US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO347

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000347 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS 
NSC FOR DORMANDY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, SMIG, CE, KWMM, Tsunami, Human Rights, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA:  POST-TSUNAMI REPORTS OF CHILD 
TRAFFICKING AND SEXUAL- AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE ARE 
OVERBLOWN 
 
REF: COLOMBO 324 
 
Classified By: James F. Entwistle, Deputy Chief of Mission for reasons 
1.4 (b,d) 
 
1.  (SBU)  Summary.  Sensationalist speculation in the local 
media that the December 26 tsunami would spawn "spin-off" 
misery for Sri Lanka's displaced--e.g. hordes of homeless 
orphans, increased child trafficking, and an uptick in 
sexual- and gender-based violence--has proven, fortunately, 
unfounded so far.  Over 95% of children orphaned in the 
tsunami are living with extended family members.  Only one 
 
SIPDIS 
case of attempted child trafficking has been documented thus 
far, another remains under investigation.  Neither of the two 
reports of rape in tsunami-affected areas since December 26 
occurred in welfare centers for the displaced.   According to 
anecdotal evidence presented to UNHCR representatives, 
domestic violence in welfare centers is increasing, but data 
confirming this trend do not exist.  The vast majority of 
reports of child trafficking, sexual-and gender-based 
violence, and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) child 
recruitment in tsunami-affected areas and welfare camps 
appear unfounded--and are perhaps the result of the 
international and local media's seemingly infinite appetite 
for tales of tsunami suffering.  End summary. 
 
 
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Most Tsunami Orphans Living With Extended Family 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
2.  (SBU)  Local and international media coverage after the 
December 26 tsunami focused on the fate of children who might 
have been orphaned by the destructive waves.  According to 
UNICEF Protection Officer Bo Viktor Nylund, despite the heavy 
death toll exacted by the tsunami--about 31,000 confirmed 
killed and another 5,000 missing--only 1,087 children lost 
both parents in the December 26 tsunami.  Of this total, all 
but 40 are living with extended family members, an 
arrangement UNICEF is working to encourage in both the near 
and long term.  The remaining children are living with 
community members or are in orphanages.  UNICEF's Nylund told 
poloff that children in 3,674 families lost one parent. 
 
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Reports of Trafficking and Gender-Based Violence Overblown 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
3.  (C) Despite the increased vulnerability of child victims 
of the tsunami, and despite harrowing and sensationalist 
stories printed in the local media in the initial days after 
the tsunami, the actual incidence of post-tsunami child 
trafficking documented so far, fortunately, is minimal. 
Harendra de Silva, Director of the National Child Protection 
Agency (NCPA), told poloff that there was only one documented 
case of attempted child trafficking after the tsunami: that 
of a grandfather attempting to sell his grandchild in 
Colombo.  UNICEF documented this case (initially reported by 
the BBC), and is looking into one other possible case in 
Batticaloa.  In all, UNICEF has heard of fewer than five 
cases of child trafficking since the tsunami.  Child 
recruitment by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), 
however, continues despite the tsunami.  UNICEF Chief 
Protection Officer Christine Watkins told poloff that 51 
children had been recruited by the LTTE since December 26, 
although only 4 of them were from tsunami welfare centers 
(Reftel). 
 
4. (SBU)  In the crush of increased international and local 
media coverage after the tsunami, many media outlets 
erroneously reported an increase in gender- and sexual-based 
violence in welfare camps housing tsunami-displaced persons. 
NCPA's de Silva and UNHCR representatives Savithri Weragoda 
and Monika Sandvik all concurred that these reports were 
overblown by the press.  NCPA's de Silva  noted that only a 
few cases of sexual abuse against children had been 
documented, although some NGOs had told him more sexual 
harassment was occurring in the welfare centers.  De Silva 
pointed out that an increase in reporting from welfare 
centers would not surprise him, as closer quarters and less 
privacy naturally lead to an increase of reporting of child 
sexual abuse. 
 
5. (SBU)  In response to increased reports of sexual violence 
against women in welfare centers, UNHCR's Weragoda told 
poloff that there were two documented rapes in 
tsunami-affected areas, neither of which occurred in welfare 
 
SIPDIS 
centers.  UNHCR's Sandvik told poloff that anecdotal reports 
of domestic violence were increasing, but was not aware of 
data supporting the accounts.  She explained that an increase 
in domestic violence within displaced communities--while of 
concern-- is not unusual.  In December 2004 UNHCR launched a 
campaign in Sri Lanka to raise awareness about sexual- and 
gender-based violence, including domestic abuse and sexual 
harassment in the workplace.  While the tsunami interrupted 
UNHCR's media blitz,  the organization is currently 
re-tooling some of its messages to better fit a post-tsunami 
environment.  UNHCR hopes to continue the campaign through 
2005. 
 
LUNSTEAD