Commission provides six million Euros to support IDPs

The European Commission has allocated another Euros 5 million to provide humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees and host families. The current return process has triggered urgent humanitarian needs in particular for protection, temporary shelter, health services (mobile clinics and specific care for conflict victims) and demining in heavily mined return areas. At the same time, the Commission has allocated a further Euros 1 million in humanitarian aid for Sri Lankan refugees living in camps in Tamil Nadu, India. All relief funds are channelled through the Commission's Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO) under the responsibility of Commissioner Karel de Gucht.

Karel De Gucht, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, said: "The Sri Lanka Government has taken steps in the right direction. Pending proper verification of the conditions on the ground, I would like to reiterate that the Commission's humanitarian benchmarks, which include full freedom of movement for all internally displaced persons, a clear and shared planning on their safe and dignified return and a role for the international non-governmental relief organisations in the return process, remain valid."