|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1000 new houses for the South courtesy Saudi Arabia
Munza Mushtaq in Colombo,
March 17, 2005, 9.31 a.m..
One thousand new houses will be building for the tsunami displaced in the Southern province. The funding for the project will be provided by the Saudi Government. Most of these houses will be constructed in Kirinda.
Saudi Arabia has upto date donated US $ 300 million to Sri Lanka for tsunami rebuilding purposes. Meanwhile, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Abdulaziz Alsaud a member of Saudi Arabian Royal Family, who is also a leading businessman called on President Chandrika Kumaratunga and pointed out that the Saudi assistance could be utilized to provide new homes for the tsunami victims and that his Government was not particular about directing them to any particular community.
The Saudi Prince had also expressed his interest in investing in Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry. He announced that he was willing to invest to further upgrade the Colombo Hilton if invited by the Government. He said the strong social and economic ties between the two nations would improve with more trade links. Currently more than 350,000 Sri Lankans work in Saudi Arabia.
Published: Wed Mar 16 22:32:40 EST 2005
|
|
|
|
|
Kadirgamar Asks INGOS to Recruit local personnel and avoid disparity on salaries
Bandula Jayasekara in London,
LT 9.00 P.M Wednesday 16 March 2005.
Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar told
the International Federation of Red Cross(IFRC) senior officials in Geneva
that international non governmental organisations must make every effort to
recruit local personnel and make use of their technical expertise at all
times and there should not be a disparity between the salaries of Sri Lankan
staff and the international staff. At a meeting held in Geneva with the IFRC
yesterday, the Foreign Minister said that the people of Sri Lanka must feel
that they are fully involved in their own re-construction and re-building
efforts. IFRC officials told the minister that they were aware of it and
they would do everything to ensure that it would happen. The minister told
the delegation that non governmental organisations must take responsibility
for their transparency and accountability and the government’s policy was
not to get involved in day to day activities. The Red Cross has committed to
reconstruct 15,000 houses and the rehabilitation of 30 health institutions
in the country destroyed and damaged after Tsunami.
Foreign Minister Kadirgamar drew the attention of misinformation and
propaganda emanating from the North/East about the relief efforts and
requested the international non governmental organisations to provide a
clear picture when they have a clear knowledge by publicly correcting them.
The IFRC officials agreed with the minister’s suggestion. Kadirgamar also
brought up the question of conversion carried out by certain non
governmental organisations which is causing internal problems for Sri Lanka.
He told the IFRC officials that Sri Lanka must preserve its multi-ethnic,
multi-religious, multi-cultural society. The Foreign Minister suggested that
IFRC uses its good offices to say that carrying out conversions during the
middle of Tsunami is not acceptable. International Red Cross officials told
the minister that they do not condone any conversions or any attempts as
such.
Published: Wed Mar 16 15:52:26 EST 2005
|
|
|
|
|
LTTE has abducted Children on their way to School- Kadirgamar
Bandula Jayasekara in London,
LT 3. 15 P.M Wednesday 16 March 2005.
Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar says that
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has often carried out
recruitment by force, abducting children while on their way to school or
during religious festivities, and beating families and teachers who resisted
the seizure of children. Addressing the High Level Segment of the 61st
Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, yesterday Kadirgamar
said despite the solemn undertakings given by the LTTE to the UNICEF, the
group has continued the practice of recruiting thousands of children, in
most cases by force-some of them as young as 11 years old. The minister said
“Moreover the LTTE has engaged in re-recruiting those who had been released
and even those who had escaped from training camps, thorough threats, and
intimidation and physical attacks on the children as well as their family
members. During 2004, more than 1000 cases of new recruitment and
re-recruitment were reported to UNICEF, a high percentage of them bring
girls”
Kadirgamar said Sri Lanka remains in the forefront of the campaign to have
the use of child soldiers condemned and banned, worldwide and in 1997 he
brought the question of child soldiers to the attention of the UN General
Assembly by endorsing the findings of the Graca Machel report of 1996. Since
that report the attention of the international community has been
increasingly focused on the promotion and protection of the rights of the
children affected by armed conflict. He said “Sri Lanka has supported the
recommendations of the recent report of the Secretary-General submitted to
the Security Council to be implemented against those who fail to ease the
practice of recurring child combatants. Sri Lanka is of the view that
enforcement of these measures on a gradual scale will have a persuasive
impact on all those who are deliberately violating the rights of children
affected by armed conflict”
Published: Wed Mar 16 10:17:05 EST 2005
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NPM attack NGOs, monk and LTTE
