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| Sunday, 16 January 2005 |
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Over US$ 100 million aid to Sri Lanka The international community contributed immediately to the Sri Lankan government to provide humanitarian relief for the victims of the Tsunami. Since December 26, finance, food and essential commodities, medicine and material for temporary shelter of internal displaced people are arriving. But government organisations, departments or even foreign missions do not have complete and updated statistics. Even the Centre for National Operation (CNO) do not have all the details of relief assistance provided by local and international organisations. CNO is now updating the details an official told the "Sunday Observer" that due to the complexity of the channelling of these resources, it is difficult to get exact figures. However he assured that within few days CNO will be able to collect all the information. CNO website is linked to United Nations's sources, and it provides some of the updated figures of international donations to all affected countries. Accordingly US$ 91,452,979 worth aid in cash and kind have been granted to Sri Lanka. In addition some countries and international organisations have granted or pledged millions of dollars worth of grants in cash or kind for the region. Sri Lanka has a share in it and therefore the total international grants would exceed US$100 million as of January 12 updated statistics. International community has provided US$2,858,961,989 or nearly three billion of grants in cash and kind for the entire tsunami affected region. Following are the details of countrywise assistance provided up to January 12 in US$ terms. Australia 3,927,730, Belgium 663,130,China 810,000, EU 11,439,533, France 781,036, Germany 4,567,376, Italy 1,326,260, Japan 2,300,196,Korea Republic 200,000, Malaysia 263,458, Netherlands 9,283,820, Norway 5,907,376, Saudi Arabia 1,500,000, Spain 1326260,Sweden 2,140,867, Switzerland 435,000, Turkey 3500, UK 1,226,415, USA 37,183,658 Belarus 100,000,Hungary 261936, Nepal 100000, Romania 42440. Foreign Ministry officials said that the total amount of foreign aid received in cash so far is approximately Rupees one billion. Foreign Ministry officials at the Bandaranaike International Airport have updated figure of aid received (in kind) from December 26. Up to January 13, 221 cargo planes have arrived at Katunayake with 8184T of air cargo from 59 countries. Of them 7302T have been cleared. Food items, water purification equipments, tents, clothes, shelters, various heavy equipments and vehicles are among these goods. India came forward to assist Sri Lanka just after the tragedy and first Indian relief team arrived in Sri Lanka on the evening of December 26. Twelve Indian ships have carried relief supplies up to date. Galle harbour was cleaned by the Indian Navy. Indian hospital ship INS Jamuna with 45 beds and specialist service is stationed off Trincomalee and provide services to affected people. Hundred and forty medical officers are engaged in these services since December 31. Another two Indian Navy ships are stationed off Trincomalee. They have delivered 300T of relief goods and medical items. Indian Tanker INS Aditya came to Batticloa and off loaded relief supplies. In addition Indian Prime Minister has announced US$23 million for relief and rehabilitation of Sri Lanka. According to military spokesman Brigadier Daya Rathnayake 800 foreign military personnel are engaged in relief works in Sri Lanka. Six hundred US soldiers, 400 Indians, 200 Canadian, 70 Belgium, 401 Pakistan, 15 Russian and 75 Bangladesh soldiers are among them. There are 20 foreign aircrafts in relief operations and of them, there are 9 US, 7 Indian, 2 Russian, and 1 Bangladesh. Five Indian ships, 2 British ships and 1 Us ships are also engaged in relief operations. According to the CNO 498 volunteers are engaged in relief work. Eighty Australians, 40 Bangladeshi, 38 Russians, 30 Thai,93 German and 22 Cubans are among them. United Arab Emirates (UAE) has allocated US$ 20 million for Sri Lanka and further assistance will be offered depending on the needs of victims, Manager Red Crescent Dubai branch Mohammed Abdullah Alhaj Al Zaroni said. Red Crescent has already released US $ 25,000 to Red Cross to purchase urgently required relief items in addition to 150 T relief items including food items,medicines, blankets and various other urgent requirements to the country. UAE is willing to provide about 20 per cent of 50,000 boats which have been damaged and there will be no limit placed on the question of assistance that will be provided to Sri Lanka."We will give you as much as you need," Al Zaroni said. Pakistan government also expressed their interest to reconstruct and rehabilitate a village in an affected area as a good will gesture. A drive to collect medicine and other first aid material for tsunami victims in Sri Lanka is under way by the Lativian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Latvia's Honorary Consulate in Sri Lanka. Tents, water purification tablets, bandages, antibiotics, disposable syringes, intravenous saline, dextrose solutions, portable generators and household items are being collected. |
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