Lanka says China key partner in development of northern region

China is an important partner in the development of the war-ravaged northern region where the process of resettlement of Tamils has gained momentum,Sri Lankan Defence Ministry said.

China is an important partner in the development of the war-ravaged northern region where the process of resettlement of Tamils has gained momentum,Sri Lankan Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.

“China,as one of the leading international partners for northern development,has also donated 6,252 tents and 34 more heavy machinery and equipment to be used for resettlement and reconstruction work in the North,” the Ministry said in a statement.

Premier Ratnasiri Wickremanayake yesterday received de-mining equipment from China. A stock of 50 de-mining detectors and 50 Protective Equipment for army de-miners conducting humanitarian operations in the North was handed over to him by Chinese Ambassador Yang Xiuping here.

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Army Chief Lt Gen Jagath Jayasuriya and other senior officials were also present on the occasion. The Chinese equipment valued at Sri Lankan Rs 50 million are expected to accelerate the ongoing army de-mining operations in the North,the statement said.

Earlier this month,the Chinese government donated equipment worth Rs 285.4 million for infrastructure development in the North and East. Immediately after the end of the war with the LTTE in May last year,China made a cash donation of USD 100 million to Sri Lanka.

Thereafter 6,257 tents were donated,the ministry said,adding in addition,2,000 tents were given by China’s Sichuan Province.

Meanwhile,Minister of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services,Rishard Bathiyudeen,said the government will expedite the resettlement of the remaining 70,000 Internally Displace Persons (IDPs) in welfare villages.

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The resettlement process of IDPs from the Menik Farm and Mannar camps in Mullaitivu,Mannar and Vavuniya districts has also gained momentum recently.

Around 1,000 army de-mining troops have already cleared approximately 200 sq km in Jaffna,Killinochchi,Mullaitivu and Mannar districts using 29 de-mining equipment by February 20 this year.

A total of 822 anti-personnel mines,an anti-tank mine and 304 unexploded explosive devices had also been removed by the mid of February,according to statistics released by the Army Engineers.

The de-mining process has been almost completed in most parts of Killinochchi district too,enabling around 90,000 IDPs to return to their villages safely. The UNCHR has also provided five de-mining flail machines to help accelerate the mine clearing operations in former conflict-affected areas.

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The Japanese Government has funded around USD 2.1 million for humanitarian de-mining work. Another USD 6 million were provided by the US government for the purpose.