EU urged to suspend aid until ISGA is established

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 May 2004, 00:24 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Thursday appealed to the member countries of the European Union to release their aid to the Sri Lanka government only after the establishment of the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) in the northeast province, sources said.

TNA delegation led by its parliamentary group leader Mr.R.Sampanthan at a discussion held Thursday evening with the representatives of the EU member countries in Sri Lanka stressed that the release of the aid to SL government should be decided on the positive development of the peace process.

The delegation further said there was no guarantee that the aid channeled by the EU would be utilized for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the war-torn northeast province as no institution is functioning in the northeast to ensure that such funds are properly utilized for the required purpose. "Hence we appeal to the EU to release funds to SL government only after the establishment of the ISGA in the northeast," TNA delegation requested.

The TNA delegation comprised parliamentarians Messrs Selvam Adaikalanathan, Joseph Pararajasingham, Suresh Premachchandran, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam and M.K.Eelaventhan.