Canadian parliamentarians meet LTTE, promise aid for NorthEast

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 March 2005, 11:41 GMT]
The Candian Government will provide assistance to the people of NorthEast to recover from the tsunami disaster, said Hon Ms Maria Minna, Member of Parliament from Canada, when a delegation of Canadian Parliamentarian met with Liberation Tigers officials led by Deputy Head of LTTE Political Wing, S. Thangan in the Planning and Development Secretariat (PDS) Wednesday 10.30 am, sources from Kilinochchi said.


The Canadian delegation included Member of Parliaments Mr Derek Lee, Ms Maria Minna, and Mr Joe Comartin and Senator Joseph Day, sources said.

V. Balakumaran, a senior member of Liberation Tigers, Officials of Canadian Embassy in Sri Lanka, members of Canadian-Sri Lanka business consortium, and media personnel participated in the discussions.

The delegation further that the Government of Canada has allocated US$4.25m for disaster assistance and the aid will be used through non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), according to meeting attendees.

Selvin Irenuess from the PDS briefed the attendees on the impact of tsunmi on the NorthEast and explained the LTTE's future plans for rehabilitation and reconstruction.

The issue of child recruitment was raised by the Parliamentarians. S Thangan responded that strict directive has been issued by LTTE Leader Pirapaharan banning underage recruitment and that LTTE is running or supporting several orphanages for war and tsunami affected children. He added that the Government of Sri Lanka has embarked on false propaganda to tarnish the name of the LTTE.