"Indian relief for Tamils should not reach wrong hands"

T V Sriram

Colombo, Nov 22 (PTI) Sri Lanka should ensure that the
Indian relief supplies for displaced Tamils in northern areas
reach the correct people, a top business chamber member has
said, advising the government to seek the services of district
chambers of commerce in disseminating the material.

"It should be ensured that the relief from India reach
the Tamil people who are in need of assistance in the north
and it should not fall into the wrong hands," a senior member
and former President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce
and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL), Nawaz Rajabdeen said.

On Thursday, India formally handed over 1,680 tonnes of
assorted items to the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) to be distributed to the displaced Tamil civilians
caught in the war between the Sri Lankan Security Forces and
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Rajabdeen said the district chambers will be in the know
of the items that are required, besides the people who need
the essential commodities immediately.

He said government agents in various places will be able
to identify those requiring the relief in the "liberated
areas" while the ICRC and other bodies can locate the needy
Tamil civilians who are in the "uncontrolled areas".

The government could also nominate some members to
oversee supply and distribution to ensure "there is
accountably and transparency," he said.

The Red Cross will distribute the aid provided by the
Indian government directly to the displaced people and
residents in coordination with the governments agents in rebel
stronghold of Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu.

The consignment is in keeping with the India-Sri Lanka
Joint Statement of 26 October, 2008 under which New Delhi
agreed to participate in providing humanitarian relief to the
IDPS in embattled North.

The ICRC is the only international humanitarian
organisation permanently present in the Wanni, where the
organisation operates with the agreement of both the Sri
Lankan government and the LTTE.

Sri lankan government on its part has already provided
relief worth over SLR (Sri Lankan Rupees) 1,000 million for
the IDPs in North.