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European NGO consortium suspends
editor on 19 August, 2008 14:18:24 | 377 times read
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The Solidar INGO Consortium has suspended humanitarian operations in the LTTE-held sectors of the Vanni District following the seizure of nine vehicles belonging to the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) by the LTTE. The UN Mission in Colombo said on behalf of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) that the Solidar network had resumed operations on August 4. The network comprises NPA which represents the Norwegian trade union movement, Arbeiter Samariter Bund (ASB) of Germany and Swiss Labour Assistance. Despite the suspension of work for a week and the IASC demanding the immediate return of all vehicles, the LTTE hadn’t complied, The Island learns. The NPA declined to comment on the issue. A spokesperson said a statement would be issued shortly. Following the seizure of NPA vehicles, a senior official recently visited Colombo. Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, at a recent interview with The Island, emphasised the urgent need to prevent the LTTE taking advantage of vehicles, machinery and equipment belonging to INGOs and NGOs. Rajapaksa warned that the dependence of the LTTE on the INGOs would increase as combined security forces advanced further into the enemy held territory. With the army stepping up operations both east and west of the A9 road, the government has cut off SLT links to and from and also within the Vanni. The IASC said yesterday that SLT links to the Vanni had been cut off since July 23 and services within the Vanni discontinued since August 9. In the northern theatre, the army and the navy restricted fishing off the shores of Vadamamaraadchi, the IASC said. It asserted this would cause further hardships to ‘already vulnerable fishing communities.’ Both the IASC and the ICRC said that fighting between government forces and the LTTE had displaced large groups of people in the Vanni. "Although the upsurge in fighting is making it increasingly difficult for humanitarian workers to access certain areas, the ICRC will continue to provide assistance," a spokesperson told The Island. According to the ICRC, over 16,500 recently displaced people were provided a range of assistance to alleviate their suffering. With the offensive gaining momentum, the number of the displaced would go up, the military said. The ICRC’s Deputy Head of Delegation in Colombo Anthony Daiziel has reassured its commitment to look after the displaced.
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