East is on the path to recovery

by Rasika Somaratne in Batticaloa

Wind of change is blowing once again in the battle scarred East.

This time the battle is to address the humanitarian issue of the internally displaced as the security forces with their heroic efforts has a firm footing in the area.

Areas which has been under LTTE control for more than a decade has been recaptured and lack of development in the areas are very much evident, so is the destruction caused by fleeing Tigers.

Thus another battle has begun for the government. This one is more difficult than the previous one which was fought by the security forces.

As the co-ordinating officer for civil administration of the Army's 233 brigade, Major Berty Perera explains. The humanitarian issue is a very sensitive one which should be addressed with great care.

According to Major Berty Perera the resettlement of IDP's in the East is clearly gathering momentum with 2900 people resettled during the past week in Parei Pattu and Vellawely areas. The resettlement of IDP's in the areas of Sinnawatta, Malayanadu, Kannupuram has been fully completed. Another batch of 4500 people are to be resettled during next week.

According to Major Perera 24 hour security has been provided to the newly resettled areas.

The upgrading of infrastructure facilities in the areas are continuing in addition to the facilities provided in the way of food, clothing, medical facilities, transport and education etc. In the Vellawely area 27 schools are fully functioning. All the wells have been cleared. Postal services have commenced with 1 main and 4 sub offices functioning.

Telephone facilities too are available and 2 dispensaries and the post office has been reopened. Electricity has already been provided. Transport is gathering momentum with Kalavanchikudy, Vellawely, Valaikalai bus services commencing.

All the Government offices have reopened. The Agriculture offices in Palugamam and Vellawely has recommenced work.

According to Batticaloa police, all the resettled have been issued with a temporary identification card.

The resettlement is coordinated by Presidential Secretariat, The GA and the Ministry of resettlement and Disaster Management along with the Security Forces.

The newly resettled people who spoke to 'Sunday Observer' said that they were never forced to go back to their areas, in fact they were delighted to return back to their original homes.

The people while appreciating the role played by the security forces and the civil administration appealed to relevant authorities to help them to go back to their livelihoods to enjoy a normal life with their families.

The resettlement programme in Vakarai is almost complete with nearly 15,000 people been resettled in this recently captured coastal fishing village. This sleepy coastal terrain in the A-15 route recently became the focal point in the ongoing battle in the East.

With the fall of Sampur the Tigers moved their men and material to adjoining Vakarai as such the threat to Sinhala settlements in the south existed with rebels moving to Vakarai.

Thus the capture of Vakarai has put paid to the doubts the security establishment had with regards to the threat on these villages.

Eleven out of 12 schools in Vakarai is fully functioning although there are handicaps.

The transport service too is improving. Momentum with 11 buses plying from Vakarai to nearby towns.

Electricity and water ha been provided with building of infrastructure in full swing. A lot of livelihood projects too are in the pipeline with Vakarai earmarked to be developed as a urban area.

When you consider the fact that Vakarai was under LTTE tyranny for over a decade. You would expect a heavily fortified fortress.

But Vakarai does not portray that picture with civilians moving in consumate ease. The rapport which has been built with security forces and civilians is very impressive.

The major stumbling block in the recently captured areas is the lack of development in the past decade. So inevitably the civil administrative is yet to achieve peak. But the evidence is there for everybody to see that the East is clearly on the path to recovery.