08 November, 2004 - Published 18:11 GMT

Appeal to religious leaders for hostage release

The Sri Lankan government is appealing to Islamic religious leaders to secure the release of the Sri Lankan truck driver taken hostage in Iraq.

Sri Lankan deputy foreign minister Vishwa Warnapala told the BBC Sandeshaya that Sheik Harek-Al-Dhari has already been approached by the Sri Lankan embassy in Kuwait.

He was hopeful that the hostage takers will show compassion to hostages during the Ramadan period.

Information earlier received by diplomatic missions in Kuwait said that Sri Lankan Dinesh Dharmendran Rajaratnam and Bangladeshi national Abul Kashem Mohammed Farooq were taken hostage by an armed group called Ansar Al- Sunna (Supporters of Prophet Mohammed) in Iraq, while delivering supplies to a US army base in Baghdad on the 21st of October.

No demands

The deputy minister said that no demands have been made by the hostage takers.

Members of Dinesh Rajaratnam's family told the BBC that Rajaratnam was not paid the promised monthly salary of Sri Lankan Rupees 25,000 by Kareem Lanka that charged him the sum of Sri Lankan Rupees 68,000 to secure a job in Kuwait.

Therefore, the truck driver had to work extra to supplement his income in order to provide his wife and three children, as well as paying the debt incurred in paying the foreign employment agency, said his wife Doreen Rita.

The deputy minister told BBC Sandeshaya that the Sri Lankan foreign bureau has been entrusted with the task of looking into the allegation.

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