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"We are daily responding to the current situation there and this was a misinformed report that was published by a local newspaper", she told the BBC Tamil service.

However, she said UNHCR was very much concerned about the situation.

In the space of the past two weeks, Orla Clinton said, the internally displaced population (IDP) had increased by fifty per cent in Batticaloa district.

"The number of IDP has now increased to almost one hundred and sixty thousand (160,000), and that is a quite high figure in this part of the country", she said.

UNHCR is assisting the government in the best it can however, she said, there are gaps when it come to the distribution of food and supplementary food.

"There will be breaks in the pipeline, and we are looking for more money. Certainly we will have to increase our capacity in this area", Orla Clinton said.

LTTE intimidation

She was also asked by the BBC Tamil service to comment on reports that LTTE has been pressurising and intimidating families taken refuge at Madhu Church to allow a family member to join the movement.

"UNHCR is concerned about this situation. There is pressure for the refugees to leave but they do not want to move. They are afraid", she said.

She said UNHCR is looking for assurances that they stayed where they are and will be protected.

Just returned from the east, she said, it is not an easy situation.

"The other issue of course is the insecurity created by daily shelling and occasional multi barrel rockets being launched. This creates more fear among the IDPs who have already been affected", added Orla Clinton, spokesperson for the UN Resident/Humanitarian Co-ordinator in Sri Lanka.