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| Thursday, 27 January 2005 |
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by P. Krishnaswamy The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has so far allocated US $ 30 million for the victims of the tsunami and would build 1000 houses for the homeless victims of the Eastern province belonging to all communities, said President of the Saudi Red Crescent Society (SRCS), Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Sweilem. More relief assistance would be flowing in from both the Kingdom and the people of S.Arabia and they were hoping their contributions towards the tsunami fund would reach Saudi Rials 100 million, he said. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, A. H. M. Fowzie, former Speaker M. H. Mohamed, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader Rauff Hakeem MP, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mohamed Mahmud Al Ali and other senior diplomats of the embassy were present at the press conference. An eight member delegation of the SRCS led by Dr. Al Sweilem which visited Kalmunai, Santhamaruthu, Maruthamunai and Kinniya together with Muslim politicians found that the devastation unimaginable and different from what they on TV, Dr. Sweilem said. During their brief visit to the island, the delegation also visited the Islamic Centre and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) office in Colombo. In addition to construction and renovation of houses and mosques, the Saudi government will also coordinate with the ICRC in both improving and constructing health-care facilities in the tsunami hit areas, Dr. Sweilem said. "On a request made by the Custodians of the Two Holy Mosques, the people of Saudi Arabia contributed SR 308 million in a day towards the tsunami fund launched by their government", he said. "In Riyadh alone, we were able to collect 42 truck loads of relief material", he also said. A total of US $130 million has so far been allocated by Saudi Arabia for the countries hit by the tsunami aside from the other immediate relief assistance that were being provided, he said. He said that the SRCS will set up an office in Colombo to coordinate its relief activities and would seek the cooperation of the Saudi NGOs such as, the International Islamic Relief Organisation (IIRO), World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) and the Shab Group. The SRCS also has plans to help farmers and fishermen with farming equipment, fishing boats and nets, he said. |
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