UAE philanthropist donates 120 houses to northern IDPs

An Abu Dhabi-based philanthropist has stepped in to support Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from northern Sri Lanka while praising the ethnic harmony in the country.

“We are looking at giving ongoing support to displaced people of the North - Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim. Thereafter, we are planning to give them a water supply system for both types of uses - water for drinking and for irrigation,” said UAE businessman and philanthropist Mahmoud Fate Hali Abdulla Al Khajeh - who is leading a four-member family delegation of philanthropists to Sri Lanka – during discussions with Minister of Industry and Commerce and Vanni District MP Rishad Bathiudeen in Colombo yesterday.

 “Sri Lanka is a beautiful country. We visited many other countries and we find the Sri Lankan people to be united and friendly. We praise President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for leading in unity. As an initial step in our humanitarian assistance we will build 120 houses for the needy people of the north. Our aim is to offer humanitarian aid to the united people of this beautiful country. We thank Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen for inviting and facilitating us to visit and see the situation of the northern internally displaced people in the Mannar area. It was after this visit that we decided to give humanitarian support to Internally Displaced People in the north.” 

Minister Bathiudeen, who is also a Vanni District MP, addressing UAE philanthropist Al Khajeh and his family, extended his thanks for their assistance towards those displaced in the north. 

“On behalf of the people of Sri Lanka I thank the President, Prime Minister and other honourable leaders of the UAE for extending their spirit of humanitarian support to our people. I also thank your delegation for personally visiting and meeting the northern displaced. Even after 25 years of displacement, some IDPs are on the road in the north and support from charitable donors such as yourself shall be a blessing for them since me and my family too were refugees at one time. 

“Housing is a critical issue faced by these internally displaced families and I greatly welcome your intention to start humanitarian support for them with 120 houses. Water is a major need and also expensive infrastructure work, and your assistance in this will solve this critical issue for them as well.” 

Minister Bathiudeen also thanked Sri Lanka Ambassador to the UAE Sulaiman Jiffry Mohideen and UAE Ambassador to Sri Lanka Abdul Hameed Abdul Fattah Kazim Al Mulla, during his meeting with UAE philanthropist Al Khajeh in Colombo.