|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Tuesday, 04 January 2005 |
 |
|
 |
News | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
by Mohammed Rasooldeen in Riyadh Saudi Arabia sent its first plane load of relief materials to Colombo by a special Saudi Arabian Airlines flight to help tsunami survivors, last Saturday. Four more similar cargo flights will follow in the course of this week. A spokesman from the Finance Ministry here told Daily News that this is part of the contribution pledged by the Kingdom. On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia pledged a $10 million aid package to victims of the tsunami disaster in Asia. Under the program, $5 million worth of food, tents and medicines are to be airlifted and distributed through the Saudi Red Crescent to the affected countries, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Maldives and Thailand. "Officials from the ministries of Finance, Health, Information and the Saudi red Crescent will accompany the cargo, the spokesman said. The goods will be handed over to the International Red Cross Society (ICRC) through the Saudi Ambassador in Colombo Mohammed Mahmud Al Ali. In addition to the various relief supplies, the cargo comprises 1,500 tents, 7,000 blankets and 2,000 packages of dry rations which includes rice, sugar, oil, milk and infant foods. "This is the maiden consignment to Colombo and many more relief supplies will follow soon," the spokesman said. Appreciating the gesture of the Saudi government, Sri Lankan Ambassador Ibrahim Sahib Ansar said that the Kingdom has always supported the country. Meanwhile, the contributions to the Relief Fund sponsored by the Riyadh-based Sri Lankan Expatriates Society in association with the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh are pouring in. In Dammam, a group of Sri Lankans from the Eastern province collected SR 20,000 from its community members when the Lankan envoy launched a similar campaign yesterday. On a request made by the group, Dammam - based Al Aujan company has agreed to ship one million packets of drinks to Colombo by the first available flight. Glaxo Pharmaceutical Company has consigned antibiotics worth about Rs. 2 million directly to Colombo. The South-Indian Kerala community gave 3,500 kilos of new garments. On an initiative from the Seva Vanitha Unit of the embassy, Princess Sarah Bint Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz donated Rs. 250,000 to the fund. The First container of relief materials collected at the Sri Lankan Embassy in cooperation with the SLES was shipped Saturday while 1,700 kilos of medicines and medical equipment were airlifted by Sri Lankan Airlines free. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
