With over 150,000 people displaced by fighting between the Sri
Lankan Army and the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) in western Batticaloa
district in eastern Sri Lanka, IOM is working with local government
and relief agencies to meet growing humanitarian needs.

IOM has provided 750 emergency shelters including tents in
Chenkalady and in Batticaloa municipality, and work is underway to
provide 700 more in the coming weeks for some of the thousands of
internally displaced persons (IDPs) crowded along the roadside or
taking refuge in temples and churches.

"The situation in Batticaloa is alarming. Thousands of civilians
are fleeing their homes daily to escape the shelling and
multi-barrel attacks," says Carlo Benedetti, IOM's Emergency
Projects Coordinator in the area.

With partners, IOM Batticaloa is also providing transport to
help people leave conflict areas and move to safer locations in the
district. When the fighting ends, it will offer them free transport
to return home.

IOM staff are also distributing essential food and non-food
relief items. In coordination with local government and relief
agencies, IOM has provided fresh food to over 11,000 people since
December 2006 and is currently providing dry rations, including
rice, gram and dhal to some 3,500 IDPs. Non-food relief items
distributed include hygiene kits, hurricane lanterns, sleeping
mats, buckets and mosquito nets.

To meet growing water and sanitation needs, IOM has also
constructed nearly 200 toilets for host families in Manamunai North
D. S. Division, Kaluvanchikady and Manamunaipattu in
Batticaloa.

IOM's emergency operations in Batticaloa are funded by the
European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), Australia,
UNICEF and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

IOM's office in Batticaloa opened in April 2004. In addition to
its current emergency work, it provides transitional shelter and
water and sanitation facilities for people affected by the December
2004 tsunami, who are still waiting to move into permanent
housing.

For more information, please contact:

Passanna Gunasekera

IOM Sri Lanka

Tel: +94 5333 432. Ext. 213

E-mail: "mailto:pgunasekera@iomsrilanka.org">pgunasekera@iomsrilanka.org

I.J. Sylvester

IOM Sri Lanka

Tel:+ 94 652 227 296/ 596

E-mail: "mailto:sylvesteri@iomsrilanka.org">sylvesteri@iomsrilanka.org