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| Sunday, 13 February 2005 |
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All the paramilitary groups should be disarmed, says LTTE LTTE political commissar in Jaffna C. ILAMPARITHY in an interview with Sunday Observer staffer RANGA JAYASURIYA complained that the government's post tsunami assistance to the North-East was inadequate and that his cadres in Jaffna had been threatened by para-military operatives. Q: How are you co-operating with the Government on post -tsunami relief work? A: The Government did not act soon after the disaster struck. We deployed all our resources to address emergency humanitarian needs in the absence of any government role. The Government's first assistance came five days after the tsunami. Now we have formed a joint task force to coordinate tsunami relief and reconstruction work with committees at the village level, Divisional level and District level with a government representative at each level. Each committee has a representative from local fisheries community, local NGO, a Government representative in the form of Grama Sevaka, AGA or the Government Agent at the three levels and a representative from the LTTE planning and development secretariat. We have formulated plans to resettle displaced families in new houses within six months and are waiting for resources. This structure is in place in the entire North-East sans government controlled areas in the East. Q: The Government may have been late, spend too much time to address the shock of tsunami. But, now it is sending relief and reconstruction assistance to the North-East? Are you satisfied with government's assistance? A: The government's assistance is inadequate. Daily allowance of 45 rupees per person is not sufficient. Only rice can be bought from that amount. There are about 1526 persons confirmed dead by tsunami in the Jaffna district. But, only 356 families of deceased have received 15,000 rupees compensation. The 5,000 rupees initial allowance paid to the displaced people have not yet been issued. The Government had provided only six water pumps to three local government bodies in Point Pedro, VVT and Puloli. How can we clean thousands of wells with only six motors? Q: About your previous claim on the funeral allowance, the government agent told us over 900 families, or exactly 932 families had been granted the 15,000 rupees allowance and only 324 cases out of 1256 confirmed deaths have to be paid? A: I am also referring to his reports. I can prove it. Only 356 families have been paid. But, I know most families in the South have been paid. The entire Island was affected by tsunami. But the situation in the North-East is fundamentally different given the destruction on the two decades of war, and out of nearly 40,000 who were killed by tsunami 20,000 are from the North-East. So the North-East should receive special attention. Q: There is a proposal to provide alternative land to those who were displaced due to the High Security Zones. What do you think about it? A: That is I don't think feasible. It is not possible to find alternative land in Jaffna which can match the value of land now occupied by the High Security Zones. Perhaps, the only available land is the one which is near the coast. That land is barren and not suitable for cultivation. It is not acceptable for a Government which is bound to protect the right of the people, to brazenly violate same rights, pointing to security as a lame excuse. Q: Now, the LTTE political commissar in the East, Kaushalyan had been gunned down. East is somewhat dangerous place for LTTE political work. Do you feel you and your colleagues in Jaffna are safe? A: LTTE political cadres in Jaffna have been threatened by paramilitary group operatives and some army intelligence officers on a number of occasions. Recently one paramilitary operative came in front of our Kyts office armed with a pistol and threatened the political leader in Kyts, Radan. On January 29, military intelligence operatives came to our Achchuveli office and threatened people there. Our supporters have been threatened by para military operatives on a number of occasions. Q: Do you mean that you need extra security? A: Under the ceasefire Agreement, all the paramilitary groups should be disarmed. But, Karuna group in the East and the EPDP in the North carry weapons. The Government should disarm them. If they can not do that, we should also be permitted to carry arms. |
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