The information will now be used to create a comprehensive data-base to support improved policy and programme development pertaining to IDPs by the Government, the United Nations, international and national non-governmental organisations, donors, funding agencies and the private sector. Most importantly the survey provides us insight into the intentions and preferences of the internally displaced themselves, thus facilitating appropriate planning in the coming months.

Every attempt was made to reach all IDPs regardless of location, ethnicity, religion, socio-economic status or political persuasion. For the purposes of this exercise, IDPs were defined as persons, or groups of persons who are currently living in Sri Lanka, who were forced or obliged to flee or leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of, or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalised violence and/or violations of human rights. This definition pertains to those who have been, and still are displaced, including those IDPs who have returned (resettled) or relocated with Government support after December 2000.

The survey was designed to ascertain the background and the intentions of IDPs, at that moment in time, in an effort to find durable solutions to their displacement.

PROCESS
The island-wide survey began on April 3, 2002 and was conducted over a period of several months. The Policy Planning and Co-ordination Unit (PPCU) within the MRRR was designated as the responsible unit to oversee this effort. All districts submitted survey forms which amounted to approximately 220,000 forms; each form completed by one family.

The survey was a massive undertaking that was advertised on television and radio, in newspapers and via posters that were distributed throughout Government buildings and welfare centres, shops, bus stations and popular gathering places around the island. The Government, including the Department of Statistics and Census, all Government Agents, teams of enumerators, UNHCR and countless others from humanitarian organisations assisted in creating and conducting the survey. It was a lengthy process in order to provide all IDPs sufficient opportunity to respond to the survey and subsequently to ensure the quality of the information. However, in the end the survey achieved its singular goal of providing information which can be used to give a broad indication of the desires of the IDPs and give direction as to where and how to assist them as they return, resettle or relocate.

DATA ENTRY
After the survey forms were collected and submitted to the MRRR, a private company coded each form, by hand, indicating location and occupation. The information on the forms was then entered, twice, into a data-base thereby ensuring accuracy. The preliminary analysis of the data by the Department of Statistics and Census determined that the results have an acceptable margin of error.

SURVEY QUESTIONS
Each survey had two parts. The first part asked for family and individual demographic and social information. Questions ranged from family name and date of birth to employment status and perhaps most importantly, the individual’s preferred solution to displacement (e.g. return home, move to a new place, remain or undecided). The individual demographic information will be kept confidential to protect privacy rights.

The second part of the form asked for information pertaining specifically to the nature and frequency of displacement and types of assets owned. In this part questions ranged from place of residence before first displacement, to type of accommodation at present, to ownership of land before displacement, to source and monthly income before and after displacement.

RESULTS
The Department of Statistics and Census continues to analyse the data which have been collected. Some initial observations, however, have already been noted. For example according to survey information:

Preferences
63% of the surveyed IDPs responded that they would like to return home; 3% indicated that they would like to move to a new place; 25% indicated that they wanted to remain where they were and 7% were undecided.

Assistance Needed (information is available for all districts, however only a sample is given here)
* Jaffna 95% of displaced families require assistance, specifically (listed in order of preference) cash to build homes, building materials, ‘other’ assistance not specified, schooling and self-employment facilities, cultivation facilities and fishing facilities.
* Kilinochchi 98% of displaced families require assistance, specifically (listed in order of preference) cash to build homes, building materials, self-employment facilities, schooling facilities and ‘other’ assistance not specified, cultivation facilities and fishing facilities.
* Puttalam 63% of displaced families require assistance, specifically (listed in order of preference) cash to build homes, self-employment facilities, schooling facilities and ‘other’ assistance not specified, building materials, cultivation facilities and fishing facilities.
* Anuradhapura 94% of displaced families require assistance, specifically (listed in order of preference) cash to build homes, cultivation facilities and building materials, self-employment facilities, schooling facilities and ‘other’ assistance not specified.