SRI LANKAN troops serving UN Peace Keeping assignments in Haiti have turned good Samaritans and are busy providing most needed food, water, medicine and relief supplies to a population of over 4075 in historic Jacmel, a city in southern Haiti, affected badly in the January 2010 Haiti earthquake.
Street after street of homes and businesses were torn apart in the devastating earthquake and up to 35,000 were feared dead as per official figures. Ruined Haitian town of Leogane where Sri Lankan troops are conducting relief operations was limping back to normalcy as Sri Lankan troops are supported by other international aid workers.
As early as 2nd July, Sri Lankan troops carried meals to the children at Martissan Children’s Home at Jacmel and spent the day with them. They provided refreshments and food to some 30 displaced children among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who have been housed there.
Some 3875 IDPs sheltering at Pinchinat Ground Osama Church, affected due to lack of drinking water were provided adequate drinking water by Sri Lankan troops between July 1 – 4, no sooner than the request was made to the Sri Lankan Battalion in Haiti. Several bowsers were used for this humanitarian need.
On information given to the Sri Lankan troops over scarcity of food items in the orphaned children at Maison Notre Dame De La Sharite Orphanage in Petit-Goave, a coastal town, southwest of Haitian capital, Sri Lankan soldiers on 4th July 2010 swiftly carried food items to the orphanage and delivered them to the authorities.
Similarly, 130 old inmates at Petit-Goave Home for the Aged, hit due to lack of sufficient food stocks were provided dry rations within a matter of few hours by Sri Lankan troops after proper coordination was done through the World Food Programme and other aid agencies, based in earthquake ravaged Haiti. The arrangement took place on 7th July following directives given to the Sri Lankan contingent.
The 12th Sri Lanka UN Peace Keeping contingent comprising 749 officers and soldiers from Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR) left for Haiti on 27th June 2010. Sri Lanka has sent more than 8,000 troops for UN Peace Keeping assignments since the year 2004.
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