Foreign aid going to South, not North- Col. Soosai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 January 2005, 18:04 GMT]
''Two third of the loss of lives and properties caused by Tsunami disaster has been in Tamil areas in the northeast province. But the Sri Lanka government is channelling vast sums of foreign aid to the south,'' said Colonel Soosai, Special Commander of Sea Tigers addressing a special discussion held in Maruthankerni in the LTTE controlled Vadamaradchchi east division in Jaffna district.

Jaffna district Government Agent Mr.K.Ganesh,presided.

Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians Mr.K.Sivanesan, Mr.S.Gajendran, Mr.M.K.Eelaventhan, Mr.N.Raviraj and Mr.M.K.Sivajilingam participated in the discussion.

Representatives of UNICEF, UNHCR and other non-governmental organizations and heads of government and provincial departments also attended the conference, sources said.

Colonel Soosai pointed out that big housing schemes and other rehabilitation projects are being launched in the South but the Tsunami victims in the north are still suffering in welfare centres without adequate relief and other assistance.

He added appropriate rehabilitation and reconstruction programme should be formulated to develop the tsunami hit coastal areas in the northeast province.

The conference decided to relocate the displaced families due to Tsunami disaster from Thalaiyadi to Chundikulam in lands located four hundred meters from the shore, sources said.

Suggestions were made at the discussion to construct high walls along the coastal areas from Thondamannaru to Point Pedro and also raise the coastal roads to avoid sea erosion and future Tsunami disaster, sources said.