Message from Sri Lanka Women & Media Collective - "Include Women in disaster Response"

This press release is from several women's organizations in Sri Lanka.

Contact information: Women and Media Collective, 20/1, 8th Lane, Nawala, Sri Lanka; e-mail: womedia at sltnet.lk; tel:94 + 011 + 2805127/2805579. Contact persons are Sepali Kottegoda and Kumudini Samuel.

PRESS RELEASE

Women's Groups appeal for an inclusive framework for disaster response

A collective of women's rights groups who have conducted a series of fact-finding missions in the tsunami-affected areas over the past week wishes to bring to public attention serious issues concerning the safety and wellbeing of women which have not been addressed so far in relief efforts.

We appreciate the many public initiatives to collect and deliver relief and assist those affected by the tsunami in whatever ways are possible. However, our observations indicate that these efforts need to be refocused to ensure that those who have suffered as a consequence of the tsunami are not subjected to further violence and abuse by unscrupulous persons. The heightened vulnerability of people in these areas due to the destruction of communication lines and the large-scale mass displacement and death of people has created situations in which women and girls become more likely to encounter violence.

a.. In particular, we have received reports of incidents of rape, gang rape, molestation, and physical abuse of women and girls in the course of unsupervised rescue operations and while resident in temporary shelters, particularly in the south. Apart from these incidents (the number of which is not known), these reports have also indicated that women's mobility continues to be restricted due to the fear of sexual violence. No proper monitoring body has been set up to receive complaints, to take action against perpetrators, or to ensure the safety of women in these areas.

  a.. We urge government authorities, and the Ministry of Women's Affairs,
in particular, to take note of these violations, and to take immediate measures to investigate such incidents. We also urge collaboration between state institutions and agencies such as UNHCR, OXFAM and other agencies working on gender-based violence in this matter. Provision of adequate security and establishing complaints mechanisms should be an urgent priority in the relief process.

  a.. We are also concerned that the information flowing from the Tsunami-hit areas does not provide detailed accounts of the numbers of specific vulnerable communities such as pregnant women, lactating mothers, persons with physical and mental disabilities, persons with special medical needs and requiring daily and consistent medication. The collection of such data is absolutely critical for identifying priority needs in the days to come. In addition, accurate record of all those hospitalised after the tsunami should be given wide publicity.

  a.. The lack of a system that could identify children separated from their families has also hampered efforts to locate families missing children or to resettle children with relatives in the locations where they were found. We strongly urge the National Child Protection Authority to work in coordination with the Department of Probation and Childcare Services to set up a mechanism to address this problem.

  a.. As an initial step, measures should be taken to call on all those who know whereabouts of unaccompanied children to register them at the nearest Police Station or at the desk of the Department of Child Care and Probation Services at the Divisional Secretariat, and to give adequate publicity through the print and electronic media as to the present whereabouts of children.

  a.. The role that the media can play in helping people to find missing persons and children should be systematised so that there is no duplication of efforts but rather a fruitful collaboration.

a.. The inadequate structures of coordination within the government bureaucracy at the level of Kachcheris and Divisional Secretariats is also a matter of grave concern. In view of the fact that government officers in local administration who were resident in the areas have also suffered personal loss during this time, it is imperative that the government seconds senior and middle-level government officials to take over administrative functions in the tsunami affected areas in order to ensure that these structures are able to function efficiently for relief efforts.

  a.. Considering the enormous destruction to life and property, we urge the government to postpone the Advanced Level Examination and all university
examinations.

Women's groups throughout the island are committed to extend their fullest support to both state and non-state structures that will work for the provision of immediate relief as well as for medium and long-term reconstruction and rehabilitation of all those people of Sri Lanka who have been affected by the tsunami in the framework of sustainable development and a lasting and just peace.

MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS OF LANKA
SRI LANKA WOMEN'S NGO FORUM
WOMEN'S ALLIANCE FOR PEACE
WOMEN'S ALLIANCE FOR PEACE AND DEMOCRACY
ACTION NETWORK FOR MIGRANT WORKERS

Comments

[WOMENS NETWORK FOR PEACE AND FREEDON]

Dear Friends,

As you are no doubt aware, the prolonged conflict of Sri Lanka is continuing with a cycle of renewed violence. The past tow weeks have seen more than 100 people being killed and approximately 35,000 civilians made displaced. Richard Mawer, Save the Children Program Director in Sri Lanka says "Fighting has become more severe and moved into heavily populated areas over the last few days, causing families and children to flee their homes to escape rockets and artillery fire. This is a humanitarian crisis and we are concerned for the children who have been caught up in the fighting." He also noted with grave concern the killing of 15 national staff of the international humanitarian organisation Action Contra la Faim in Muttur. "These killings send a clear message that humanitarian space and ability to work is under threat, and this is especially worrying given the escalation in violence and the potential for ever greater violence given this breakdown."

While Sri Lanka's military said on Friday it will continue to attack Tamil rebels to fully secure a northeastern waterway, a day after fierce battles between them killed up to 20 rebels and 41 government soldiers, according to the two sides. Separately, the rebels said at least 50 civilians were killed and 200 wounded in the government's air and ground offensive that started Thursday.

We the Women’s Network for Peace and Freedom is dismayed by the deteriorating situation in Sri Lanka, and by the failure of the parties to the conflict to respect and abide by the 2002 ceasefire agreement. Particularly of concern are the deaths - and, in some cases, targeting - of innocent civilians and the displacement of people, and the failure of the international community to take effective action to bring an end to this conflict.

Therefore, we are urging as many people as possible to take action and call on the international community to support the Norwegean facilitators and to put meaningful pressure on the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE to stop the use of violence and re-start negotiations to bring a peaceful resolution to this crisis.
You can take such action by sending a letter to the

Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP)
Level 10, West Tower
World Trade Centre
Bank of Ceylon Mawatha
Colombo 01.
Telephone: 011 5554471-2, 2388709, 2388710
Fax: 011 5554473

The LTTE peace Secretariat at :
Peace Secretariat,
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam,
A9 Road,
Kilinochci.
Phone: 0094212283960
Fax: 0094212283959
E-mail: [email protected]

And the Foreign Office and the UN Office in your country.

Thank you for your continued support

WOMENS NETWORKF OR PEACE AND FREEDOM

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