ICRC to coordinate distribution of relief

Rafik Jalaldeen

The ICRC is to take over the distribution of relief supplies arriving from India to the Colombo port for civilians in the Wanni region.

As a result of Presidential Adviser Basil Rajapaksa's visit to India and meeting with Indian officials on ground realities and the humanitarian operation in the Wanni, a ship carrying a consignment of 17,000 tons of relief items from India was anchored at the Colombo port on Saturday with relief supplies Indian High Commission sources in Colombo told the Daily News.

The Indian relief ship docked at the Colombo port with 100 containers of essentials food items and other materials.

Each family will receive 27kg of pack containing food items such as rice, dhal, sugar, spices, toothpaste etc and clothes.

No camping materials for shelter will be included in the relief supplies as the Government had reservations that request that the LTTE might make use these materials for battle purposes, sources pointed out. According to ICRC spokesperson Sarasi Wijeratne, the relief supply consignment which arrived at the Colombo port from India had not been handed over to the ICRC.

We have not received the relief items meant for distribution for IDP's and we will dispatch them in due course, she told the Daily News.