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| Wednesday, 3 September 2003 |
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A high-level Buddhist delegation from South Korea has volunteered to construct a model village of 100 houses in Dias Watta area, Pelawatta, Ratnapura with a view to re-settle the families who lost their houses due to the floods and earth slips. The necessary funds will be provide by members of Buddhist clergy and laity headed by Ven. Bub Jang, President of Chogye Order of the Korean Buddhist Order. This programme of assistance has been organized by the Sri Lanka Ambassador in South Korea G. Wijesiri, at the request of Lal Dharmapriya Gamage, Minister Assisting Foreign Affairs states a press release issued by the Ministry Assisting Foreign Affairs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that this Buddhist delegation agreed to provide nearly Rs. 20 million (US$ 200,000) for the first stage of this village named "Korean Chogye Model Village". This is the highest amount of assistance provided by a single body for the cause of victims of floods and earth slips. The inauguration ceremony of this programme will be held today, September 3, at "Dias Watta", Ratnapura. A high-level Buddhist delegation consisting of 27 members including the Venerable President of Chogye Order in South Korea and Chief Incumbents of Temples of this Order arrived in Sri Lanka this morning. The delegation is expected to call on Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Minister Karu Jayasuriya and present the certificate on their undertaking to construct the model village with 100 houses. The model village will contain all general amenities including a community hall, a Pre-school, Roads and Sanitary systems. It is the intention of this delegation to revive the temple and school of this village. Minister Lal Gamage states that inaugurating this programme even before a lapse of 100 days from the time of disaster is a great boon and he points out that the success of the programme was due to the efforts of our diplomats abroad. A sum of Rs. 20 million was received for the construction of the Korean Chogye Village at the initiative of the Sri Lanka Embassy in Korea. Sri Lankan Embassies in other countries too have provided assistance, running over Rs. 15 million. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that all these funds will be utilized for the purpose of building houses for those who lost their houses due to floods and earth-slips, under the guidance of Karu Jayasuriya, Chairman, Cabinet Sub-committee on Diaster Management and Minister of Foreign Affairs Toynne Fernando. Lal Gamage further states that this is the first time that funds contributed by Sri Lankan and other donors abroad would be utilized for a productive project on a single purpose. The delegates will attend a special function at the Temple of the Tooth and also call on the Ven. Mahanayaka Theras of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters. They will also visit the Kelaniya Temple, Aluvihare at Matale and Gangaramaya at the Hunupitiya. |
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