TRO warns of ‘desperate humanitarian crisis’

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 September 2006, 18:40 GMT]
The TRO protested the freezing of its accounts in Sri Lanka Sunday, saying the Colombo government had made no communication with the NGO, which has been registered as a charity there since 1985. Warning that “the current humanitarian situation in the NorthEast of Sri Lanka is reaching a critical stage,” the TRO said “there is a desperate need, recognized by all who are involved in humanitarian work, which the international community is being prevented from responding to effectively.” TRO appealed to international institutions, human right bodies and humanitarian organizations to make representations to the Sri Lanka Government and intimate the importance the continued functioning of TRO.

“The [Sri Lankan] Central Bank’s actions [to block TRO funds] will lead to further deprivation and suffering for the tsunami and war affected populations of the NorthEast. The people of the NorthEast will again be denied much needed relief, rehabilitation and development,” the TRO said in a statement.

“Humanitarian assistance to the recently displaced people of the NorthEast by local NGOs, INGOs and even UN agencies has now been effectively shut down by the actions of members of the Sri Lankan security forces. Currently, due to the pullout of most international agencies from the NorthEast, TRO is one of a handful of organizations assisting those recently displaced by war.”

“TRO as always will assist and fully support any enquiry or investigation into any aspects of its operation, however, this action by the central bank exerts extreme pressure on its ability to operate and will negatively impact the tsunami and war affected populations.”