Jaffna emergency relief will continue - UN

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 April 2000, 12:55 GMT]
The United Nations Resident Co-ordinator for Sri Lanka said in a press release today that the UN will continue its emergency relief programs in Jaffna. The UN statement comes in the wake of reports this morning that the UN is pulling out of the northern peninsula as a consequence of the deteriorating security situation there. However, the statement said that the UN is pulling out staff working on rehabilitation and de-mining programs from Jaffna.

Following is the full text of the UN statement issued by its Resident Co-ordinator today.

"Over the past few years the United Nations family of agencies have conducted both emergency relief and rehabilitation programs in the Jaffna peninsula. As of 27 April there were just over 60 United Nations staff sub contracted personnel located in Jaffna.

In response to the evolving security situation, staff working in the rehabilitation programs (including mine action) will start to be re-deployed elsewhere. The first group will leave Jaffna on 28 April 2000.

United Nations staff working in emergency relief programs in Jaffna are not being re-deployed and the UN's capacity to deliver emergency relief assistance will remain unaffected."