Mercy Mission Humanitarian Relief being unloaded in Colombo

9 July 2009:

Two months after leaving Fos-Sur-Mer, France on 7 May 2009 the humanitarian relief sent by the Tamil Diaspora in Europe through the Mercy Mission is currently being unloaded at Colombo Port.

After being detained by the Sri Lanka Navy for several hours on 8 July 2009 the MV Cap Colorado was released and allowed to proceed into Colombo Port late at night on the 8-9 July and began unloading on the 9 July morning.

The MV Cap Colorado sailed from Chennai, India with 27 containers of Mercy Mission’s humanitarian aid that was unloaded from the MV Captain Ali and packed into containers.

After 57 days of voyage MV Captain Ali docked at Chennai port (GPS: 13 05.5n 80 17.7e) today at 19.25, Indian time. The Indian authorities permitted Captain Ali to enter the port today evening.

Mr. G. Subramanian, Executive Director, Manitham-Human Rights Organisation is looking after the interest of 'Mercy Mission' in India. 

The Indian Red Cross and Manitham-Human Rights Organisation will now take over the cargo and arrange to send it to Sri Lanka. The cargo will be initially unloaded to a warehouse and then the aid consignment will be send through another ship to Sri Lanka. All loading and shipment will be done under the guidance of Indian Red Cross Society.

Despite the Indian government’s statement that the Sri Lankan government had relented on its refusal to allow the aid ship sent by Tamil expatriates to dock in Colombo harbour and that the supplies for Tamil refugees would be offloaded by the Indian Red Cross, there has been no action at all, the organisers of the mercy mission said Friday. In an urgent press release, they said the MV ‘Captain Ali’ has been at sea for 51 days and the condition of its crew and passengers is now critical.

Sri Lanka assured India on Wednesday that its aid for the displaced Tamil civilians in the island nation was very much needed and stranded vessel vessel MV Captain Ali would soon be allowed entry into Lankan waters.

A high level delegation comprising Gotabaya Rajpakse, Basil Rajapakse and Lalith Wiretunge met External Affairs Minister SM Krishna to discuss the situation in the island nation post the war with LTTE.

Presidential advisor Basil Rajapakse told the media persons after the meeting that he had given positive reply to India’s query on the vessel. The same would be conveyed to Tamil Nadu government by the Government of India, he added, refusing to divulge details.

Just minutes before the meeting, Communication Minister A Raja submitted a memorandum with Krishna demanding India's intervention to persuade Sri Lanka to allow unloading of the ship carrying relief material sent by the Tamil diaspora.

The vessel, which set sail from Britain on April 20, is currently anchored outside Chennai port as it was turned away by the Sri Lankan Navy on June nine after detaining it for several days.

Basil also said that elections for the Tamil regions will take place once the people settle down. The devolution package for the Tamils, which has been designed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, will answer India’s concerns, he further stated.

On the issue of the Indo-Lanka Treaty of 1987, Basil said Lanka understood India’s concerns but the issue did not make it to the agenda of the meeting.