannar visited people in Vanni in September in Vanni in September

•• Priests from Mannar diocese also Priests from Mannar diocese also continue to visitcontinue to visit

•• People in the dioceses of Mannar and People in the dioceses of Mannar and Jaffna (including Hindus) have Jaffna (including Hindus) have collected money and sent them to the collected money and sent them to the people of Vannipeople of Vanni

•• In recent visits by the Bishop of In recent visits by the Bishop of Mannar, he had distributed Mannar, he had distributed RsRs. . 2,000,0002,000,000

•• Church agencies, Caritas and the Church agencies, Caritas and the Jesuit Refugee Service has opted to Jesuit Refugee Service has opted to remain in Vanni remain in Vanni

•• This is even after all other UN and This is even after all other UN and International agencies left Vanni International agencies left Vanni after Government refused to after Government refused to guarantee their safetyguarantee their safety

•• Catholic Bishops of Jaffna and Catholic Bishops of Jaffna and Mannar, the Anglican Bishop of Mannar, the Anglican Bishop of Colombo and the Catholic Bishops Colombo and the Catholic Bishops Conference of Sri Lanka had made Conference of Sri Lanka had made public appealspublic appeals

•• They have called for protection of They have called for protection of civilians, easing of restrictions on civilians, easing of restrictions on essential items and involvement of essential items and involvement of UN, ICRC and a body of interUN, ICRC and a body of inter--religious leaders in implementing religious leaders in implementing protection mechanisms for civilians protection mechanisms for civilians

•• The Holy Childhood program of the The Holy Childhood program of the Archdiocese of Colombo has Archdiocese of Colombo has launched a program to raise funds launched a program to raise funds which will be utilized to help provide which will be utilized to help provide essential needs essential needs

•• Christian Solidarity Movement (CSM) Christian Solidarity Movement (CSM) –– Helps Church leaders from the North in their work to Helps Church leaders from the North in their work to

help the war affected people help the war affected people

–– Undertakes solidarity and fact finding visits to Undertakes solidarity and fact finding visits to VavuniyaVavuniya–– Mannar Mannar –– Jaffna and meets with Church leaders, Jaffna and meets with Church leaders, specially those who visits and come from Vanni specially those who visits and come from Vanni

–– Compiled a detailed report on the situation in Vanni Compiled a detailed report on the situation in Vanni ––this was also featured in local media and sent to this was also featured in local media and sent to international agencies including diplomats and UN international agencies including diplomats and UN officials officials

–– Organized a Ecumenical prayer service on the situation Organized a Ecumenical prayer service on the situation in the Vanni and also started to collect money to help the in the Vanni and also started to collect money to help the affected people affected people

–– Is trying to raise awareness amongst people in the south Is trying to raise awareness amongst people in the south about the situation faced by civilians in Vanniabout the situation faced by civilians in Vanni

What can we do as Christians?What can we do as Christians?

““I was hungry and you would not feed I was hungry and you would not feed me, thirsty and you would not give me, thirsty and you would not give me a drink.................me a drink.................

whenever you refused to help one of whenever you refused to help one of these least important ones, you these least important ones, you refused to help merefused to help me””

(Mathew 25:42/45)(Mathew 25:42/45)

•• Make financial contributions towards Make financial contributions towards the provision of essential items such the provision of essential items such as food, medicine, shelter as food, medicine, shelter

(Difficult to send materials due to (Difficult to send materials due to government restrictions)government restrictions)

•• Organize special prayer services, Organize special prayer services, particularly interparticularly inter--faith and faith and ecumenical servicesecumenical services

•• Organize discussions, exhibitions and Organize discussions, exhibitions and other events to create awareness other events to create awareness about the problems faced by civilians about the problems faced by civilians

•• Organize public events, such as Organize public events, such as vigils, silent protests, marches etc.vigils, silent protests, marches etc.

Call on the government to:Call on the government to:–– Ensure protection of civilians in Vanni, such as Ensure protection of civilians in Vanni, such as

by the creation of by the creation of ““safe zonessafe zones”” where no where no attacks will be launchedattacks will be launched

–– Ensure access and safety for humanitarian Ensure access and safety for humanitarian workers, particularly for international agencies workers, particularly for international agencies and their staffand their staff

–– Easing of restrictions on essential itemsEasing of restrictions on essential items

–– Incase people come to government controlled Incase people come to government controlled areas, ensure their freedom of movement and areas, ensure their freedom of movement and respect their choice of place to reside respect their choice of place to reside

Call on the LTTE to:Call on the LTTE to:

–– Ensure protection of civilians in the Vanni, particularly by Ensure protection of civilians in the Vanni, particularly by not using them as human shields, stopping forcible not using them as human shields, stopping forcible recruitment and creating recruitment and creating ““safe zonessafe zones””

–– Cooperate and respect Cooperate and respect ““humanitarian corridorshumanitarian corridors”” for for movement of displaced people, humanitarian agencies movement of displaced people, humanitarian agencies and humanitarian supplies and humanitarian supplies

–– Ensure freedom of movement for civilians, especially to Ensure freedom of movement for civilians, especially to leave for government controlled areas if they wish toleave for government controlled areas if they wish to

–– Ensure access and safety of humanitarian workers, Ensure access and safety of humanitarian workers, particularly local staffparticularly local staff

–– Ensure respect for humanitarian supplies and assetsEnsure respect for humanitarian supplies and assets

““I have come to bring good news I have come to bring good news to the poorto the poor……………………………………..to set the oppressed freeto set the oppressed free””(Luke 4:18)(Luke 4:18)

•• What would be good news to the What would be good news to the people in Vanni today? people in Vanni today?

•• What can I / we do to bring that What can I / we do to bring that good news?good news?