Associated Press

Colombo, July 8:

The United States said today it will not give money to a tsunami relief fund managed jointly by the government and the Tamil Tiger rebels, but encouraged other donors to participate.

“Because of legal restrictions, the US will not be contributing to the trust fund,” the US Embassy in Colombo said in a statement. The Tamil Tigers are on the US list of foreign terrorist organisations, which prohibits Washington from giving financial support to the guerrillas. The statement said the US supports the aid pact, adding that it can improve the lives of those affected by the December 26 tragedy, and encouraging other donors to participate. The fund is part of a controversial aid-sharing deal between the Sri Lankan government and the rebels to jointly distribute aid in the Tamil-majority north and east — parts of which are under guerrilla control. Sri Lanka’s government says the deal could help end the civil war.