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Resettling internally displaced:
US Ambassador commends Govt
US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Patricia Butenis yesterday commended the
Government's efforts in resettling most of the war displaced. She also
praised the Sri Lankan Army, Sri Lankan and international demining
organizations for their heroic efforts in clearing most of the North and
East areas of mines.
Butenis was speaking at an event where US Government donated
ambulances to the Army.
US Ambassador Butenis presented five ambulances to Sri Lanka Army (SLA)
Chief of Staff Major General Daya Ratnayake to assist the SLA's
humanitarian demining efforts in the North.
The vehicles will ensure that demining teams have emergency medical
care and transportation at all times.
Since 2009, the US has contributed over Rs 1.10 billion in funding,
equipment and training to help the Sri Lankan Army and international
humanitarian demining organizations to clear the areas of the North and
East that were blanketed with mines as a result of the conflict.
In addition to yesterday's donation, last month the US Embassy
provided four trucks to the SLA for humanitarian demining activities and
soon the US Embassy will present seven large TATA trucks to transport
SLA demining teams.
The Government is also working with the Army to provide an additional
Rs 113 million in demining equipment. Ambassador Butenis said: "Demining
is an essential element of this resettlement process.
The mines have meant that people can't return to their homes, that
farmers can't plant and harvest crops, that villagers have to worry
about explosives in water wells, and that children can mistake a mine
for a toy. Appreciating the humanitarian demining assistance to Sri
Lanka Army by the US State Department since 2003, Sri Lanka Army (SLA)
Chief of Staff Major General Daya Ratnayake said: "The ambulances
donated will definitely help the Army HDU to expand humanitarian
demining activities while maintaining the desired degree of society.
While extending our gratitude on behalf of the Army Commander, I
sincerely hope that US Government will continue to extend assistance in
future too." |
