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| Sunday, 2 January 2005 |
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New ray of hope - DEW by M. P. Muttiah Constitutional Affairs and National Integration Minister D. E. W. Gunasekera says humanism surfaced during the tidal wave ordeal in Jaffna. Speaking about his visit on Wednesday to Jaffna, along with Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Commissioner General Harim Peiris, and other officials, the Minister said that the Sri Lankan army had played an important role in saving the life of thousands of people by warning the impending disastrous. They had requested the people to leave their homes and take refugee at churches and kovils. Inspire of this warning 640 persons, mainly women and children became victims while they were fleeing. He said that if not the warning of army personnel, the loss could have been in thousands, he added. Gunasekera said that the Catholic priests, who maintain refugee camps, had told him that the army collected all jewels and belongings of the 640 victims and handed over to them. The army had lost 41 of their men while saving the people. According to the priests, a new healthy development had dawned and goodwill had been built, between the army and the people. Though it was a matter of mutual survival of the people and the army from the travail, a new ray of hope had appeared in Jaffna. He said that the army was the first to assist the refugees. They bought relief items from their money and handed over to the priests, even before the civil society reached them. He commended the Government Agent, army officers and other officials who had done tremendous job, to meet the aftermath of the diaster. They had already photographed all the victims.The refugees were promptly provided with 1,400 metric tonnes of dhall and sugar. The Minister said that he was marooned in Hanbantota Sunday and he was able to reach Colombo on Tuesday via Ratnapura and proceeded to Jaffna on the instructions of the President, to assess the situation in Jaffna. He said the suffering of the people, whether they lived in the South or in the North are same. Minister said that while he was visiting to government controlled areas, Harim Peiris travelled to the LTTE controlled areas and established cordial contacts with them and the people. Minister Gunasekera said, though the tidal wave caused immense destruction in the country, it had the united the people in their sufferings. |
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