The Hindu : New Delhi News : Jaffna Bishop hails Centre’s gesture

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Tuesday, Dec 30, 2008
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Jaffna Bishop hails Centre’s gesture

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Efforts by the Centre and Tamil Nadu government to provide relief to civilians caught in the military conflict in Sri Lanka has earned appreciation from a respected religious leader who toured relief camps and other areas where fighting is raging between the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and LTTE.

In a letter to the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo, the bishop of Jaffna Reverend Thomas Savundaranayagam wrote at length about the food assistance being provided by India, including the State government of Tamil Nadu, and conveyed his appreciation of the “beautiful humanitarian gesture.”

Dr. Savundaranayagam, who toured the areas around Kilinochchi and interacted with priests and others, spoke of the difficult living conditions and how the food assistance being provided by India has reached most target families.

He also reported sighting a convoy of lorries from Tamil Nadu carrying bundles of clothing for the internally displaced persons.

While calling for a political settlement, India has consistently called upon Colombo to ensure the wellbeing of civilians displaced by the military conflict in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country.

Subsequently, Sri Lanka allowed access to relief materials being sent by New Delhi and Chennai to the internally displaced persons.

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