RIYADH, 1 January 2005 — Sri Lankan expatriates in the Kingdom raised SR500,000 in aid of the thousands of tsunami victims of the island. The expatriates observed yesterday as a day of mourning in memory of those who lost their lives in the disaster. Lankan missions in the Kingdom flew their flags at half-staff as a mark of respect for the dead.
The funds were collected at a campaign launched by Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh in cooperation with the Sri Lankan Expatriates Society at the embassy premises here on Wednesday. “We were able to net a handsome collection of SR500,000 which included SR385,000 donation in cash and SR215,000 in kind,” Ambassador Ibrahim Sahib Ansar told Arab News.
The highest donor was the Managing Director of First International Network Limited, Mumtaz Ansar, who contributed SR15,000 while Saifuddeen Thassim from the Saudi American Bank and businessman Asoka Abeysekera gave SR5,000 each. The Chairman of the Saudi National Recruitment Committee, Waleed Al-Sweidan, presented SR5,000 to the fund.
The Sri Lankan employees in private sector establishments such as Al-Sale Company in Dammam, Al-Khozama Hotel, Seder Company and the Sri Lankan International School in Riyadh gave SR40,000 , SR15,000, SR15,000 and SR10 ,000 respectively. Seva Vanitha Unit of the Sri Lankan Embassy headed by the wife of ambassador, Nissa Ansar, donated SR10,000 while the mission’s staff contributed SR1,000. The Riyadh-based SLES, the chief sponsor of the event, donated SR15,000. The 170 Lankan employees at La Azurde Jewelers will consign a container load of instant noodles to Colombo. Lankan employees at Al-Rabie offered SR5,100 in cash. Jarir Group of Companies and National Medical Products Company where there is a concentration of Sri Lankan workers, gave relief goods and medicines worth about SR150,000 and SR65,000, respectively.
Thanking his community members and well-wishers Ambassador Ansar said the cash collection will be sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the National Disaster Fund, medicines to the Ministry of Health and relief materials to the Ministry of Social Services. “This was a national calamity and our efforts will not end with this, we will continue to collect more funds from Sri Lankans and well-wishers for rehabilitation work of the Tsunami survivors in the island,” Ansar added. Thassim said every Sri Lankan is duty-bound to contribute his mite toward this noble cause which would help the fellow citizens back at home.
In Dammam, a group of Sri Lankans from the Eastern Province collected SR20,000 from its community members when the envoy launched a similar campaign yesterday. On a request made by the group, Dammam-based Al-Aujan company has agreed to ship one million packets of drinks to Colombo by the first available flight.
Sri Lankan Airlines Country Manager for Saudi Arabia, Fayaz Thaha, pledged that he would airfreight all the relief goods free of charge in support of this worthy cause.
“We are happy that the airlines could give a helping hand for those suffering due to an upsurge of the sea,” Thaha said adding that priority will be given to airlifting of medicines and medical equipment.
The airlines has appointed a Coordinating Officer in Dammam to liaise with the various groups of the Sri Lankan community spread throughout the Kingdom. Some 350,000 Lankans live in the Kingdom.
