Workshop on tsunami reconstruction begins in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 April 2005, 10:34 GMT]
Three-day workshop for workers of Social Mobilization Unit (SMU) of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) began in Trincomalee Friday morning on the topic "Implementation of 3rd Phase of Tsunami Relief Programme." Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese from districts of Amparai, Batticaloa and Trincomalee are participating in the workshop. Similar workshops were held earlier in Jaffna, Killinochchi and Vavuniya for SMU staff working in those districts, sources said.



Participants in the workshop

TRO's SMU Director Mr.E.M.Selvarajah

The workshop at the Subalakshmy Wedding Hall located in Huskision Street in the east port town was inaugurated by Mr.S.Wijekumar, Trincomalee District Director of the TRO, by lighting of the traditional oil lamp.

Mr.E.M.Selvarajah, Director of the SMU in his introductory speech said as the third phase involves construction of permanent houses for tsunami victims. In this regard SMU staff are responsible for working with the people in the affected villages and to collect necessary information and data for the successful implementation of the third phase.

TRO's Tsunami Reconstruction Programme Director Mr.R.Vincent

Mr.R.Vincent, Director of the Tsunami Reconstruction Project of the TRO said that people in the northeast have been badly affected due to the two-decade-old war and the last year tsunami. TRO has been given the task of rehabilitating the destroyed coastal villages in selected areas. TRO should implement the reconstruction programme with the intention of enhancing the economy of the affected families and to raise their standard of living, he said.

Mr.Wijekumar, TRO Trincomalee district Director lighting the traditional oil and Mr.Selvaraja (right), Mr.Kumaragurubaran, TRO official in Trinco (left) and Ms Rajani Iqbal, Training Consultant (middle)

Soon after tsunami disaster the TRO swiftly moved in to provide immediate relief to the victims for their survival and later constructed temporary shelters for them. Now the TRO has taken the responsibility to construct permanent houses for the victims, he added.

Mr.C.Kumarakuruparan of TRO, Trincomalee district branch and Ms Rajani Iqbal, Training Programme Consultant also participated in the event.