Crisis for children in Sri Lanka: Over 100,000 flee fighting, thousands more trapped

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, 23 April 2009 – On any random morning, most 11-year-old Sri Lankan children are seated safely behind their school desks. In a nation that prides itself on being the regional leader in education, these students in their pristine uniforms listen attentively before the school bell says it's lunchtime. The clanging old bells are the loudest interruption of any school day.

But a few weeks ago in the north of Sri Lanka, where there is intense fighting between government troops and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), 11-year-old Niveathga's morning was spent in a shallow trench. The booms of shelling caused a terror no children should ever endure.

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/sri_lanka_49479.html

Niveathga's life had already been like this for months: constantly fleeing her home, losing the last treasures a child may keep, swapping school for a bunker and seeing neighbours die.

'Fighting everywhere'

"There has been fighting everywhere," she says. "All the time I hear babies crying and people running. Some are injured with blood; some are already dead."

With these images in mind, Niveathga huddled in the trench with her mother, grandmother and seven-year-old brother that morning. As shells landed closer and closer to their makeshift shelter, people around Niveathga decided it was better to run than to be hit lying down. After yet another shell landed, her mother made the same decision.

"We got up to run," recalls Niveathga, "but my little brother was hit by shrapnel in his leg. My mother scooped him up and ran with him to try to find some help. This was the last time I saw my mother or my brother."

As the fighting subsided, Niveathga and her grandmother were able to escape the area and entered government-controlled territory. They then began the two-day journey to the transit site in government-held Vavuniya.

Caught in the crossfire

Hundreds of children have been killed in the past months in fighting here. This week, a government offensive pushed into the last remaining area occupied by the LTTE.

Children, who for months have been living through unimaginable hell, are now caught in the final, intense stages of a bitter war. Tens of thousands of civilians – including a large number of children – are still trapped. They are living in dire circumstances, caught in the crossfire.

Over the past five days, amid fierce fighting, around 100,000 people fled the conflict zone in the north and entered government territory. This means the number of people in camps will more than double in the next week. Their urgent need for assistance will put even greater strain on already overcrowded camps, and on the resources of the UN .

To help meet the increased need caused by this influx, UNICEF is expanding its response in water and sanitation, health, nutrition, education and protection.

Emergency relief

UNICEF's emergency support for children and their families includes providing nutritional support to malnourished children and their mothers, as well as hygiene kits, emergency health kits, safe water, latrines and bathing facilities, temporary learning shelters and educational kits for children.

At the same time, UNICEF is supporting hospitals to meet increased maternal and child health needs, and helping to provide psychosocial support for children affected by the violence.

Most important for Niveathga and others like her, UNICEF is providing urgent assistance for children who have been separated from their families. For the moment, her story has no happy ending. Niveathga has had no news of her mother or injured brother for weeks.

Sri Lanka to strengthen rights of children

Thursday, April 9, 2009, 14:44 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Apr 09, Colombo: The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) of Sri Lanka has taken measures to minimize the use of underage children as domestic helpers, sources said. Jagath Wellawatta, Chairman of the National Child Protection Authority said they expect to strengthen the laws against the use of underage children as domestic helpers.

As a one step of this process the NCPA hopes to raise the age restriction limit to 18, instead of current age limit of 14.

The NCPA pointed out that the personality and the rights to the education of the children are violated when children under the age of 14 are used as domestic helpers.

The NCPA urged the assistance of every Sri Lankan to succeed in this process as well as to
protect the rights of the future owners of the country.

http://www.colombopage.com/archive_09/April9144451RA.html

Sandrine’s Story

A precious little pearl, she was at our children's home. Her mother was a prostitute and had many children, all by different fathers. The mother took Sandrine away from our home. We found out recently that Sandrine died by falling into a well. God has called each of us to speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves. Who will speak up?

Sri Lanka children 'being killed'

The conflict in Sri Lanka has killed hundreds of children and left many more injured, the United Nations' children's agency, Unicef, has said. Moreover, thousands of children are at risk because of "a critical lack of food, water and medicines."

Intense fighting is going on between Sri Lankan troops and Tamil Tiger rebels in north-eastern Sri Lanka. "Children and their families caught in the conflict zone are at risk of dying from disease and malnutrition," Unicef executive director Ann Veneman said in a statement. See entire story dated March 18. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7949814.stm

Today In Sri Lanka

Total children - 4.725 million; total population 20 million including adults

• Orphaned - Thousands orphaned because of the Civil War, natural diasters, family disputes, and the Tsunami
• Child Soldiers - More than 1,000 child soldiers used in the Civil War
• Street Kids - 2,000 street-living and street-working children in Colombo, with 5,000 children at risk; 2,500 outside Colombo, with 5,000 at risk
• Children Used for Labor - Over 250,000 children used as laborers
• Child Prostitutes - 40,000 child prostitutes more than half of them are boys
• Malnourished - More than 1.1 million children under 5; over 5 (35) 392,000 malnourished children, not enough food on a daily basis
• Unschooled - More than 250,000 unschooled

Heroes 4 Hope - Sri Lanka

Join us in helping the children in Sri Lanka. Children continue to suffer due to the tsunami tragedy. Many do not have shoes, school supplies and school bags. Can you help?