Indian aid to reach Lanka this weekend

T V Sriram

Colombo, Nov 13 (PTI) A consignment of 1,680 tonnes of
food and relief material from India is expected to reach the
Sri Lanka this weekend as part of humanitarian aid for
thousands of civilian Tamils caught in the war between the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (L.T.T.E.) and the island
nation's Army.

The Indian humanitarian assistance would be the first
of its kind in nearly two decades, though New Delhi provided
medical and other assistance to Sri Lanka after the 2004
devastating tsunami that killed thousands of people.

"A sum of 1,680 tonnes of relief is being dispatched
from India after proper checking and inspection and is
expected to reach Sri Lanka by this weekend," an official
said.

The aid comes as international agencies grapple to
provide food an estimated two lakh Tamil civilians who are
displaced due to the offensive against L.T.T.E. by the Lankan
Army.

Sri Lanka had accepted India's offer to send relief
material to the affected civilians in the north of the island
during a meeting between External Affairs Minister Pranab
Mukherjee and Basil Rajapaksa, Special Adviser to President
Mahinda Rajapaksa, in October.

It was also decided at that time that the Tamil Nadu
government will also mobilise relief material to the affected
civilians.

The worst hit is Kilinochchi, where the Sri Lankan
troops have reportedly captured several areas in the L.T.T.E.
stronghold leaving hundreds of civilians displaced.

According to the Government Agent (G.A.) in
Kilinochchi, the total number of I.D.Ps in the district
continues to increase following ongoing confrontations in
Poonakary division as well as aerial bombardments recently
reported in Paranthan.

U.N. agencies reported that there has been
displacement of people from Semmankunru and Kiranchchi towards
the Tharmapuram and Visuvamadu areas.

The Regional Director of Health Service (R.D.H.S.),
Kilinochchi reported that a consignment of drugs have been
transported to the war-torn area.

The R.D.H.S. also reported 16 malaria patients have
now been identified and treated in Kilinochchi during the
month of October, while 194 snake bites cases were admitted in
the Tharmapuram hospital facility, with two deaths also
reported.

In the meantime, road accidents have increased
significantly in areas of dense I.D.P. concentration with 540
such cases including two deaths reported last month in
Tharmapuram, an U.N. report said.

The Tamil Nadu government has arranged family packs
containing food and non-food items including clothes and
hygiene products for the civilians who have been displaced in
the intensified clashes between L.T.T.E. and the Sri Lankan
security forces.

The International Committee of the Red Cross
(I.C.R.C.) and the government agencies will coordinate the
distribution work.

As part of the supplies, the U.N. on November 3
dispatched a food convoy into the Wanni region (comprising the
LTTE stronghold of Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu districts) to
ameliorate the lot of the people.

The 29 truck W.F.P. convoy carried 426 Metric tonnes
of food to feed 121,714 I.D.P.s for 7 days. PTI TVS