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Supplies to Sri Lanka war zone
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by Suranee | March 30, 2009 at 06:37 pm
214 views | 15 Recommendations | 7 comments
Donations in the form of funds, food and other supplies have been collected by "the Tamil community across Brent and Harrow" to be sent to Sri Lanka and distributed among the Sri lankan Tamil civilians affected by the war in the country.
A request was also made to the British government by " MPs including Dawn Butler, Labour MP for Brent South and Sarah Teather, Lib Dem MP for Brent East to pressurise Sri Lankan army chiefs to put an end to the fighting."
A beleaguered Tamil community came together to donate all they could for war-stricken relatives in Sri Lanka.
Hundreds of people from across Brent and Harrow spent the weekend collecting funds, food and supplies to be shipped out to the country in the coming days.
A public meeting at Alperton High School, in Ealing Road, Alperton, on Sunday also raised £3,000.
Shankar Satchit, a member of the British Tamil Forum, who represents the area, said: "There is human disaster unfolding in the Vanni area. There is virtually no food or medicine.
"We appreciate the plight of the Tamil people being publicised as readers can make a big difference."
Acton-based glass processing company Toughglaze Limited donated £2,500 to the mission.
MPs including Dawn Butler, Labour MP for Brent South and Sarah Teather, Lib Dem MP for Brent East have both called for the British government to pressurise Sri Lankan army chiefs to put an end to the fighting.
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Recommendations (15)
Tiana
Manchester, United Kingdom
senthil5000
st Louis, United States
Anonymous user
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (7)
at 21:03 on March 30th, 2009
It is a noble cause. Apart from removing the hunger these kind of help will give hope to the people who feel there is no one to care for them. God bless the community people.
at 23:52 on March 30th, 2009
I definitely agree with you Senthil, it is a noble cause. I hope the children will now get the chance of having a childhood and an education.
at 04:08 on March 31st, 2009
Every tamil I know, including family and friends, have contributed to this donation. I just hope the aid is actually allowed to reach the poor affected civilians.
at 04:23 on March 31st, 2009
It's a great thing that the Sri lankan Tamils overseas have done by sending this donation.
And just like you, I too hope that the aid reaches the "poor affected civilians" without any problems.
at 04:11 on March 31st, 2009
P.s. I also have to stress, it is not just the Brent and Harrow community, it's the whole UK Tamil community.
at 04:27 on March 31st, 2009
That's great Tiana! I hope a donation network is also set up here in Sri lanka. I think that would be a great idea.
at 04:00 on April 2nd, 2009
Even the mercy mission comes under scrutiny from the Sri lankan government, accused of being a cover for weapons for LTTE.... Unbelievable!
Source for below is http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/01/sri-lanka-tamil-aid-shipment
The government, however, says it has "serious concerns" about the ship's cargo, claiming that the Tigers have used previous aid shipments to smuggle in arms.
"We are aware of the ship and we have taken this up with the UK authorities," a spokesman for the Sri Lanka High Commission told the Guardian. "We are concerned and we have serious questions about the ship. We know what has happened in the past."
The spokesman denied reports in the Tamil media that the Sri Lankan navy would open fire on the Vananga Man as soon as the ship entered its territorial waters. He added that the government might "consider the case" of whether to allow the aid in if it received an assurance from the UK government that the ship had been checked and found to contain humanitarian supplies.
Graham Williamson, one of the directors of Act Now, rejected the accusations.
He said all the containers on the Vananga Man were being x-rayed by British authorities so its cargo could be verified. "If that third party check isn't good enough for them, what is?" he said. "I think the government is being facetious and deliberately provocative and is trying to find an excuse for not allowing the aid to land."