Number of IDPs dwindles at relief villages

by Dhaneshi Yatawara

Of the total number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) only 25,389 depend on welfare measures provided by the Government and Non Governmental Organisations, according to the Ministry of Resettlement.

As of last week 22,109 people have temporarily left the relief villages after informing the officials. People leaving the relief villages temporarily receive a special pass for their movements. Most of these people travel to the nearest urban area to work and return to the relief village later in the day.

The Others have moved to different parts of the country for their personal needs. Of the 22,109 people 4,304 had not returned on the given dates.

Accordingly 7,698 persons are sheltered in the Kadiragamar Relief Village in Cheddikulam, Vavuniya. Another 12,701 persons are at the Anadakumaraswami relief village, 9,065 people at the Ramanadan relief village, 8,513 IDPs at the Arunachalam relief village, while 5,062 and 155 ar at relief villages in zones 4 and 6. Only people from the Mullaitivu district remain AT these relief villages.

According to the Ministry of Resettlement 9,712 persons had been permitted to leave the relief villages on humanitarian grounds. On medical grounds, 420 IDPs have left the villages.

Two hundred and four university students and 432 persons of families belonging to clergymen have been released so far over 2,040 pregnant women had been permitted to leave the villages to live with their relatives.

Nearly 9,100 elderly people (over 60 years) were handed over to their next of kin and another 393 elders were transferred to elders' homes.

According to the latest figures, 218,189 people have left the relief villages. They were released by the authorities on humanitarian grounds or resettled in their original lands.