Northern Spring in Mannar, Vavuniya, Kilinochchi:

Speedy resettlement of IDPs in large numbers

Mannar Bishop, Rt.Rev Dr.Rayappu Joseph welcomes Chairman of the Northern Development Task Force Basil Rajapaksa.

Mr.Basil Rajapaksa along with Bishop of Mannar, Rt.Rev.Dr.Rayappu Joseph, Governor, Northern Province, Maj.Gen G.A.Chandrasiri and Army Chief, Lt.Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya goes around the areas where the IDPs have been resettled.

Chairman of the Presidential Task Force for the North Development Basil Rajapaksa opens the Divisional Secretariat of Manthai West area.

Selected civilians from 12,095 families were resettled under the Uthuru Wasanthaya (Northern Spring) program in Mullaithivu, Mannar, Kilinochchi and Vavuniya districts.

"Under this process, 8643 persons of 2583 families were resettled in Vavuniya district while 6631 persons from 2644 families will be resettled in Mannar District," the Government said in a statement.

A total of 16,394 persons of 4415 families will be resettled in Mullaithivu district and another group of 10017 persons of 2453 families will be resettled in Kilinochchi district, it added.

In a function connected with the resettlement of the IDPs held at Kanthankulam ground, Manthei in the Mannar district, Parliamentarian and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force for the North Development Basil Rajapaksa participated.

A spokesman from the Northern Governor's office said that civilians were resettled yesterday in 118 Grama Niladhari divisions in the four districts where mines were cleared and the infrastructure facilities were provided. He also said that with 41,685 civilians resettled yesterday, the government has by now resettled almost one hundred thousand persons in the Northern Province.

Parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa at the function said that Sri Lanka is the only country in the world that speedily resettled a large number of displaced persons who were affected by a civil war. He challenged those who criticize the government's resettlement drive to name a country, if any, which implemented such an accelerated resettlement program.

He pointed out that some countries which had huge number of internally displaced people due to natural disasters such as floods, landslides and cyclones a few years ago have yet not resettled their citizens. Chairman of the Presidential Task Force for the North Development Basil Rajapaksa also invited those persons who spread misinformation internationally to come to the country and witness for themselves the development programs being implemented by the government within a very short period of defeating terrorism. Minister Rishard Bathiutheen pointed out that the main opposition party and other political parties should stop their baseless criticism over the resettlement process and should join hand with the government to serve the people of this country.

Yesterday, each resettled family was provided with dried rations sufficient for six months, five thousand rupees in cash, a bank account deposited with Rs. 20,000 and a tool kit for daily usage.

Courtesy : Asian Tribune

The school children who have returned to their original places from the IDP centres chats with Mr.Basil Rajapaksa.

Happy faces of the IDPs who have been resettled in their orginal places. Pix : Chaminda Hittatiya