The Sri Lankan Government has taken a decision to relocate the INGOs/ NGOs operating in non-liberated areas, Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu district, into cleared areas in Vavuniya. The government has announced the deadline for all INGO/NGO to relocate their operational bases to Vavuniya, the security forces controlled area.
The response of the INGOs on the Government’s decision was different as some requested to extend the deadline while others agreed to relocation due to the obvious life threat being at terror held areas in Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu while the security forces continuing their operations in the final phase of the War against Terrorism.
The Country Director of the ZOA Refugee Care, a key member of the UN-led Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA), Mr Bernard Jaspers Faijer has written a letter, dated on 19th September 2008 addressing to Defence Secretary, saying that one of its Program Managers, Mr Givoanni Porta, has joined the LTTE unexpectedly while the organization working with relocation process.
Further, he stated that the organization will not accept this kind of situation since they had received clear instruction from the government. (The defence.lk reported this news on 27th September quoting a leading daily paper.)
Meanwhile, Mr Petter Eide, the Secretary General of Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) writing a letter to His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksha clearly said that the LTTE terrorists have forcefully confiscated the Mine Action vehicles and equipments of NPA and using them for terror activities.
The letter, copying to Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights, Mr Mahinda Samarahingha, Minister of Tourism, Mr Milinda Moragoda, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa and some other officials of the government, further said that the unlawful act of forcibly removing of NPA vehicles by the LTTE terrorists has not only affected to the organization itself but also the wider humanitarian community working in the North of Sri Lanka.
The Defence Ministry appreciates the gratefulness of the ZOA Refugee Care and the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) for putting forward these issues and informing the government and relevant authorities.
Such a communication between the government and INGOs/NGOs clearly indicates that the government’s commitment and assistance rendered to those organizations for implementing their humanitarian aims and objectives.
Courtesy: Ministry of Defence
