Australia doubles its aid to displaced Lankans

Australia said the aid would help supply protection for internally displaced people in the North and East of the island nation.

Australia will provide another 1 million Australian dollars in aid for victims of Sri Lanka's spiralling ethnic violence, doubling the country's existing pledge, the government said.

Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Teresa Gambaro said the aid would help supply protection for internally displaced persons, management of campsites, shelter, water supply and sanitation in the battered north and east of the island nation.

The aid will be paid through the government's international aid agency AusAID and be distributed by international aid agencies including UNICEF and the Red Cross, Gambaro said in a statement.

Gambaro said more than 1,000 people have been killed since April and more than 200,000 forced from their homes due to violence between government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels.

Australia has now contributed a total of Australian $2 million (US$1.5 million; euro1.2 million) to help those affected by the conflict, she said.