Cash strapped government on begging spree

By Munza Mushtaq

Suffering from a massive financial debacle, the cash-strapped Mahinda Rajapaksa government is on an international begging spree in an effort to collect more aid to upkeep some 250,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the north.

Despite receiving a sum of $ 225 million in foreign aid so far, the government appears to be suffering from a massive financial shortfall and has thus made a fresh appeal to the international community and the Sri Lankan expatriates seeking urgent help to maintain the IDPs’ day to day maintenance costs.

The fresh attempt comes following a stern warning issued by Britain, one of the largest aid providers who expressed disappointment in the manner the government was handling the displaced and even threatened to withdraw funding if no significant progress is seen soon.

“The ultimatum issued by British Development Minister Mike Foster has not gone down well with the government and it has thrown them into panic mode,” sources told The Sunday Leader yesterday.

Meanwhile, in a appeal targeted at the Sri Lankan expatriates living in Britain, the Sri Lankan High Commission in the UK said, “While the Government of Sri Lanka is appealing to the international community for financial and material support, the Sri Lanka High Commission in London wishes to make a similar appeal to the Sri Lankan diaspora living in London for appropriate contribution to this noble cause. This is a unique opportunity to express your solidarity with the needy people and reinforce your patriotism and commitment to your motherland.”

The High Commission will only be accepting cash donations citing purposes of convenience and no material donations are currently being accepted.   Continuous attempts made by The Sunday Leader to contact Human Rights and Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe proved futile. Human Rights Ministry Secretary Rajiva Wijesinha was also not available for comment, at the time this edition went to press.

Meanwhile, the government raised its defence expenditure by another 20 percent on Thursday.

Parliament approved an additional Rs. Rs. 33 billion to be utilised for payment of salaries, to beef up former LTTE controlled areas and to pay compensation to those who lost their lives during the war.