UK turns down NGO appeal for assistance

A few days after the Koslanda landslide, a social services trust called upon the United Kingdom (UK) government to assist a special housing project for plantation sector families in Sri Lanka.

The Savumiya Youth Foundation (SYF) said that, during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) it submitted a 5point proposal to Queen Elizabeth, through the British High Commission in Colom- bo.

In its proposal, it requests for a housing project for the plantation workers and a separate disaster management centre to provide relief and rehabilitation, post natural and incidental disasters.

SYF Chairman S.P. Anthonymuthu said, UK High Commissioner Johan Rankin responded to the letter saying that, "As Sri Lanka is a developing country, the UK can't allocate grants.”

"Sri Lanka is now a lower middle-income country, and no longer qualifies for direct development assistance through our department of international development. However, Sri Lanka remains eligible for certain forms of assistance through the European Union (EU). You may pursue the request with the EU," High Commissioner Rankin stated in response.

Chairman Anthonymuthu said it is the responsibility of the British government to safeguard the rights of the people it brought down from India, which the estate companies took over ownership from.

"After the tragedy of the Koslanda landslide, we have to ensure that these type of incidents will not happen in future. That's why we are requesting the UK government to assist through an NGO, to improve our living standards," he said.