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Sri Lanka seeks foreign aid for captured province
The Sri Lankan government said Monday it would seek foreign aid to rebuild a key province recently wrested from the Tamil Tiger rebels after months of fighting.Donors would be asked to fund an ambitious reconstruction bid in the newly seized Eastern province, an area of some 9,635 square kilometres, said Public Administration Minister Karu Jayasuriya. We appeal to donors and I have reason to believe that help will be forthcoming, Jayasuriya told reporters in the tropical islands capital, Colombo. Troops said last week they had control of the Eastern province after winning a battle for Thoppigala jungle and driving away rebels, who are fighting for an independent homeland for minority Tamils. We are hoping to have an accelerated programme of development that will be completed in six months, Jayasuriya said, without specifying how much money the government would seek or its source. Sri Lankas ethnic conflict, which dates back 35 years, had led to the neglect of roads, communications and electricity supply in the province, he said. The government also said it planned nationwide ceremonies for Thursday to mark the provinces capture, including a military parade of 700 personnel. President Mahinda Rajapakse, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, is to receive a 21-gun salute at Independence Square in the capital. Both Britain and Germany have frozen aid to Sri Lanka because of concerns about its deteriorating rights record following a surge in fighting between the Tamil Tigers and government troops. But the islands main financial backer, Japan, which accounts for two thirds of bilateral aid, has said that it will not link development assistance to human rights. Some 5,200 people have died in fighting over the last 19 months that shattered a 2002 ceasefire. More than 60,000 people have been killed overall, according to government figures. The rebels have admitted losing control of Thoppigala, formerly a key stronghold, but said they would revert to guerrilla tactics there. Posted by: Fred 2007-07-17 |
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