Lanka pledges US $ 25,000, tea for Haiti quake victims
On the instructions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa,
Sri Lanka committed to donating 1,000 kgs of tea for the relief of the
victims of the earthquake in Haiti.
This donation is in addition to the financial pledge
of US $ 25,000 made by the Government of Sri Lanka to its counterpart in
Haiti soon after the news of the earthquake which devastated that
country on January 12, 2010, became known.
It may be recalled that President Mahinda Rajapaksa in
his message of January 15 to the President of the Republic of Haiti,
Rene Garcia Preval, had expressed his deep sadness upon learning of the
devastation.
President Rajapaksa went on to say "as a nation that
was touched by a tragedy of similar magnitude five years ago, Sri Lanka
can understand and feel the pain of your sorrow," he also mentioned. I
have been informed that the UN peacekeeping battalion from Sri Lanka is
fully involved in the rescue efforts. Sri Lanka associates itself with
the international community's efforts to support the people of Haiti at
this hour of devastation. Sri Lanka has indeed been for sometime now
contributing to the peace and stability of Haiti by deploying at the
request of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), a
contingent of almost 1000 personnel drawn from the Army, Navy, Air Force
and the Police Service. The UN Headquarters in New York have briefed the
authorities in Colombo that the efforts by the Sri Lanka Armed Forces
and Police personnel include the clearing of debris, the carrying out of
rescue operations and the provision of medical assistance to the
earthquake victims.The pledges of assistance and the efforts of Sri
Lanka's contingent are a strong manifestation of the understanding and
empathy conveyed by President Rajapaksa's message to the people of
Haiti, at this time of sorrow and need.
Courtesy: Daily news |
