UN help for Jaffna goods flow

Manjula FERNANDO

COLOMBO: The United Nations will look into helping Sri Lanka with a chartered cargo flight to supplement uninterrupted goods supplies to Jaffna.

During a visit by a joint assessment team led by Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe to make recommendations to improve the situation in Jaffna, the UN has agreed to look into the possibility of chartering a cargo plane to help the Government maintain a steady supply of essential goods to the peninsula.

The recommendations were submitted to Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa at the Consultative Committee on Humanitarian Assistance on Tuesday. The Consultative Committee meets every fortnight to discuss ways to improve the humanitarian situation in the North and the East.

Chaired by Minister Samarasinghe the committee is represented by the Commissioner General of Essential Services (CGES), Secretaries of Defence, Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Nation Building, Ministry of Resettlement, Health and Nutrition and the Secretariat for the Coordination of the Peace Process.

The US Ambassador representing the Co-Chairs, UN’s Humanitarian resident coordinator and Heads of UN agencies in addition to NGO representatives also take part in the meetings.

Among some of the key decisions taken at the consultative committee are, close collaboration between the CGES and the WFP to maintain a buffer stock in Jaffna and sending nutritional items and medical supplies along with shipments of essential items.

It was also discussed to open an SPC Osu Sala outlet in Jaffna to operate as a central distribution centre and a retail shop for private pharmaceutical traders and public to buy medical supplies.

The WFP has agreed to improve food storage facilities in the district.

The agenda of the next meeting will comprise relaxing the curfew, the time span of fishing, extension of fishing area in the North East sea and permitting different types of vessels without compromising security.

The possibility of reducing the airfare to Jaffna is also to be taken up.