International Community comes to civilians’ aid
Chaminda PERERA
**Indian ship with over 40,000 emergency family kits and food packs
will arrive today
**A fully fledged mobile hospital will be set up in the region by
United States soon.
In response to the Government’s request, the international community
yesterday pledged their fullest assistance to the civilians fleeing from
the LTTE clutches.
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama at a meeting with Colombo based
diplomatic community yesterday requested their assistance to enhance
water, health, sanitary and accommodation facilities to these civilians.
India, the United States and Australia are among the first countries
which pledged urgent assistance to these civilians.
|
Minister
Rohitha Bogollagama |
According to the Foreign Minister an Indian ship carrying over 40,000
emergency family kits and food packs will arrive in Sri Lanka today
while a fully fledged mobile hospital will be set up in the region by
the United States soon.
The Foreign Ministry yesterday set up a Special Task Force headed by
its additional secretary Chitranganie Wagiswara to coordinate the
assistance provided by the international community.
This Task Force comprises the Essential Services Commissioner and the
representatives of Nation Building and Justice and Law Reform
Ministries.
The Foreign Ministry was about to release full details of what the
international community has pledged in terms of humanitarian assistance
later in the day.
The Foreign Minister said the Government has already provided its
fullest assistance to the civilians who fled from the No Fire Zone. “We
want to see that civilians who fled from the LTTE are given maximum care
and the international community’s assistance is sought to further boost
the facilities already provided by the Government. .
“Food is not a issue there. The facilities in terms of shelter, water
and sanitation have been provided and these facilities would be further
enhanced with the support of the international community, he said.
The UN agencies have already provided assistance to these civilians
and more UN assistance would flow into this region soon, the Minister
said.
“The exodus of over 100,000 civilians from the No Fire Zone within 48
hours demonstrates that the civilians have placed enormous faith in the
Government and the Security Forces have exercised utmost restraint in
the face of a number of provocative acts by the LTTE. The Security
Forces had more concern for the civilians and as a result they took over
the casualties.The Security Forces have set an example to their
counterparts in the world in respect of evacuation of hostages.
No country in the world has been able to evacuate such a large number
of hostages within a very limited time frame, he said. |
