'Peace village' for tsunami displaced

The Austrian Qurier Fund will construct a housing scheme for tsunami displaced 100 Tamil and Muslim families at Ninthavur in the Ampara district.

Work was commenced by Housing, and Construction Minister Ferial Ashraff on January 30.

The Qurier Fund maintained by the Austrian Qurier International Journal will spend Rs. 650,000 for each house and the total cost will be Rs. 65 million.

The houses will be provided to the tsunami hit Tamil and Muslim families. The Sarvodaya Movement will co-ordinate this programme.

Minister Ferial Ashraff said due to the tsunami the lives and properties were devastated without any difference as Tamil, Muslim or any other differences.

After the tsunami several international agencies supported the reconstruction process.

"With the implementation of this housing scheme. in 11 acres of land at Attapalam, the Tamil and Muslims in the housing scheme will live peacefully. As such this housing scheme can be introduced as a "peace village", she said.

Co-ordinator of Institute for Integrative Conflict Transformation and Peace Building in Austria,, Gudrun Kramer said the Journal of Qurier International has engaged in peace building effort internationally.

"This housing project implemented for tsunami survivors with the assistance of the Qurier Funds is a significant project implemented under the reconstruction programme of Sri Lanka," she said.

Muslim Congress Digamadulla MP Faizal Khashim, Ampara District Secretary Abeydeera Herath, Chairman, National Housing Development Authority Mohamed Rafeek, Eastern Director Sarvodaya Movement, Lalitha Peiris and representative of Austrian Government, Christopher Tempt were present.