US to provide USD 50 000 water, sanitation assistance to Trinco victims

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 August 2006, 14:42 GMT]
United States Embassy in Colombo in a press release issued on Friday said the US released Rs. 5,000,000 to provide water and sanitation services to immediate assistance to people affected by recent fighting in Trincomalee district. "We are providing this assistance to help the displaced from all communities in Sri Lanka," USAID Mission Director Dr. Carol Becker said. "We repeat that there is no possible military solution to this conflict. We urge both sides to cease hostilities immediately to alleviate a yet larger humanitarian crisis."

Full text of the press statement follows:

U.S. Provides Emergency Water and Sanitation Assistance to Avert Humanitarian Disaster

COLOMBO, August 18, 2006-In response to the escalating conflict in Sri Lanka, the United States released Rs. 5,000,000 to provide water and sanitation services for immediate assistance to people displaced by recent fighting.

According to information gathered from United Nations and NGO sources, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) estimates that at least 50,000 people from the southern part of Trincomalee District have been driven from their homes following heavy fighting in the area between Sri Lankan Army and LTTE forces.

"We are providing this assistance to help the displaced from all communities in Sri Lanka," USAID Mission Director Dr. Carol Becker said. "We repeat that there is no possible military solution to this conflict. We urge both sides to cease hostilities immediately to alleviate a yet larger humanitarian crisis."

A representative from USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Management arrived in Sri Lanka today and in the coming days will assess the short-term humanitarian needs of the displaced in the Trincomalee area.

The water and sanitation services will be delivered to the displaced through a grant to Mercy Corps, which implemented several programs for USAID following the tsunami.