Landmines, the greatest problem in resettling IDPs - Milroy Fernando

by Dhaneshi YATAWARA

With the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) decreased to 57,012 the Resettlement Ministry is now facing a broader challenge of restoring these resettled lives that were once distracted. "Our responsibility cannot be restricted to the people who immediately got displaced. There are more people of all three communities displaced who were the original settlers of the Northern Province," Minister of Resettlement Milroy Fernando told the Sunday Observer in an interview. He also said the hidden challenge of buried landmines continue to be the major problem the resettlement activities face in making the areas suitable for human habitation.

Here are excerpts from the interview:

Q: What is the present situation of the resettlement program?

A: The resettlement program is continuing satisfactorily. Landmines are the greatest problem, demining has to be completed before resettling - it is a must. The Government authorities and the de-miners cannot rectify problems after people get injured due to landmines by resettling them in non-cleared lands. Both the Sri Lanka Army and the Non-Governmental Organisations are working hard on de-mining these areas. But it is easier said than done.

Q: What is the present situation of the IDP Welfare centre in Cheddikulam?

A: At present, we have to cater only to 57,010 displaced people belonging to 17,282 families. Though the headcount of displaced people in these camps is reduced there is no cutback in the welfare measures. There are 4,075 people have gone out of the centres either for their jobs or personal requirements, with the approval of the authorities. The bus service still functions daily according to schedule. Children are attending schools as the Government has made arrangements with two national schools in Vavuniya to continue their education. The co-operative shops set up in these villages are still functioning. Water is supplied from the Malwatu Oya and in difficult times we continue the supply by providing water from bowsers. The welfare measures provided will not be curtailed for any reason. The families will be taken care of until they settle in their original lands.

Q: With the reduction of the number of IDPs in the Cheddikulam welfare centre, the Government was able to close down some of the areas of this complex. What is the present situation?

A: The ministry was able to close down Zone 5 as a result of the successful resettlement plan. Today the Kadirgamar relief village functions and shelters only 10,137 people belonging to 3,410 families. The Anandakumaraswami welfare centre (zone 01) shelters 14,172 people belonging to 4,465 families. The Ramanadan village is today has only 12,395 people and the Arunachalam village (zone 3) only 9,957 people. In zone 4 there are 5,440 persons belonging to 1,986 families and zone 6 has 255 persons belonging to 95 families. So the total figure as up to date stands as 57,010 persons belonging to 17,282 families. Out of this free movement passes are issued for 26,794 persons (figures as at Friday). Up to date 4,654 persons have not returned on given dates as stated by them after going out of the welfare centres for personal requirements on permission.

Q: What is the situation of the newly resettled villages?

A: Communities are progressing very well. We are now focusing more on strengthening the economy of the people. Most of the people are either farmers or fishermen. We are in the process of clearing the agricultural lands of these people so they can start their livelihood activities. Especially the paddyfields have not been cultivated for quite a long time and land is hardened making it difficult for the farmers to manually prepare the land. So, using heavy equipment and machinery we are clearing the land and getting ready to prepare the paddyfields for cultivation. Wells to store rain water are repaired and reconstructed and water pumps are distributed among farmer communities to clean those wells. We are distributing seed paddy and fertiliser free to all of the resettled farmers. Repairing irrigation canals and tanks by the Irrigation Department is under way.

Q: It was reported that a larger percentage of women among the resettled communities in the Eastern Province are widows. And the Northern province must be facing a worst situation. Since the East is restored to a larger extent it is easy to address this issue. How do you plan to tackle the problem in the North?

A: Yes, I quite agree that in most of the families being resettled in the North, the woman has become the sole breadwinner. Majority of them are widows. Many women have requested support to start self employment and the majority would like to do sewing, backyard poultry and farming. So, in our process of strengthening the economy of the people of these societies we greatly extend our services to empower women to build their lives and their families. Most of them are young mothers. To avoid forceful recruitment by the LTTE many have married at a very young age and later their husbands were forcefully taken by the LTTE and have died during the conflict. So they lack education, their parents and families are not in a position to support them and they have not been employed during their survival under the LTTE. So, to protect these women and their families first we have to equip them with a steady income and make the village environment safe for women and children. We are particularly concerned about this especial group of women in these societies.

Q: In order to restore normality it is essential to properly establish the social network. How are the societies of the villages regrouping and do you have a mechanism to monitor the progress of these transformations?

A: We see great improvements. Villagers are setting up Civil Defence committees in resettled villages in association with the Sri Lanka Police and the security forces. We constantly hold meetings with them.

In the Manthai DS Division there are 20 Civil Defence Committees functioning. In one of those meetings of the Madhu area villagers requested permission to run threewheelers from the Madhu junction to the church. We are working on it now. A year ago no one could find even a small boutique for many miles in these areas. Now we see people starting business step by step. In another year the change will be unbelievable. The ministry in association with the local Government authorities is monitoring the entire resettlement process. If such steps are not taken the process won't run smoothly. It will continue.

Q: What is the fate of the old IDPs - those who were displaced before 2005?

A: Yes, many of us remember only those who got displaced recently there were about 290,000 persons. Our responsibility cannot be restricted to the people who immediately got displaced. There are more people of all three communities displaced who were the original settlers of the Northern Province. The next step of our process would be to resettle those who were displaced since 1983 before Ealam War 4. This crowd includes a large number of Sinhalese and Muslims. Sinhala villagers living in the border of the Northern Province like Janakapura in Welioya and Kebithigollewa faced artillery attacks launched by LTTE located within Tamil villages. They had to shift in order to protect themselves. We see no difference in the needs of the displaced Sinhala, Muslim and Tamil people. The fear they felt is the same, their hopes are the same.

Q: The de-mining process requires a great deal of time due to its complexity. This itself can delay the resettlement process. So, how do you plan to complete resettlements by the end of this year?

A: If we continue at the same pace we will be able to. De-mining is the major problem in resettlement. The lands are infested with landmines. LTTE have buried landmines in every land. It is dangerous for people. Actually it was harming their own people. Such destruction might not have happened even during the Vietnam war. The LTTE were basically depriving and killing their own people.

The damage they have caused is immense. In my recent visit to Mannar area I witnessed that many houses had no roof. It was obvious that the houses were not severely damaged as if in a artillery attack. Roofs have been removed. Visiting all the previous war grounds it was evident that Sri Lanka Army has done their best to protect human habitations. That was a great help for our resettlement process.

Q: Does the responsibility of the Ministry ends with completing the resettlement process?

A: Not at all. The greater responsibility is restoring their lives back to normality. Actually it is a responsibility of the entire nation. Therefore, I request well-wishers to come forward and assist in this national task. Just criticising won't do. In May, 2009, I managed to collect shelter material and several other aids and went to Cheddikulam with some of my supporters to hand over them.

The authorities demarcated areas for us to build the temporary shelters and we did our job instead of roaming around finding faults and disturbing that process.

The duty of a patriotic citizen is to support the national process in rebuilding the devastated Northern province and bring life back to these people. I'm greatly satisfied in having this responsibility in my hands.