Lanka praises India's 'constructive support' in ethnic crisis

T V Sriram

Colombo, Mar 12 (PTI) Sri Lanka has praised India for
its "constructive support" to solve the Tamil ethnic problem
in the island nation, saying New Delhi has taken "positive"
steps unlike many other countries who are only issuing
statements.

Lanka hailed India for being different from other
countries by offering unconditional assistance "in the hour of
need" as hundreds of Tamil civilians trapped in the war zones
were moving to safe areas controlled by the government and in
need of urgent medical support.

"India has taken very positive steps unlike many
countries who are issuing statements, asking us to do this,
that and all that," said Sri Lankan Minister for Healthcare
and Nutrition Nimal Siripala De Silva.

"Without saying all that, they (India) have really
come at the time of need and demonstrated their constructive
support to solve this problem," De Silva said.

He was speaking at a departure function held yesterday
for an Indian medical team, which was ready to set up a
medical unit for treating the Tamil Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) in the embattled zones.

He welcomed India's effort to help provide necessary
health and medical facilities to the Tamil civilians. "We
thank the assistance given by India in order to ensure that
the necessary health and medical facilities are extended to
these IDPs. This is by way of extending a very high
qualitative care for these people," de Silva said.

The Indian military medical team, for the first time
since the Indian Peace Keeping Force(IPKF) mission in 1987,
will set up a temporary hospital in Pulmoddai in Sri Lanka's
eastern province Friday to provide aid to civilians trapped in
the war between the government forces and the LTTE.

The 52-member medical team, which arrived here on
Monday, left Wednesday for Pulmoddai in the Eastern
Trincomalee district, where it will set up a health centre to
treat the IDPs fleeing the war zone in Wanni.

The Indian team comprising of 8 physicians and
surgeons, besides other assisting staff, will set up an
emergency medical unit and hospital to cater to the medical
requirements of the IDPs being evacuated from northern Lanka.

The Minister thanked India for extending its
assistance in this critical field and said it symbolised the
close friendship between India and Sri Lanka.

Alok Prasad, the Indian High Commissioner, handed over
the consignment of medicines being gifted by India to Sri
Lanka. The medicines are valued at approximately SLR 70
million.

Fighting, which has escalated in the past two years,
further flared after the government in January 2008 pulled out
of the 2002 cease-fire pact with the rebels.

The Tamil Tigers have been fighting since 1983 for an
independent state for the minority ethnic Tamils, alleging
marginalisation of the community for decades by governments
dominated by the Sinhalese. Over 70,000 people have been
killed in the civil war in the Island nation.