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This followed the release of 11 children earlier this month. UNICEF expressedtheir appreciation for the instrumental role played by the Government of Sri Lanka insecuring the release and the commitment shown by the TMVP.

The Government views the release of these children as further signs of the strengthening of democracy andreturn to conditions of normality in areas of the Eastern Province.

The Government, aspart of its zero-tolerance policy on the recruitment of children for use in armed conflict,has taken steps to secure the release of and initiate programmes of rehabilitation forchildren caught up in armed conflict.

Chair of the CCHA, Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Disaster Management andHuman Rights, also expressed appreciation at a joint statement issued by Japan and the European Union at the conclusion of the 17thJapan-EU Summit in Tokyo.

Referring to SriLanka, the EU and Japan stated that they “will continue to monitor closely the human rights situation. They welcomed ongoing efforts toward a political solution of the ethnicconflict, including the local government election held in Batticaloa in March and the workof the All Party Representative Committee”, and encouraged the Government of Sri Lanka to work further towards this end.

Minister Samarasinghe welcomed theacknowledgement by Japan and the EU in this respect. He assured the CCHA that thegovernment is determined to implement a workable and lasting political solution to the conflict.

Minister Samarasinghe read out a letter issued by the Criminal Investigation Department,following an investigation into allegations leveled at UNICEF on converting a number of vehicles into bullet-proof vehicles and on imported ready-to-eat meals packets for the alleged use of the LTTE.

The Allegations made have been inquired into and have been established as unfounded. However, investigations revealed that there were certain administrative lapses on the part of UNICEF, and the CID has recommended thatUNICEF rectify the lapses on their part to the Sri Lankan Customs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It was also recommended that the UNICEF print UN logos on the meal packets, prior to usage and necessary approval be obtained from the Ministry of Defence for the meal packs to be transported to the North and East of the country. PhilippeDuamelle, Country Representative UNICEF, assured the Government that UNICEF wouldtake all necessary measures to ensure compliance with required administrativeprocedures.

On the recommendation made by the CCHA Sub-committee on health, it was decidedthat UNICEF through the Ministry of Health and Nutrition (MOH) would providetherapeutic milk (F-75 and F-100) to children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) inhospitals in the Wanni.

Secretary, Ministry of Health Dr Kahandaliyanage said that for all moderately malnourished children, the Regional Director of Health Services would provide children with Thriposha in clinics, under the supplementary feeding programme.

While UNICEF agreed to assist in procuring Thriposha, the BP-100 therapeutic food will be distributed through the national health services to children with SAM in other areas of the country.The Mayor of Batticaloa Ms P Sivageetha, also addressed the CCHA and outlineddevelopment plans for Batticaloa, which have been formulated in consultation with thepublic, and include programmes designed to expedite the work of the municipal council.

Ms Sivageetha stated that as there is now an elected body in the East, the UN, donors and other international agencies should utilise the municipal council when carrying out their projects in Batticaloa.

A meeting will be organised, in order to promote bettercooperation and coordination between the municipal council and agencies carrying out projects in Batticaloa.Background The CCHA, chaired by Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister for Disaster Managementand Human Rights, is a high-level committee appointed to deal with important policy issues concerning humanitarian assistance.

The CCHA meets monthly and is attended byMr Gotabhaya Rajapaska, Secretary/Ministry of Defence; Mr Basil Rajapaksa, Advisor tothe President, Secretaries of the ministries of: Foreign Affairs, Nation Building and EstateInfrastructure Development, Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services, Fisheries andAquatic Resources, Health; the Commissioner General of Essential Services (CGES); Secretary General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process; Chairman of the Co-chairs and Ambassador to the United States of America – His Excellency Robert O. Blake; Representative of the Presidency of the European Union – Ambassador to France– His Excellency Michel Lummaux; Head of Delegation of the European Union – His Excellency Julian Wilson; Mr Neil Buhne the Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator of theUN; heads of ICRC, UNHCR, UNOCHA; ECHO and the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA).

At Tuesday’s meetings, the newly elected Mayor of Batticaloa, Ms P. Sivageetha, as wellas co-chairs of sub-committees developed under the CCHA: Resettlement and Welfare, Logistics and Essential Services, Livelihoods, Health, and Education, represented byhigh-level Government officials and UN heads of agencies – UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF and WHO, were also present to update members on progress made to date.

The sub-committees address operational issues that fall within their respective areas.

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