Helgesen visits Kalmunai, stresses need for unity among Muslim leaders

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 June 2005, 14:07 GMT]
Norwegian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Vidar Helgesen who arrived in Kalmunai Wednesday afternoon 1.50 PM met Eastern Muslim community leaders and urged the Muslim leaders to present a united front to raise the concerns of the Muslim community. Talking to Muslim representatives, Mr Helgesen said that the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers, have expressed their committment to ensure a fair representation of Muslim community in the post-tsunami reconstruction process, sources in Kalmunai said.



The Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister arrived at Carmel Fatima College in Kalmunai in a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) SLAF helicopter with Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mr. Hans Brattskar.

Amparai District All Muslim Mosque President, U.L Hanifa, General Secretary A M Ibrahim and the President of Kalmunaikudy Mosques Mr U K Samsudeen participated in the discussions with the Norwegian Deputy FM at Sea Breeze Hotel in Sainthamaruthu located 6 km south of Kalmunai in Amparai district.

Meanwhile, the Norwegian Embassy in a press release issued from Colombo on Wednesday said that Norway has allocated another 300 million rupees to the fisheries sector in Sri Lanka. A substantial proportion of these new funds will be earmarked for the fishermen in Ampara District. The new allocation will fund the replacement and repair of boats destroyed or damaged by the tsunami.

"We are very pleased to be able to contribute to restoring livelihoods of the Ampara fishermen," Norwegian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Vidar Helgesen, said during his visit to Kalmunai on Wednesday.

Further Norwegian funding will be made possible as soon as the Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) becomes operational, according to the Press Release.

"I see P-TOMS as vital to secure rapid reconstruction and development in Ampara District," Mr Helgesen said.