PAFFREL to monitor Tsunami relief fund distribution

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 January 2005, 14:46 GMT]
PAFFREL, a non-governmental organization specialised in monitoring elections is to deploy five thousand volunteers to monitor the distribution of relief supply and foreign aid to Tsunami affected districts in the island. The monitoring will commence on February 1, said PAFFREL Chairman Mr.Kingsely Rodrigo Thursday at a press briefing held in Colombo.

Mr Rodrigo added that monitoring would continue for six months. PAFFREL has decided to monitor the aid and relief distribution following several complaints that irregularities prevail in various schemes implemented by NGOs, civil groups and government agencies, PAFFREL sources said.

Meanwhile, Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) is to launch a special programme to monitor the flow of foreign aid into the country following Tsunami disaster, which left about thirty thousand dead, and several thousands rendered homeless and now are sheltered in welfare centres.

A high level meeting with all government and non-governmental organizations dealing in Tsunami funds is to be held Friday at the Institute of International Relations to discuss the accountability and transparency, sources said.

Representatives of the Special Government Task Force, foreign embassies and all agencies handling foreign funds have been invited to the discussion, sources said.