Five years of development - Mullaitivu District:

North, East progress in full swing

by Ranil Wijayapala

The dusty roads, shattered buildings occupied by the armed men from both sides of the divide during the bitter battles that were fought in the district of Mullaitivu in the months upto May 2009, are now slowly returning to their original shape.

Slowly but steadily the civilians displaced by the prolonged war are back in their homesteads after ending months long stay at welfare camps which sheltered them until their lands were declared safe for them to return.

They are reviving their lifestyles with the assistance provided by the Government and Non-Government Agencies in the new peaceful environment.

The Government’s mega development drive has signalled a big change in the lives of the war battered community.

For many, the district of Mullaitivu resembles a land stretch in the North Eastern coast as they always focus on the now famous town of Mullaitivu surrounded Nanthikadal or Mullaitivu lagoon which created the stage for the final battle between the Security Forces and the LTTE in May 2009.

But many are unaware of the fact that, that Mullaitivu is a district which stretches from the North Eastern coast passing the Jaffna Kandy A-9 to the west reaching the borders of the Mannar district which lies in the North West of the country.

The administrative district of Mullaitivu formed in 1979, is bordered to the Mannar, Vavuniya and Trincomalee districts from the south and the Kilinohchi district in the North.

The district of Mullaitivu witnessed the beginning of the devastating battles and the final battle fought between the Security Forces and the LTTE to liberate thousands of Tamil civilians from the grip of the Tiger terror.

The famous Northern towns, Thunukkai and Mallavi located in the West of A-9 and Oddusudan, Mulliyavali and Puthukudiyiruppu in the East of A-9 road give a clear picture of the geographical location of Mullaitivu district.

Therefore, the officials now engaged in the process of resettling those civilians in the Mullaitivu district have to deal with the subject considering the areas which had created the stages for the battles at the first half of the humanitarian operation and the second half of the operation.

People who have been displaced from the areas in the West of A-9 road in the Mullaitivu district, where the Security Forces fought the first half of the battle have now been given priority in the resettlement programme.

The Mullaitivu district consists of 127 Grama Seva Divisions coming under Maritime Pattu, Puthukudiyiruppu, Oddusuddan, Thunukkai and Manthai East Divisional Secretariat Divisions. An estimated population of 220,311 lived in the district as at December 31, 2007.

According to government officials, the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Thunukkai, Manthai East have been given priority in the resettlement process, restoration of infrastructure facilities and mega development projects.

Apart from this, the Oddusudan Divisional Secretary’s Division located in the East of A-9 road has been selected for the resettlement of civilians. The only exception is the Puthukudiyiruppu and Maritimepattu DS Divisions bordering the North Eastern coastal belt in the North and South of Mullaitivu town.

The Government machinery is now well established in the Mullaitivu district to expedite the process of rebuilding the war shattered areas.

Due to the untiring efforts of the Government officials the resettled people in the district are making an effort to stand shoulder to shoulder with their counterparts in the other parts of the country in regaining their lost fortunes.

The Vadakkin Vasantham programme initiated under the leadership of the Senior Presidential Advisor and former MP Basil Rajapaksa and the commitment on the part of Northern Governor Major General (retd) G.A. Chandrasiri, and his staff and the leadership of Mullaitivu Government Agent Emelda Sukumar has made the pace of development taking place in the district a more lively one.

The administrative institutions, considered to be the backbone of a civil administration are being set up in the district.

One of the happiest persons to see this new development is none other than the Government Agent of Mullaitivu, Emelda Sukumar who works tirelessly to bring new hopes to the resettled people.

“I am happy that we were able to operate from our original District Secretariat from March 1, after security clearance was given by the Mullaitivu Security Forces Commander”, Mullaitivu GA Emelda Sukumar said in a happy mood.

She says that the resettlement process in Thunukkai and Manthai East has almost completed.

According to the latest statistics 7,986 people belonging to the 2,711 families have been resettled in 20 villages in the Thunukkai Divisional Secretariat Division. The total number of people to be resettled in Thunukkai is only 10,312.

Out of a total of 9,510 to be resettled in the Manthai East DS Division, 5,937 people belonging to 1,934 families have already been resettled in 15 villages.

Apart from this, 1,584 people belonging to 473 families have also been resettled in seven villages in the Oddusuddan DS Division.“We are hoping to complete the resettlement process in the three DS divisions once the security clearance is given after completing the de-mining process and the IDPs give their consent to return to their original villages”, Sukumar added.

“We are in the process of providing all what the people required to re-establish their livelihoods in their homesteads after their months long stay in welfare camps while improving the infrastructure facilities for the resettled people in these DS Division” the GA added.

