2ND LEAD (Correction)
Aussie minister visits Mannar, assesses ground situation
[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 March 2006, 18:35 GMT]
Australian Minister of Emigration and Multi-Culture, Ms.Amanda Vanstone,
accompanied by Dr. Greg French, Australian envoy in
Colombo, Thursday visited Mannar and held discussions with top
officials of civil authority and military regarding the ground situation.
She arrived in Sri Lanka Navy base in Talaimannar by a special helicopter
of the Sri Lanka Air Force Thursday morning around 9 a.m. where
Mr.A.Neekilaspillai, Additional Government and Mr. Stanley de Mel, Mannar
Divisional Secretary, received her, sources said.
The Australian team inspected the de-mining work of the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) group in Talaimannar Pier area where the government troops laid mines after 1990. Ms Amanda Vanstonse personally neutralized a mine recovered in the area during her inspection, sources said. Thereafter the Australian Minister was taken to the Sri Lanka Army main
base in Thallady where Mr.V.Visuvalingam, Government Agent of Mannar,
received her. She later visited Santhipuram, Emil Nagar and Tharavankoddai
in the Mannar divisional secretariat division where the International
Organization for Migration (IOM) is implementing a project of resettling
Indian returnees with the financial assistance of the Australian
government, sources said. She later held discussion with Rev.Fr.Xavier Cross, Vicar General and
Rev.Fr.Emilinauspillai, Mannar Parish Priest in the Bishop's House as
Bishop Rayappu Jospeh was out of the district. Catholic priests briefed the
Aussie minister that no sustainable development could take place in the
northeast till the permanent peace is achieved. They appealed to the
Australian government to participate more forcefully in bringing peace to the
country solving the ethnic crisis, sources said. Priests brought to the notice of the visiting minister that since the
signing of the ceasefire agreement about five hundred families have left
their villages in Mannar district and sought refuge in South India and
elsewhere because of the unstable political climate, sources said. At the conclusion she attended a conference held in the Mannar district
secretariat. Representatives of FSD, UNDP and IOM and heads of local
departments participated. The Government of Australia has been funding the
projects of IOM, UNDP and FSD in the Mannar district. The Government of
Australia has allocated about two hundred million rupees for these
projects. She handed over a tractor to the Farmer's Society in Mullikulam,
land master tractors to Thambanaikum and boats and fishing nets to fisher
families to the value of 3.5 million rupees, sources said.
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