Sri Lanka has praised India for its "constructive support" to solve the Tamil ethnic problem in the island nation, saying New Delhi has taken "positive" steps unlike many other countries who are only issuing statements.
Sri Lanka hailed India for being different from other countries by offering unconditional assistance "in the hour of need.”
"India has taken very positive steps unlike many countries who are issuing statements, asking us to do this, that and all that," said Sri Lankan minister for Healthcare and Nutrition Nimal Siripala De Silva.
"Without saying all that, they (India) have really come at the time of need and demonstrated their constructive support to solve this problem," De Silva said.
He was speaking at a function held on Wednesday, 11 March for an Indian medical team, which was ready to set up a medical unit for treating the Tamil Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the embattled zones.
He welcomed India's effort to help provide necessary health and medical facilities to the Tamil civilians.
"We thank the assistance given by India in order to ensure that the necessary health and medical facilities are extended to these IDPs. This is by way of extending a very high qualitative care for these people," de Silva said.
The Indian military medical team, for the first time since the IPKF mission in 1987, will set up a temporary hospital in Pulmoddai in Sri Lanka's eastern province, allegedly to provide aid to civilians trapped in the war.
The 52-member medical team, flew to Colombo on Monday, and left on Wednesday for Pulmoddai in the Eastern Trincomalee district, where it will set up a health centre to treat the IDPs fleeing the war zone in Wanni.
The Indian team comprising of 8 physicians and surgeons, besides other assisting staff, will set up an emergency medical unit and hospital to cater to the medical requirements of the IDPs being evacuated from northern Lanka.
The minister thanked India for extending its assistance in this critical field and said it symbolised the close friendship between India and Sri Lanka.
Alok Prasad, the Indian High Commissioner, handed over the consignment of medicines being gifted by India to Sri Lanka. The medicines are valued at approximately SLR 70 million.
Fighting, which has escalated in the past two years, further flared after the government in January 2008 pulled out of the 2002 cease-fire pact with the LTTE.
