Since its outset in 1983, civil war between the government of Sri Lanka and the anti-government Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, (the LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers) claimed a great number of civilian lives. Although the civil war finally ended in May 2009, the people continue to live under difficult circumstances, with many still in camps for internally displaced persons. With limited access to food and safe drinking water, the plight of people with disabilities is particularly severe, which calls for urgent support. Damage from landmines placed during decades of warfare also remains a serious issue. In view of this critical situation, AAR JAPAN has been supporting people with disabilities and landmine survivors in cooperation with local NGOs in Sri Lanka since August 2009.
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SriLanka
Heavy rains that started at the end of 2010 caused serious flooding in three provinces in eastern Sri Lanka. Buildings were destroyed and fields sank under water, with 2.5 million people affected. AAR JAPAN dispatched staff on January 23rd, 2011, and by the end of February we had distributed food and daily necessities to 1,600 households, including people with disabilities, widows, and the elderly. Starting in August 2011, in cooperation with the Sri Lanka Rehabilitation Foundation for Persons with Disabilities, we delivered wheelchairs and tricycles to people affected by the flooding.
