Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
For Immediate Release

28 April 2009

Caritas Pledges Support for People of Sri Lanka

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has pledged NZ$50,000 to support civilian victims in Sri Lanka’s civil war, as the government closes in on Tamil Tiger rebels in the north.

Caritas Director Mike Smith says the funds will contribute to a Caritas Internationalis appeal for NZ$4.35 million to help 100,000 people with food, water, medicines, shelter and trauma counselling.

Mr Smith says it’s extremely distressing that the civil war has come to this point with hundreds of thousands of civilians lacking protection. “Our partner Caritas Sri Lanka reports that tens of thousands remain trapped in rebel-held territory, while more than 130,000 have fled to government-run camps where military forces are preoccupied with security and fears of rebel infiltration,”says Mr Smith.

“These people are coming out in highly traumatised conditions,” says Caritas Sri Lanka’s National Director Fr Damian Fernando. “Most of them are tired and worn out after months of suffering.”

Fr Fernando says numbers in camps around Vavuniya have gone from 32,000 in March to more than 190,000, with more than 2000 arriving each day, many of them with injuries, exceeding the capacity of hospitals to cope. Two priests, including the head of Caritas in the Vanni region, were badly injured in shelling last week. They had remained to serve people in the conflict zone despite having the chance to leave themselves.

Caritas Sri Lanka is one of two relief agencies (along with the Red Cross) allowed access to the war zone by the Sri Lankan government. “There is a dire need for food and other aid items and Caritas has to get them to the people,” says Fr Fernando.

Caritas is accepting donations from the New Zealand public. They can be made by:

*Phoning 0800 22 10 22 to make credit card donations or

*Donating online using a credit card at www.caritas.org.nz or

*Posting to: Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand, PO Box 12-193, Thorndon, Wellington 6144, NEW ZEALAND.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is a member of Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 162 Catholic aid, development and social justice agencies active in over 200 countries and territories.

ENDS

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