Meeting with the Relief and Rescue Mission Officers

When I heard that the Sri Lankan government had sent an army relief and rescue mission to Nepal, I was very happy. The Sri Lankan army has always helped me with my humanitarian missions in Sri Lanka and abroad. I contacted General Sumedha Perera who was in Sri Lanka and informed him that I will be going to Nepal. General Perera immediately made arrangements for me to meet with the commander of the Sri Lankan relief and rescue team General Maitree Dias in Nepal.

Just the day after my arrival in Nepal, General Maithree Dias and two other officers met me at Mahabihar Temple in Sundhara. General Dias informed me that their mission had ended and they were heading back to Sri Lanka in a few days. He invited me visit their camp and participate in one of their relief missions.

After making all the arrangements to have lunch at the army camp on the 11th of May, General Dias was called for a security meeting in Kathmandu with the government of Nepal. As he left for the meeting, instead of cancelling our appointment, he made arrangements for Col Indika Liyanage to welcome me at their base and offer me lunch.

I am grateful to General Mairtree Dias and the Sri Lankan army officers for sharing their experiences of relief work and the challenges and difficulties they faced during their visit. Their lessons and guidance helped me greatly as I started my humanitarian mission in this unknown, unfamiliar region of the Himalayan Mountains of Nepal.