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| Thursday, 20 January 2005 |
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by P. Krishnaswamy Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) President V.Anandasangaree said that the 22 Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs have failed in their duty to help the tsunami affected Tamil people of the North and East to benefit from the huge humanitarian assistance being continuously provided by the international community. Instead of bringing to the notice of the Government, any shortcomings in the distribution of the relief assistance and ensuring remedial measures, they were only blaming the government, he said. 'At this time of grave national crisis, they should remain in the affected areas to help the people, to give directions on their relief and rehabilitation and coordinate with the relevant authorities on the matter instead of asking for every distribution to be channelled through the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) and the LTTE, he said. A majority of the Government Agents of the affected Tamil districts have said that adequate food and other humanitarian relief have arrived. The proper way for the TNA MPs to help the affected people is to work in coordination with GAs, their staff, the Provincial Council administration and other relevant authorities instead of demanding everything to be handled by the LTTE administration, he said. Meanwhile, in a letter addressed to TNA leader and MP for Trincomalee, R. Sampanthan, Sangaree has blamed him for not having said anything at the meeting presided over by the President and attended by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on January 9 about want of adequate relief assistance to the tsunami affected people of North and the shortcomings, if any, in distribution of the relief. If there was partiality, that would have been the best forum to have brought this up. He has further said in the letter: "Tamils living abroad in response to the appeal of the TRO irrespective of their party affiliations are contributing liberally and the TRO must have collected several millions in foreign currency. People here and abroad wish to know the truth. "Relief items had come from all around the world. Several ship loads and over 150 plane loads of relief items, of all varieties needed for the tsunami victims are flowing in everyday. About 50 countries have promised aid and are doing their best. Under such circumstances, if the victims are not looked after properly, who is to be blamed? "Large stocks of medicines, a good number of medical specialists, heavy equipment, helicopters, tents etc. have been sent by foreign countries. Some countries have even sent Engineering Divisions of their army to get engaged in relief work. One in your team of MPs showed his ignorance by protesting against army units being sent to the North.This type of speeches will not help anybody. The losers are poor victims of the tsunami." |
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