Posts Tagged ‘IRIN’
SRI LANKA: Civilian death toll rises as fighting continues
[IRIN] As Sri Lankan government troops close in on the rebel Tamil Tigers, the UN has reported a rising number of civilian deaths in the northern battle zone. At least 52 people were killed in shelling in Suranthapuram village in the northeastern district of Mullaitivu when the area came under 16 hours of heavy shelling,…
Read More“Attacks on media must stop”
[IRIN] The Sri Lankan government is under intense local and international pressure to halt attacks against journalists and media organisations after a newspaper editor was killed and a private television station attacked by unidentified armed gangs. The incidents came as the military announced making significant headway in its battle against Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam…
Read MoreRise in rat fever among farmers causes concern
[IRIN] Health authorities in Sri Lanka are concerned about a spike in the number of reported cases of Leptospirosis, known as rat fever, among farmers and are redoubling efforts to halt the spread of the potentially fatal disease. Rice farmers, usually males between the age of 20 and 60, are the most vulnerable and are…
Read MoreSRI LANKA: Flash floods displace thousands in war-torn area
[IRIN] More than 50,000 people have been hit by flooding in northwestern Mannar District in Sri Lanka since 12 March, the government said. The area has witnessed intense clashes between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during the last six months, restricting access to relief agencies. Flooding caused by torrential rains…
Read MoreSRI LANKA: Spreading the news to IDPs
[IRIN] People receiving emergency relief rarely know exactly what is available for them, or how to access it. For many people escaping violence in Sri Lanka’s war zones and stuck in camps, information on basic services or job and education opportunities could be vital. Lifeline, a project administered by Internews Network, an international media development…
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