International assistance to rebuild Muttur

Rajmi Manatunga

COLOMBO: The international community has pledged assistance to the Government to rebuild the Muttur area and resettle its displaced civilians.

A large number of countries including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar, Indonesia, Kuwait and the Maldives have expressed willingness to assist the programme to rebuild the area damaged by LTTE shelling, Minister A.H.M. Fowzie said.

"We have already met the ambassadors from these countries and discussed the Muttur situation. We will inform them of our requirements once reconstruction activities commence," he said.

Fowzie said a special Assistant District Secretary has been appointed to co-ordinate the Muttur reconstruction programme.

"We are presently collecting data and finalising the statistics regarding the damage caused.

Once this task is completed the reconstruction activities will begin".

Meanwhile, the Government has taken steps to provide drinking water to the Muttur displaced who are accommodated in Kantale and Kinniya. Fowzie said that bowsers of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation were used to transport the water.