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| Monday, 31 January 2005 |
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by Nadira Gunatilleke The Women's Empowerment and Social Welfare Ministry has deployed 177 `Relief sisters' (Sahana Soyuriyo) to serve tsunami victimised women and children staying at welfare camps under the direction of Social Welfare Minister Sumedha G. Jayasena. The relief sisters will pay special attention to meet their needs and ensure their safety, a ministry spokesman said. He said the relief sisters were given special training on this specific duty through a workshop. The relief sisters were educated on providing assistance to the tsunami victimised women and children who are from different communities and stay at welfare camps. The Minister, Ministry Secretary Sitha Rajapaksa, Dangerous Drugs Control Board Chairman Dr. Sujeewa Raweera, Colombo Division DIG Sirisena Herath, representatives from the Census and Statistics Department and the UNFPA participating in the workshop. The Women's Affairs Ministry recruited about 200 women as 'Relief Sisters' to serve war affected areas in the North and East. They were recruited on a contract basis and served in border villages under this program. They helped widows and other deserving family members of the war affected families. They were attached to the Divisional Secretariats in the area. The previous regime terminated their service after paying compensation but they launched several protest campaigns against the decision. They launched a `fast to death' campaign in front of Women's Affairs Ministry but no one listened to their plight. Minister Jayasena presented the Cabinet paper after informing President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga about their plight. The Government then decided to reinstate the 177 relief sisters. Cabinet approved to reinstate them for one year, according to a Cabinet paper presented by the Minister. |
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