It was Furuhovde who personally informed the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) about the Government's offer of assistance in areas controlled by the LTTE. Furuhovde is leading the Scandinavian cease-fire observers (SLMM). Furuhovde says that both the Sri Lanka Army and the LTTE are now heavily involved in rescue work.

The international assistance

The international community has also extended its unstinted support to Sri Lanka

Norway has pledged 10 million Kroner for humanitarian aid in Sri Lanka . Minister of Development, Hilde Frafjord Johnson, says that so far it is only Sri Lanka, which has requested international assistance. "Additional aid will be considered when the needs are clearer," Frafjord Johnson says.

The Government of Japan has extended USD 1 million (approximately Rs. 144 million) as financial assistance cash to the Government of Sri Lanka to be utilized for Tsunami victims in all affected areas. This is in addition to the 15.2 million Sri Lankan rupees for emergency relief assistance granted before, which will be donated through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The assistance includes tents, water tanks, electricity generators, and water purification units.

Apart from the financial assistance, Japan has dispatched a team of medical doctors, numbering 25, who are currently involved in the immediate rehabilitation work. Further to this aid, 2,400 metric tons of rice was made available to meet the immediate food needs of the affected.

The Government of Japan has also dispatched a 20 member Disaster Relief Team to Sri Lanka for assisting the Sri Lankan authorities in rescue and relief operations. The team which arrived 27th December will be deployed in the Eastern coastal areas as requested by the Government of Sri Lanka.

The United States of America also has come forward to assist Sri Lanka in this hour of need.“Our ambassadors in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, India and Indonesia have
provided a total of $400,000 in immediate assistance and we are in discussions with the International Committee of the Red Cross about providing $4 million in the course of the day of the $6.6 million appeal that they have made.,” said US Secretary of State, Mr. Colin Powell.

“ The United States Pacific Command is also involved in this. They have dispatched some P3 patrol aircraft to the region and the Pacific fleet is examining what else they might be able to do to help in this situation.I have also talked in the course of the last 18 hours to my counterparts in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, India and Malaysia, to reinforce our offers of assistance,” Mr. Powell added.

The World Food Programme has delivered 66 Mt of rice, 9.9 Mt of dhal and 4.95 Mt of sugar to Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya, Jaffna and Mannar. 1712.42 Mt rice, 165.20 dhal and 53.15 Mt of sugar will be delivered in due course. A total of 353,450 people will benefit from this aid.

Putting aside its own internal conflicts, the Government of Nepal has come forward to help Tsunami-hit Sri Lanka, with assistance amounting to 100,000 US$.

The first consignment of Indian aid for over a million victims of Tsunami devastated Sri Lanka began arriving aboard aircraft, helicopters and naval vessels, the Indian High Commission stated. Five naval war ships with humanitarian aid have also been sent to Sri Lanka. One naval helicopter will be present on board all the ships for search and rescue operations.Apart from this, six MI-17 helicopters with medical teams and medical and general relief items have also been sent. INS Sandhyak has arrived in Trincomalee on December 27, 2004 at 1000 hours with medical and general relief items and inflatable boats. One large transport aircraft IL-76 has also arrived with medical teams and medical and general relief provisions, a statement from the Indian High Commission stated. A medical team consisting of a doctor and two assistants flew in with 600 kilograms of urgently needed medicines, the first aid to reach the island.

French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka with a team of 100 doctors and rescuers.

China is sending relief goods worth 50 million yuan and 200,000 dollars as financial assistance to Sri Lanka to meet the emergency.

Pakistan has pledged US$340,000 to help the Sri Lanka crisis. Medical teams are also standing by.

Two Russian transport aircraft carrying a helicopter, tents and other equipment have also arrived. The rescue helicopter Bo-105 will fly over the area of the calamity and will search and evacuate people. The other plane will deliver relief supplies including 110 large tents and 2200 blankets.

An Israeli air force plane laden with emergency aid arrived in disaster-struck Sri Lanka on Tuesday. The plane brought in humanitarian supplies including tents, generators, blankets and medicine to Sri Lanka, the country hardest hit by the massive quake and tidal waves devastating south Asia. The Israeli humanitarian organization Latet ("To Give") sent a separate aid package filling a jumbo jet with 18 tons of supplies worth $50,000, at Sri Lanka's request. The group is considering sending additional aid shortly.

The first batch of China's relief materials carried by a China Southern Airline has left for Sri Lanka, at 9:25 a.m. Wednesday 29 December, according to an airlines official. The Boeing 747 aircraft, carrying 100 tons of relief materials, will fly from Beijing to Colombo.

Untiring rescue operations are currently underway. Many collective and coordinated efforts are made to help the country deal with the devastation and the carnage that have devoured the island nation.