ID :
30818
Tue, 11/18/2008 - 16:31
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/30818
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Indian aid to boost relief supplies in Lanka's embattled north By T.V. Sriram
Colombo, Nov 17 (PTI) The arrival of a ship from India
with 1700 tonnes of food and other relief materials for the
displaced Tamil civilians caught in the war between the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (L.T.T.E.) and the Sri Lankan
Army in the island nation's embattled north is likely to
further boost distribution of relief.
The consignment which arrived here Sunday will go
through the process of customs and other formalities before
being dispatched to the north.
The Indian assistance is the first of its kind in
nearly two decades, though New Delhi provided medical and
other assistance to Sri Lanka after the 2004 devastating
tsunami that killed thousands of people.
The officials of Red Cross, the main coordinating
agency for the supplies, however, said that they had not yet
received possession of these material for distribution.
The government of the southern Indian state of Tamil
Nadu has arranged family packs containing food and non-food
items including clothes and hygiene products for the civilians
who have been displaced in the intensified clashes.
When contacted, Sri Lankan officials said the
government was already dispatching enough quantity of food
items such as rice, pulses and other edibles besides basic
requirement and that these additional supplies from India will
further facilitate relief measures.
The worst hit is Kilinochchi, where the troops have
reportedly captured several areas in the L.T.T.E. stronghold
leaving hundreds of civilians displaced due to the war.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Minister of Resettlement and
Disaster Relief Services Abdul Risath Bathiyutheen said all
efforts are on to provide relief measures.
The Government has a fully functioning mechanism to
provide all the basic needs for the Internally Displaced
People (I.D.P.) in non liberated areas and for the civilians
arriving in Vavuniya using the safe corridor established by
the government, the minister said.
As part of the supplies, the U.N. on November 3
dispatched a food convoy into the Wanni region (comprising the
L.T.T.E. stronghold of Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu districts)
to ameliorate the lot of the people.
The 29 truck WFP convoy carried 426 Metric tonnes of
food to feed 121,714 I.D.P.s for 7 days.
According to the Government Agent (G.A.) in
Kilinochchi, the total number of I.D.P.s in the district
continues to increase following ongoing confrontations in
Poonakary division as well as aerial bombardments recently
reported in Paranthan, a U.N. report said.
It is also reported that there has been displacement
of people from Semmankunru and Kiranchchi towards the
Tharmapuram and Visuvamadu areas in Kilinochchi.
The Regional Director of Health Service, Kilinochchi,
reported that a consignment of drugs have been transported to
the war-torn region. PTI TVS
PMR
with 1700 tonnes of food and other relief materials for the
displaced Tamil civilians caught in the war between the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (L.T.T.E.) and the Sri Lankan
Army in the island nation's embattled north is likely to
further boost distribution of relief.
The consignment which arrived here Sunday will go
through the process of customs and other formalities before
being dispatched to the north.
The Indian assistance is the first of its kind in
nearly two decades, though New Delhi provided medical and
other assistance to Sri Lanka after the 2004 devastating
tsunami that killed thousands of people.
The officials of Red Cross, the main coordinating
agency for the supplies, however, said that they had not yet
received possession of these material for distribution.
The government of the southern Indian state of Tamil
Nadu has arranged family packs containing food and non-food
items including clothes and hygiene products for the civilians
who have been displaced in the intensified clashes.
When contacted, Sri Lankan officials said the
government was already dispatching enough quantity of food
items such as rice, pulses and other edibles besides basic
requirement and that these additional supplies from India will
further facilitate relief measures.
The worst hit is Kilinochchi, where the troops have
reportedly captured several areas in the L.T.T.E. stronghold
leaving hundreds of civilians displaced due to the war.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Minister of Resettlement and
Disaster Relief Services Abdul Risath Bathiyutheen said all
efforts are on to provide relief measures.
The Government has a fully functioning mechanism to
provide all the basic needs for the Internally Displaced
People (I.D.P.) in non liberated areas and for the civilians
arriving in Vavuniya using the safe corridor established by
the government, the minister said.
As part of the supplies, the U.N. on November 3
dispatched a food convoy into the Wanni region (comprising the
L.T.T.E. stronghold of Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu districts)
to ameliorate the lot of the people.
The 29 truck WFP convoy carried 426 Metric tonnes of
food to feed 121,714 I.D.P.s for 7 days.
According to the Government Agent (G.A.) in
Kilinochchi, the total number of I.D.P.s in the district
continues to increase following ongoing confrontations in
Poonakary division as well as aerial bombardments recently
reported in Paranthan, a U.N. report said.
It is also reported that there has been displacement
of people from Semmankunru and Kiranchchi towards the
Tharmapuram and Visuvamadu areas in Kilinochchi.
The Regional Director of Health Service, Kilinochchi,
reported that a consignment of drugs have been transported to
the war-torn region. PTI TVS
PMR
