In response to strong pressures, both internationally and from within, the Government of Sri Lanka is currently relocating large numbers of the civilians who were until recently being detained in camps. At least 280,000 persons who were displaced during the last stages of the war, were confined to welfare centres from which they were not permitted to leave. The speeding up of resettlement is a welcome move since it provides the displaced population greater opportunity to move freely and restart their lives. The Government's resettlement objectives are vital to future reconciliation and development in the country; for resettlement to be sustainable. However, the Government needs to act fast ensure that the full needs of the people are being met.

There was overwhelming international support for Sri Lanka to help deal with the 2004 Tsunami. Nearly five years after the tsunami, the response of government and international and local actors could be broadly viewed as a success story. It must be recognized that this success was also largely due to the contribution of over 250 NGOs who hurried to Sri Lanka from many parts of the world having seen the extent of the havoc caused by the Tsunami on their TV screens. The damage following the Tsunami was more widespread in comparison to the geographic area of the conflict affected areas in the North. It has been reported that the number of housing units destroyed in the North number over 230,000 which is twice the number of houses destroyed in the Tsunami. Unfortunately, the full extent of the destruction in the North is not public knowledge.

The sizeable loss of infrastructure is paralleled by the human loss and suffering following displacement. While those affected by the most recent phase of conflict are most visible to the public mind, the country has seen a long, multifaceted history of displacement that has stripped many thousands more of land and homes. The forced exodus of the Northern Muslims has resulted in a large population living under an indefinite state of displacement, while many have left Sri Lanka but are living on the adjacent Indian shores in constant hopes of returning to their families. The plight of all those displaced in the past must not be forgotten at this time.

With thousands languishing in camps, and many thousands more waiting for a safe return, the matter of resettlement is urgent. It is crucial that adequate infrastructure is provided so that resettlement will ensure secure, sustainable lives for the IDPs, and lead to the subsequent development of the country. The National Peace Council appeals to the Government to examine its current priorities, and redistribute funds so that more resources will be available to meet the basic needs of its citizenry. Current reports indicate that nearly130,000 IDPs are being resettled either with their relatives or in vacant houses. These temporary arrangements are not going to solve their long standing problems. The Government needs to reassure these people that they are entitled to resettlement again to their own places from where they have come from.

Since the provision of basic humanitarian needs is a primary function of civil society, we request the Government to maximize the use of civil society resources to meet urgent needs through mechanisms such as mobile health clinics, psycho-social support and house building. We urge the Government to facilitate the efforts of civil society groups to rebuild trust and establish a base of continuous dialogue so that both can work efficiently together to assist the displaced. Showing concern for IDP needs by providing them with basic requirements for survival and sufficient tools to rebuild their lives will also help develop trust between the Government and the displaced people, a crucial component of reconciliation.

We also urge the Government to permit both international and local NGOs who have staff that is experienced in responding to humanitarian and resettlement needs of affected communities to work in partnership with affected communities and government structures at the local level to accelerate the resettlement process. The National Peace Council believes that NGOs could be of particular use to the government during this task by supplying those services that cannot immediately be provided by the state administration so that the people can have greater access to adequate shelter, healthcare, education and other basic needs.