Sri Lanka
Decades of violent conflict between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the government ended in victory for the government forces in May 2009. But the wounds are not yet healed.
Many on both sides of the civil war have been left with physical disabilities or emotionally traumatised. Families returning after years in displacement camps find their homes destroyed, their possessions looted, and their painstakingly cleared farmland swallowed back up by nature.
Suffering is by no means confined to the former war zone. The country’s entire economy was severely damaged, and its official classification as lower middle income masks huge inequalities. Half the population lives below the poverty line, and the previously high level state support for education, health and other social services has been steadily cut down.
Through our partner Caritas Sri Lanka we are helping war-affected families, particularly in the north and east, to rebuild their homes and their lives. We also work with other partners around the country to promote social cohesion between different ethnic and religious groups, and support them to work together to find solutions to the underlying problems that fuelled the conflict.
 | Peace-building in Sri Lanka: a woman’s perspective “The training has been of immense value, I can now manage my parent’s business. I'm proud to have had the opportunity of discharging my duties as the Manager of the Mini Society to the best of my ability.” |
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ndika Manel, Padma Wathi, D. M. Nandawathie and Nandani Rajapaksa are making sure women have a political voice in Sri Lanka. |
 | Indonesia: tsunami warning lifted Several large earthquakes off the coast of Indonesia’s Aceh province caused only limited damage. "Fortunately, this wasn't a repeat of the tsunami of 2004," says CAFOD's Kate Crowley. |
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We are providing emergency help for people affected by flooding in Sri Lanka. At a time when several countries are being affected by severe weather we ask is this the result of climate change? |
 | Sri Lanka floods affect one million February 2011: the floods in Sri Lanka haven’t been in the media spotlight in the UK, but they’ve affected more than a million people and forced at least 300,000 to flee their homes. |
