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| Sunday, 23 March 2003 |
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Round the clock operations room for Gulf workers' relatives by Don Asoka Wijewardena A '24-hour operation room' has been set up at the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment to help relatives of Sri Lankans working in the Gulf area obtain up-to-date information about the war and the welfare of workers. The operation room was set up on the directive of Minister of Employment and Labour Mahinda Samarasinghe who, also, plans to extend the facility to all district secretariats. Minister Samarasinghe told the 'Sunday Observer' that the operation room had been set up to provide information to inquirers and that it would be extended to district secretariats in 26 districts. He said that this would enable relatives of migrant workers to receive accurate information about their kith and kin, without coming all the way to Colombo. He also said that on a directive from Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe an emergency fund of Rs 50 million had been approved by the Treasury to meet any contingencies. This is in addition to funds allocated for emergency evacuation process of Sri Lankans working in the Middle East. Minister Samarasinghe and Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando signed the documents with the Ministry of Finance for the emergency fund. Minister Samarasinghe also disclosed that a Parliamentary Select Committee for Welfare consisting of several government and opposition MPs will visit Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Qutar and UAE, to ensure Sri Lankans' safety and welfare. He said that all Sri Lankan ambassadors, consul generals and welfare officers have been instructed to co-ordinate with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). "I am asking all the relatives of migrant workers not to panic or believe in rumour mongers," said the minister. When asked about any immediate evacuation plans Minister Samarasinghe said that it was too early to operate evacuation work as the United States had declared that ICRC, UNDP, UNHCR and camps teeming with migrant workers would not be attacked and, would do everything possible not to launch offensives against civilians. |
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