The Government authorities and other organisations providing assistance to the resettlement process in the Mullaitivu district have supplied to each and every family returning to their homes with basic needs such as roofing and other building materials, cooking utensils, agriculture equipment to start their lives afresh.

Each family consented to be resettled in their villages, has been provided Rs. 25,000.

Apart from this the North East Community Restoration Programme funded by the Asian Development Bank and another World Bank funded programme have come forward to provide the beneficiaries with livelihood assistance amounting Rs. 25,000 from each fund. The re-establishment and the improvement of education and health sectors have been given top priority in the resettlement process.

Accordingly, 17 schools in Thunukkai DS Division, 13 schools in the Manthai East and two schools in the Oddusudan DS divisions have already been started to facilitate school education for 3,510 students. Accordingly 457 teachers are already serving in these schools.

Four Government hospitals, Mallavi and Naddankandal District hospitals, Mankulam Base hospital and Thunukkai hospital are now in full swing to cater to the health needs of the resettled families.

“More than 100 to 200 patients are being treated on daily basis at these hospitals”, the GA added while explaining the health facilities available for the resettled people.

“We have given our attention to agriculture and fisheries sector too by encouraging the people to engage in cultivation and inland fishing” she added. Apart from these activities, the nine co-operative outlets in the Thunukkai DS division, nine in the Manthai East DS Division and three MPCS outlets in the Oddusuddan DS division are operating to cater to the needs of the resettled people.

The Northern Governor, Major General (retd) G.A. Chandrasiri explaining the improvements in the resettlement process in the Mullaitivu district said the Government is committed to complete the resettlement of people within the shortest possible time-frame after the completion of the de-mining process.“Every week a group of IDPs is returning to their villages reducing the number of people living in welfare camps in Menik Farm”, he added.Commenting on the development activities of the Mullaitivu district the Northern Governor noted that Government has formulated a plan to improve the junction town Mankulam as the provincial administrative hub of the Northern Province which would be second only to Jaffna.

Mankulam Regional Urban Center Development project, will develop Mankulam as provincial administration centre equipped with a Police Complex, Courts Complex, Bus stand and Railway station.“We are planning to shift all major administrative and commercial activities to Mankulam enabling the people living in every part of the Northern province have accessibility to their administrative needs very easily”, he added.

The Government has already embarked on a project to construct a new transmission tower which would be the Sri Lanka’s tallest at a cost of Rs.400 million in Kokavil. The ongoing renovation project of the A-9 road to make the road more roadworthy and the opening of the A-9 road for general public have opened up new vistas of development for the Mullaitivu district.“We have already started a project to develop the area closer to the Murikandy temple as a commercial centre to facilitate vehicle bound for Jaffna peninsula”, the Governor explained.

He said for the convenience of people plying on the A-9 road, shops and other commercial establishments will be set up at Murikandi temple area which is used as a transit on their way to and from Jaffna.

“This will be a boon to the people living there as it would help increase their income level”, he added.

“We are trying our best to make use of all the available opportunities to uplift the living standard of the people in the Mullaitivu district”, he said.

According to available data the Government has allocated Rs.1,000 million for the development projects in the Mullaitivu district in the year 2009 for the amelioration of infrastructure facilities under ‘Uthuru Vasanthaya’ 180-day development programme.

Funds have been apportioned; Rs.125 million - road development, Rs.20 million - minor irrigation development, Rs. 40 million - education and Rs.17 million - cooperative sector development.

Under Maga Neguma programme, a sum of Rs.20 million has been allocated for the improvement of roads in the Mullaitivu district.

Meanwhile, the construction of the public markets in Mallavi and Palinagar at a cost of Rs.2 million funded by the Provincial Council is in progress.

The construction work of seven electricity schemes in Maritimepattu, two schemes in Oddusuddan and one scheme in Thunukkai has been undertaken by the Power and Energy Ministry at a cost of Rs.48 million.

Seventeen electricity schemes in Maritimepattu, Oddusuddan and Thunukkai funded by the CAARP are also under construction at a cost of Rs. 221 million.Under the irrigation projects, 9 tanks in Thunukkai at a cost of Rs.10 million, 3 tanks in Manthai East at a cost of Rs.2 million, one tank in Oddusuddan and Puthukudiyiruppu at a cost of Rs.6 million provided by PSDG have been renovated currently.

According to Government Agent this year too nearly Rs.2000 million will be allocated for the development activities in the Mullaitivu district to enable the people to start a new phase of life in a terror-free environment to make their district a more economically developed district.