Sri Lankan Government’s Decision to Remove NGOs is Life Threatening
The New Zealand Council for International Development (CID) is very concerned at the Sri Lankan government’s request for
NGOs to leave the Vanni district and strongly supports the Australian Council for International Development’s Executive
Director Paul O’Callaghan recent comments in the media.
“Reports from our members indicate internally displaced people in the Vanni are already traumatized and in desperate
need of food, medicines, sanitation facilities and shelter,” states CID’s Executive Director David Culverhouse.”
“NGOs are there to assist these people and do so under the humanitarian imperative, that people have the right to
receive humanitarian assistance.”
“NGOs also play an important role in monitoring the actions of combatants on both sides of the conflict. The removal of
NGOs could create an environment where human rights violations may take place with a perceived impunity. We fear that
this will lead to a bloodbath.”
“We therefore strongly support ACFID’s comments and urge the Sri Lankan government to reconsider its decision for NGOs
to leave the Vanni region.”
ENDS