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| Saturday, 01 January 2005 |
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SAARC Secretary General writes to President I and my colleagues at the Secretariat are deeply saddened that the fearful earthquake and tsunami resulted in tragic loss of many lives and cause untold sufferings and devastation in Sri Lanka. In this hour of tragedy we wish to offer our deepest condolences to the Government and people of Sri Lanka. We pray that the bereaved families and others affected by this disaster may have the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. The challenges that lie ahead in rebuilding the lives and infrastructure affected by this unprecedented calamity will be daunting. However I and my colleagues remain confident that under Your Excellency's dynamic leadership, your country will be able to begin a successful rebuilding process in earnest. Please accept, Excellency the assurance of my highest consideration. Relief operations website The Operations Room of the Commissioner General of Essential Services has opened a website where all information regarding relief operations, displaced persons, the welfare centres as well as the requirements of assistance are provided. The address of the website is www.eges.gov.lk.All local and foreign agencies are requested to access the website to get the latest update on the relief operations and other details relating to the disaster. Notice to all Chinese in Sri Lanka Any Chinese citizen, including from the mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and overseas Chinese in Sri Lanka contact the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Sri Lanka, if you need help: The address is 381A, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 07, Tel. (0094-11) 2688610, 2688611, Fax: (0094-11) 2693799. Trauma counselling for Tsunami victims The Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in collaboration with the Sri Lanka National Association of Counsellors will conduct a one-day crash program of training in Trauma Counselling at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute on January 8 from 9.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Those from state organisations, NGOs and other organisations with some exposure to counselling who wish to benefit from this program to go out to the affected areas to counsel traumatised victims should by January 6, the latest contact one of the following phone numbers and register for participation. 2695249;2691814: Prof. Sisira Pinnawala, Director, Sri Lanka Foundation Institute or Prof. Charles Senarath, President, Sri Lanka National Association of Counsellors Relief Centre The World Buddhist Congress Sri Lanka Centre has opened a Relief Centre at its Headquarters at 380, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7, where urgently needed relief items such as rice, coconut, dhal, tea, sugar, milk powder and drinking water will be accepted within the next two days from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. distribution among the victims of Tidal Wave Disaster, a media release for the Buddhist Congress said yesterday. US $ 100,000 from China The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC), the only National Red Cross Society and Humanitarian Social Relief Organisation in the People's Republic of China will donate US $ 100,000 to the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society. The money has been conveyed to the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society through Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva. Brewery ditches beer for water to help A Sri Lankan brewery has given up making beer and switched to bottled water to do its part to help survivors of the Indian Ocean tsunami, the relief group Oxfam International said on Thursday. The Lion Brewery plant in Colombo, has so far produced 120,000 bottles of water for shipment to the affected areas, with Oxfam's help. "With so much loss of life, how could you not help?" brewery manager Nausha Raheem said. "Once we got over the initial shock and realized the gravity of the situation, we decided to do what we could to help. It has been a bit of a logistical effort and has involved all of our staff, but it is desperately needed," she said, according to Oxfam. The switch-over took place on Monday, the day after the Tsunami smashed into the Sri Lankan coastline, killing more than 28,000 people, according to the latest figures. (Reuters) Disaster damages UNESCO-listed sites PARIS, (AFP) - Last weekend's seaquake and killer tsunamis in Asia damaged UNESCO-listed heritage sites in several countries, the UN educational, scientific and cultural organisation said Thursday. The Paris-based body said the sites affected included the historic Dutch colonial-era fortress town of Galle in Sri Lanka, the sculpted cave temples of Mahabalipuram and the 13th century Sun Temple in Koranak in India, and Indonesia's Ujong Kulon national park and tropical rainforest in Sumatra. UNESCO said it was sending missions to assess damage and recommend action to repair the sites. The head of UNESCO, Koichiro Matsuura, also wrote to the heads of state of Thailand, India, Indonesia, the Maldives, Malaysia and Sri Lanka to express his "deep sadness" at the tragedy that has struck their countries, a statement said. Train drivers urged to return to work Transport Minister Felix Perera yesterday warned stern action against locomotive drivers attached to the Railways Department who do not report to work immediately. The Minister in a media release stated that the absence of certain groups of employees has caused severe problems in continuing the country's train service. "Leave of all railway employees have been cancelled and we have informed through media that everybody should report back to work," he said. Meanwhile, Railways General Manager Priyal de Silva said the absence of certain train drivers compelled them to suspend the operation of four trains yesterday. Powell heads US delegation to tsunami region President George W. Bush said on Thursday he would send a delegation led by Secretary of State Colin Powell to the region on Sunday to assess the need for U.S. assistance. The delegation, which will include the president's brother, Florida Governor Jeb Bush, was due to meet regional leaders and international organizations working to bring relief to an estimated five million tsunami survivors in southeastern and central Asia. Relief on national level Minister of Mahaweli, River Basin Development and Rajarata Development and General Secretary of Sri Lanka Freedom Party Maithripala Sirisena in a special message states that the Party, as a policy, never provides relief to the millions of tidal wave victims on a political party basis, but at a national level. "As the President is the leader of the SLFP and the majority of the Ministers are responsible members of the Party. There is no need for us to present ourselves as a party. All relief measures are being taken under their supervision." The Sri Lanka Freedom Party condoles deeply in this huge national disaster and inform the public that our party leaders would organise further relief work in co-ordination with other political party leaders. Website opened The Operations Room of the Commissioner General of Essential Services has opened a website where all information regarding relief operations, displaced persons, the welfare centres as well as the requirements of assistance are provided. The address of the website is www.cges.gov.lk All local and foreign agencies are requested to access the website to get the latest update on the relief operations and other details relating to the disaster. Medicine items donated Sena Gunawardena, Managing Director of Acs Touristik, a leading tour operator in Germany has taken relief measures to support people affected by tsunami. He has organised sudden meetings with community and government a Bavaria, (southern part of Germany) to get some assistance from German nationals. He was able to collect medicinal items worth of over 50,000 Euro. He will arrive here on January 3 and will hand over this to Government health Authority to distribute among the affected people who suffer various diseases due to epidemic. |
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