“Government is subtly moving disaster funds to areas of its own interest”
-Opposition legislator’s charge“Manipulating hands on the pie, the government is subtly diverting disaster funds provided by donors to areas of its own interest which have not suffered any impact of the tsunami disaster” quipped Dr.Rajitha Senaratne, UNP parliamentarian, addressing a press conference in the Opposition Leader’s office in Colombo yesterday 12 Jan 2005.
Excerpts: “The government is appealing to the international community to pump in large quantity of aid in cash and kind, but has plans for rehabilitation only for a small portion of aid that flows in. We know that the government has insidious plans to utilise much of the aid to carry out development projects in areas of its own interests that have not had any impact due to tsunami. Asking donors for an astronomical figure in assistance, the govt has plans only for a minimal portion of it when it comes to tsunami relief and rehabilitation. What then is the government going to do with the balance money? In fact, the government has ambitious plans for development in areas that are not at all affected, but are locations where the government has party interests. The railway line from Galle to Kataragama is a glaring example. Kataragama had no impact whatsoever, but is on the cards for rehabilitation out of the disaster funds. The allocations for urban development seem to cover more urban locations that have not been affected by the tsunami disaster. Beautifying playgrounds is also said to be one of the projects that come under the purview of the urban development, not related to tsunami impact. Large sum of money is said to be allocated out of the disaster fund for rehabilitation of the power station at Inginiyagala, a location nowhere closer to the disaster sites. It is true that the economy of the country ne
eds a fillip but not at the cost of the pathetic condition of tsunami victims who needs shelter, implements like fishing gear for their livelihood and the wherewithal to restart their lives. We call upon the government and its planners to go into the people, see the appalling conditions in which the displaced people are living and formulate plans according to the dictates of ground realities rather than sitting in comfortable offic e environment and travelling in limos.”
13 January 2005
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Europe which has a total population of 800 million is made up of 45 language based nation states. South Asia which has a total population of one billion, (1000 million) is comprised of four states. Who is preventing and therefore benefiting by limiting new nation-states in South Asia?
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