A ray of hope for resettling IDPs

by Mohammed NAALIR

Ministers Chandrasena, Badiudeen and other officials at Musali.

Minister of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development S.M. Chandrasena and Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services MinisterRishad Badiudeen hand over a consignment of food items to resettled IDPs

Thousands of innocent people who left their original lands in the North are returning to their lands with delighted faces.

The government has promised that majority of the IDPs will be resettledwithin 180 days under the 180-day accelerated development program.

The Muslims who were forcibly evicted by the LTTE in 1990 have started to come back to their own places with this prevailing peaceful situation in the North.

The grievances of the forcibly evicted Muslim Community who were forced to flee with empty hands from the North are being solved by the government under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The Northern region is now moving towards prosperity under the united Sri Lanka. The Government has expressed utmost concern over the sustainable development of the North and livelihood development.

Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development Minister S. M. Chandrasena said that the Northern province which was devastated by LTTE terrorists will be redeveloped with modern facilities available in the South and beyond the development activities carried in the Eastern province after liberating it from the clutches of the LTTE.

In place of dilapidated roads new roads have been laid. New buildings have been constructed. All sectors including education, irrigation, health, transport sector including road development and fishing sectors have been redeveloped in the Eastern province, Minister Chandrasena said.

IDPs eagerly returning to their homes - Pix: A.S.M.Irshad

Malar - A resident of the Kokkupadayan village in Silavatthurai left their original places of Kokkupadayan in 2007 as the military operation against the LTTE terrorists was intensified.

As the country was completely liberated from the clutches of the LTTE they could return to their native places in the prevailing peaceful situation after two years in the IDP camps and other places she added.

Malar noted that altogether 94 fishermen families left Kokkupadayan in 2007 and 18 families out of them were housed at the Rice Mill welfare camp located in Naanattan and rest of the 78 families stayed with relatives and friends.

She said that the government resolved the terrorist problem in the North. Now the only thing to be done by the Government is to promote education standards of the war affected community and provide infrastructure facilities for their livelihood development. There are several students who are studying for the G.C.E. (A/L) examination at the Murungan Maha Vidyalaya with huge difficulties.

The students of Kokkupadayan also stressed the necessity of deploying a school bus service between Kokkupadayan and Murungan in the morning around 6.00 (a.m.) and in the evening around 2.00 (p.m.) daily.

Ganeshan, father of one who is a resident of Kokkupadayan was housed at Pondhiyakandal IDP Welfare Centre. He returned to his own place with his wife and child. They got an opportunity to come back to their original lands under the Government's accelerated 180 days resettlement programme.

While he was staying in the Pondhiyakandal he was involved in agriculture activities and during free times he rendered labour for daily wages.

With the resettlement they are intending to send their children to Murungan Maha Vidyalaya as classes are available in the Kokkupadayan school only up to primary level.

He said the Government looked after them well in the welfare centres. Even though there were some difficulties we got enough rations in the IDP welfare centres and we could cook food ourselves.

R. Kediswaran resident of Kokkupadayan, he said that he is also highly satisfied with the resettlement programme initiated by the Government within 180 days. All barricades that prevented them from returning to their native places have been removed by the Government. He predicted a prosperous and fruitful life to the war affected community.

Kediswaran came to Kokkupadayan from Vavuniya years ago following the intensified military operation by the Government troops against the LTTE terrorists. They left this area and stayed in Naanattan. "Now we came back to our places as terrorism is no more".

He said that he got three children and all of them are schooling. He expressed gratitude to the President and the government for liberating them from the clutches of the LTTE terrorists. Mannar District Secretary Nicholas Pillai said that the Government is looking into the basicneeds of the people housed in welfare centres and welfare villages.

A. N. Darshan a student presently schooling in Murungan Maha Vidyalaya for his G.C.E. (A/L) Examinations said that the students of this area are undergoing immense difficulties to get to the school on time and get back home after school.

As the classes are only available up to grade five in Kokkupadayan Primary school the students of this area have to go to Mannar, Murungan, Pariharikandal, Naanattan and Arippu schools above year five.

Another student Santhan who is also a G.C.E. (A/L) student in Murungan Maha Vidyalaya said that providing electricity to this village is crucial. All students here have to study with kerosene oil lamps.

The A/L qualified school leavers are looking for vocational training courses from the Government. According to a resident of Kokkupadayan there are 10 students who passed the G.C.E. (A/L).

S. M. Samoon who is a native of Sukkulankulam left this village when the LTTE forcibly evicted the Muslims from the North.

He returned back to his original land putting an end to his twenty years refugee life.

He said that the reconstruction of the infrastructure facilities is crucial to resume fishing, agriculture and self employment.

R. M. Rifan who is also an IDP, arrived in Mussli from Puttalam. He said that he resettled in his own place with his family during the year 2002 but left to Puttalam back in 2006.

They will take a decision on resettling when arrangements are made to resume fishing and agriculture.