Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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May 23, 2009

UN Chief Tours Sri Lankan War Zone, Displacement Camp
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Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visits families and open-air clinic in
crowded Manik Farm camp, near Vavuniya 
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon signs visitors' book next to Foreign
Minister Rohitha Bogollagama at Colombo airport, 23 May 2009U.N.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has toured a massive camp for Tamil
civilians who fled the final months of fighting in Sri Lanka's recently
ended civil war. The secretary-general visited families and an
open-air clinic Saturday in the crowded Manik Farm camp, near Vavuniya.
It is the north's largest displacement camp, where about 220,000 people
are living in tents, heavily guarded by soldiers and surrounded by
barbed wire. A VOA correspondent, Steve Herman, on the trip says
Mr. Ban spoke to a young girl with a leg wound, who complained that she
had been unable to get proper medical care. The U.N. chief
promised that the international community would help. He praised the
work Sri Lanka has done for the refugees, but said it was obvious that
international assistance is needed. Mr. Ban's helicopter also
flew low over the former war zone, where he could see what the VOA
reporter described as "a scene of devastation."Mr. Ban is scheduled to
meet with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa later Saturday. The
secretary-general is the highest-level international visitor to tour
the war-ravaged north since the president declared victory over Tamil
Tiger rebels Monday after 26 years of war. Aid agencies have complained
that the government is restricting their access to the displacement
camps. After
arriving in the country Friday, the U.N. secretary-general called on
Sri Lanka to allow humanitarian access to the nearly 300,000 refugees
who fled the final military offensive of the war. Mr. Ban also
called for national reconciliation. He urged Sri Lankan leaders to
resolve the long-standing grievances of the Tamil minority, saying
"it's time for Sri Lankans to heal the wounds and unite without regards
for religious and ethnic identity."U.N. officials estimate that
more 7,000 civilians were killed and many more wounded during the final
months of the war. The U.N. says the 25-year conflict has resulted in
up to 100,000 deaths. Some information for this report was provided by
AFP, AP and Reuters.


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