(UTV|COLOMBO) – The first ever re-settlement city for Sri Lankan displaced persons fully funded by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was launched on 13 January in Mannar. The new facility goes beyond being a mere group of new houses to integrate many infrastructures of a small city.
“UAE has been a longstanding friend of Sri Lanka. As the Minister of Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons I thank the Excellency Ruler of UAE Emir Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and people of UAE, and especially UAE’s Charitable Donor Abdul Rahim Fateh Ali Abdul Al Khaja for extending his hands of friendship to the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) of Sri Lanka” said the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons and Cooperative Development Rishad Bathiudeen on 13 January in Mannar. Minister Bathiudeen was addressing the launch of 120 house-Sheikh Zayed resettlement city for IDPs. Minister Bathiudeen was joined by resettling IDPs and Representatives of UAE Donor Abdul Al Khaja. This totally UAE donor funded resettlement city is the first such single donor funded total re-settlement facility in Sri Lanka and was granted for the displaced people of Uppukulam, Mannar on a direct, personal appeal by Minister Bathiudeen to UAE Donor Abdul Al Khaja.
“UAE’s Abdul Al Khaja has fully funded 120 house-Zayed City for the 120 protracted IDP families evicted from Uppukulam. These displaced IDPs, after evicted from Uppukulam were living in Kalpitiya area and thanks to charitable donor Abdul Al Khaja, from today they will re-settle in the new Sheikh Zayed City in Mannar and re-start new lives. I am pleased to say that Sheikh Zayed City is not only a collection of 120 new houses. Therefore this charitable activity is a milestone in Sri Lanka-Saudi people-to-people relations” said Minister Bathiudeen.
Sheikh Zayed City is not just a collection of only 120 new houses for the displaced but has a shopping complex, community hall and a mosque, all of which were given by Abdul Al Khaja on Minister Bathiudeen’s personal appeal on behalf of the IDPs to UAE’s Donor Abdul Al Khaja.
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