I have great pleasure in extending my warm greetings and felicitations to fellow members of my community in the Kingdom on the happy occasion of our Independence Day anniversary. Let me also take this opportunity to convey my best wishes to the government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
On this occasion, the country pays deep respect to the thousands of Sri Lankans who died in the recent tsunami attack on the coastal belt of the island and our heart goes to the surviving families who have lost their near and dear ones in this tragedy. I also wish to register my sincere thanks on behalf of my country for the wonderful response shown by the world community including Saudi Arabia which came forward to assist those distressed in the Dec. 26 disaster. The services offered by the Saudi government and non-governmental organizations such as the Saudi Red Crescent Society, International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO), World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and Shabab Group, and Saudi philanthropists will go down in the history of the country for their generosity and magnanimity. It needs to be mentioned here that the Chairman of the Kingdom’s Holdings Prince Waleed ibn Talal has pledged a substantial donation in aid of the tsunami victims.
My thanks are also due to the Sri Lankan Expatriates Society (SLES) in Riyadh and the members of the Sri Lankan community in Dammam for being responsible for a large collection of donations in cash and kind in aid of the welfare and rehabilitation of the tsunami survivors. With their assistance, the mission was able to net more than half a million riyals worth of donations in cash and kind.
Our government has already embarked on various projects to rebuild the tsunami affected areas and re-locate the survivors providing better employment opportunities and welfare schemes for their betterment. It was only five weeks after the disaster, the country was able to make a headway with the support and assistance of the international community.
The tourists have already started coming into the country and normalcy is being restored at a rapid pace.
I have spent more than three years in the Kingdom with unprecedented cooperation from the government, well-wishers and from my fellow Sri Lankans who are spread throughout the length and breadth of the Kingdom. I will be failing in my duty if I do not offer my sincere thanks to every one who contributed one’s mite to facilitate the smooth functioning of my mission.
Ibrahim Sahib Ansar
Ambassador