PR 16

The High Commissioner of India, Mr. Alok Prasad, today handed over to the international Committee of the Red Cross Delegation a consignment of 50,000 individually-packed family packets of humanitarian relief material intended for the internally displaced persons affected by the conflict in northern Sri Lanka.

The consignment consists of over 892 metric tons of assorted food items (including rice, dhal and sugar), personal hygiene products, clothing articles (including sarees, dhotis, lungis, towels and bed-sheets) and first-aid items. The food items will cover the needs of 50,000 families (approximately 200,000 individuals) for about 15 days.

This is the third consignment of humanitarian relief assistance to internally displaced persons in northern Sri Lanka from India in the recent past. India had earlier delivered 80,000 family packs in November 2008 and more recently 40,000 family packs in April 2009.

The High Commission of India thanks the Government of Sri Lanka for facilitating this consignment and the ICRC for agreeing to distribute it.

Colombo