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| Sunday, 9 January 2005 |
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Focus on relief, rehabilitation From Tamil Press by S. Selvakumar Throughout the week all Tamil dailies concentrated on the foreign funds for Sri Lankan tsunami victims and on rehabilitation and reconstruction. In the latter part wide publicity was given to the arrival of foreign dignitaries to the country to inspect the devastation. The Thinakkural on Monday led with a story quoting President Kumaratunga's willingness to co-operate with LTTE leader Prabhakaran in the rehabilitation work in the North-east devasted by the tsunami. The Sudaroli creamed in its headline that India was angered by the arrival of US troops in Sri Lanka but this story was refuted by the Indian High Commission later in the week. In another front page story the paper said President Kumaratunga has sidelined Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse from the tsunami relief efforts and added that she had advised the premier to concentrate on relief efforts only in the Hambantota District. The Thinakaran in its lead story quoted Education Ministry Secretary, Tara de Mel and said separate committees would be appointed to oversee the work at each refugee camp in the country. International organisations and countries should render direct assistance to the Northeast, the TNA has requested, the Virakesari said in a front page story. In another front page story the paper said that 67 families that sought refuge in the Kudathanai refugee camp in Jaffna were chased by about a crowd of two hundred men in uniforms and later the camp was set on fire. Two youths were assaulted and they were later warded at the Valvettiturai hospital. The paper said this had been brought to the notice of the SLMM and said this occurred on Saturday night. The Sudaroli in its lead story said that in the guise of rehabilitating the tsunami devasted areas large numbers of Indian, US, British, Pakistan and Bangladesh troops and their ships had arrived in the country. The Thinakkural in its lead story carried a refutal by the Indian High Commission in Colombo that it was concerned over a large number of American troops presence in Sri Lanka. The paper also said Navy and Army commanders inspected damages caused to military camps in the North-east. The Thinakaran in its lead story said the peace secretariat in Colombo had dispatched a large quantity of relief to the Kilinochchi peace secretariat of the LTTE to be distributed to the people affected in the LTTE held areas. The Virakesari in its lead story on Thursday said India would spend US dollars 23 million for reconstruction and rehabilitation in the tsunami hit areas in Sri Lanka. The Sudaroli on Wednesday led with a story that President Kumaratunga has told a foreign news agency that she hoped that a large extent of the sea coast damaged by the tidal waves could be reconstructed within six months. The paper also said that UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan would visit Vanni and was also expected to meet with the LTTE leaders when he visits Colombo this weekend. The Thinakkural in its lead story quoted Reuters and said according to the UN Secretary General it was doubtful whether the entire US dollars 2 billion promised by various countries and organisations would reach the affected countries on time. The Virakesari said that rehabilitation work would commence on January 15. In another story the paper said stocks of goods sent to refugees in Batticaloa, Ampara and Panadura had been pilfered on a large scale and in Panadura three people have been arrested in this connection. The Virakesari on Thursday quoted Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe during his visit to Jaffna on Wednesday that the presence of large numbers of foreign troops in Sri Lanka would never be a security threat to the country and he has also praised the relief efforts of the LTTE. LTTE political wing leader of Trincomalee District, Elilan told at a meeting of the LTTE, Police and the coordinating officer of the Trincomalee district Major General Balasuriya would not immediately accept the new appointment of Major General but would contact Vanni before he could express his views. The Sudaroli in a front page story said that taking advantage of the tsunami disasater and the absence of Mannar fishermen around five hundred Indian trawlers had engaged in poaching the Sri Lankan waters. The Virakesari in a front page story said at a press conference held by the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation, though the government had granted permission to engage in relief work, the STF prohibited them from such work. The paper quoted K. P. Reggi, a director of the TRO. The Sudaroli on Friday reproduced an article in the Washington Times which praised the LTTE's relief efforts soon after the tsunami waves devastated the coastal areas of the North-east. The TNA in a letter to President Kumaratunga has requested not to handover the rehabilitation centres to the military. The paper quoted the military spokesman and said foreign military forces now in Sri Lanka will not engage in any military activities in this country. The Thinakkural in a front page story quoted Cabinet spokesman, Mangala Samaraweera and said he was full of praise for the LTTE for the manner in which it handled the relief supplies sent to the uncleared areas. In another story the paper said UN General Secretary Kofi Annan would visit Batticaloa on Saturday to inspect the devastation caused by the tsunami. |
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