UN pledges US$ 5 million grant for de-mining

Chaminda Perera

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres has pledged the Government a grant of US$ 5 million to accelerate the de-mining process on a request of Senior Presidential Advisor and Chairman of the Task Force on Northern Development Basil Rajapaksa.

According to Disaster Management and Human Rights Ministry spokesman, Guterres had a meeting with Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe in Geneva on the sidelines of UNHCR Executive Committee meeting yesterday. He has confirmed this outright assistance to Sri Lanka to the Minister to accelerate the de-mining process in the Northern province.

This money will be spent for the purchase of ten flailing machines to accelerate the ongoing de-mining process.

Meanwhile, the UNICEF yesterday donated ten gully bowzers worth Rs. 24 million to the Government for the use of welfare camps where the civilians who were displaced by terrorist atrocities have been given temporary accommodation.

Resettlement and Relief Services Minister Rishad Bathiudeen accepted the donation on behalf of the Government at the UNICEF country office yesterday.

These gully bowzers are to be deployed to the welfare camps in Vavuniya and the Jaffna districts.