The Government Security Forces (GSF) are actively involved in operations in the North and North- West parts of the country (Mannar and Vanni districts).They have captured a large area of land which was under LTTE control.

The GSF is at close proximity to Killinochchi and the Government has given directives for the UN agencies, the INGO’s/NGO’s and the ICRC to leave the Vanni with “Immediate effect”. Orders were also given to remove all assets and equipment from the Vanni.

Due to this situation, almost 150 000 new IDP’s are moving to the East and in addition to this, the 40 thousand IDP’s who came from the Mannar DC to the Vanni are now unable to get out of the area. Scarcity of food, shelter materials and other basic needs are adding to the alarming situation in the Vanni. Being a church based organisation Caritas HUDEC and Caritas Valvuthayam Mannar will

Manuel Thevarajah is the father of six and at the age of forty seven, he has had to give up his home and his means of livelihood due to the unstable situation in the country. This is often a frustrating state of affairs for a man like Manuel who earned well and provided for his large family while living in the village of Mullikulam.

“The village is suitable for fishing, cultivation and animal husbandry. Fishing and cultivation were my key jobs and I earned more than thirty thousand rupees per month through both. I was living a happy and peaceful life with my family in the village”

After nearly thirteen years spent in refugee camps, Manuel thought he had found some kind of peace and stability thanks to Caritas Mannar - Valvuthayam which had implemented a housing project in their village and provided the villagers with homes.

The intense security situation evicted them from their home and Manuel and his family have been shifted around from place to place carrying only a handful of belongings; depending on the kindness of friends and the support of Caritas Mannar –Valvuthayam.

The War Victims Program of the Relief and Rehabilitation unit of (CSL) SEDEC in collaboration  with Caritas Mannar –Valvuthayam provided Manuel’s family along with many others who were in the same situation with food, non food items and temporary shelters.

19 year old Sasikala Illankomannan is from Ratnapuram, Kilinochchi. She is the eldest of a family of five. Her father is a farmer. She attends the Iyanarpuram Government School in Vannerikulam.

Due to the restriction of fertilizer and other embargo her father is unable to be  engage in farming. She and her family faced many difficulties. She and her brothers could not concentrate on their studies, as their  parents insisted that  they get  odd jobs like selling gram, firewood etc.., to help the family.

After Caritas Vanni – HUDEC approached us and introduced the porridge programme in the Government Schools, most of the children in Vanni started going to school especially to benefit from this mid day meal. I benefited from this porridge programme from the year 1997 to 2003. I could see a remarkable improvement not only in my studies but also in my other curricular activities. The attendance in school was also very high and every day the children enjoyed the porridge provided by Caritas.

In the true spirit of Sinhala and Tamil New Year, Social Responsibility Foundation of John Keells Holdings donated nearly eight hundred and seventy five thousand (SLR 875,000.00) rupees worth of relief goods for the Internally Displaced People in Vaharai and Batticaloa. The items consisting mats, utensils and other non-food items were handed over to Caritas Sri Lanka-SEDEC on Wednesday 11 th April 2007 to be transported to Caritas EHED-Batticaloa.

The donation was a positive response for the request of the Bishop of Batticaloa, Rt.Rev.Dr. Kingsley Swampillai. The process was coordinated by Caritas Sri Lanka's diocesan centre in Batticaloa, Caritas EHED-Batticaloa.