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ICRC asked to scale down operations

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has appealed to the country’s Muslim community to help re-build the nation, even as the government on Thursday asked the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to scale down its operations following the end of conflicts.

The ICRC has a permanent presence in Sri Lanka since 1989 and was the only organisation with some presence on the ground during the last phases of the war. It has at times gotten into tiffs with the government over security and logistical issues in the war zone.

“The ICRC is in the process of reviewing its setup and operational priorities in Sri Lanka,” said Jacques de Maio, the organisation’s head of operations for South Asia, in a press release here.

“As a first step, it will close its offices and withdraw its expatriate staff from the Eastern Province while winding down its operations in the area. However, the ICRC will continue its dialogue with the Sri Lankan government on issues of humanitarian concern,” he said.

Separately, addressing a delegation of the All Ceylon Muslim Scholars Association on Tuesday, the Sri Lankan President said his government had provided protection to the Muslim community while helping them win their rights and urged them to join hands with the government to rebuild the nation.

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