Tsunami Relief Council : Govt to launch public awareness blitz

by Gamini Bandaranayake

The Government has decided to launch an islandwide awareness program to enlighten the public including the Buddhist clergy about the proposed Tsunami Relief Council.

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga at an SLFP Parliamentarians' meeting convened at the President's House yesterday, explained at length what the Tsunami Relief Council is all about, its structure, what districts were relevant to the council and the manner of its operation.

The President told the Parliamentarians that she will make the entire citizens aware of the process through the Grama Niladharis, Samurdhi Officers and Agricultural Animators at grassroot level.

She stressed that the implementation of the tsunami relief program to resuscitate the tsunami victims of the North and East is an absolute necessity in the name of humanity.

The President said that to eliminate certain misgivings among the Buddhist clergy pertaining to the proposed Tsunami Relief Council, she will convene a meeting of the Maha Sangha numbering over 1000 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall on June 17 and explain the accurate position on the issue.

She directed the Parliamentarians to make house to house visits to explain matters to the public.

President Kumaratunga told them that the Tsunami Relief Council agreement will be signed not by her but by a Ministry Secretary.

She said she treated the agreement as an initiative to the peace process and that if this was not signed at this opportune moment, it will lead to a dangerous situation for which those who oppose it will have to answer.

She said the large number of donor countries who contribute enormous amounts of aid have requested her to sign this proposed Tsunami Relief Council agreement and develop the entire island including the North and East and assured that this process will not harm the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.

She said the Tsunami Relief Council agreement will definitely be signed in the interest of the country and that before doing so, the public will be made fully aware of it.