Army Initiatives Provide Decent Homes to More than 317 East-based Families

The Security Force Headquarters - East (SFHQ-E), largely responsible for overseeing military operations, maintenance of peace and security in the eastern part of Sri Lanka covering Ampara, Batticaloa, Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee districts. Being one of the regional command entities of the Army, in addition to its above-specified roles, SFHQ-E has been effectively engaged in a multitude of community-oriented projects boosting existing civil-military relations further.

Provision of emergency assistance, conduct of humanitarian relief projects, infrastructure development programmes and mobile health camps, etc are among major projects, but the construction of new houses for the homeless in the East with patronage largely organized by the troops themselves has come to the fore and emerges prominent as SFHQ-E troops with their technical expertise since the year 2009, have constructed 317 new homes in the war-affected region, bringing new rays of hope for the lives of the underprivileged.

Accordingly, on the directions of successive Commanders of the Army, Army personnel since then through the coordination of the SFHQ - East have taken to the construction of new houses to the homeless in the East region. Believe it or not, it is the Army who are in the process of harnessing the support of generous donors and philanthropists, most of them from the South for these invaluable house construction projects in the East.

Mostly South-based philanthropists, donors, religious leaders and Lion Clubs through the Army coordination extended their generosity and this humanitarian effort wiped the tears of many families who underwent economic difficulties, being unable to live with dignity.

Until this year, East troops to their credit with their technical expertise and manpower had constructed 317 houses and vested them in needy families. As at present, construction of 03 more such new houses for the poor is underway under the guidance and selfless efforts of the East Commander, respective General Officers Commanding and Brigade Commanders serving under the Security Forces - East.

Upon completion of those new houses, troops were supportive for supply of furniture, electricity, water, electronic appliances, essentials, etc and also by planting valuable saplings in their compounds to make the environment green. In addition to that, Army troops are in the practice of extending their technical support for cultivation of abandoned paddy fields and chena cultivations by way of free land-tilling, construction of water ways, supply of egg seeds, water, etc.

The Army, well-determined to create a better tomorrow for those poverty-stricken people of the Eastern region, healing the wounds of deprived parties, has round the clock lent their helping hand generously to the people in the East in an attempt to promote ethnic harmony, reconciliation and peaceful environment in the country.