IDPs back in their villages soon

By P. Krishnaswamy

Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Minister Rishad Bathiudeen rejected as out of hand reports in certain sections of the media that the large number of displaced civilians of the north arriving in Vavuniya from the LTTE controlled area in Mullaitivu region are to be kept in temporary settlements for a period of three years. The Government had no such intention nor the necessity of keeping the displaced people over a long period like three years but instead all concerted efforts and arrangements would be made to ensure their resettlement, in their own villages, before too long, possibly before the end of this year.

In the aftermath of the liberation of the eastern province, 40,000 displaced people in Muttur were resettled in a matter of 40 days and similarly the several thousands of people displaced from Batticaloa and Trincomalee were resettled in their own homes within a very short period. Power supply has now been restored in Musali, Madhu, Mankulam and several other areas of the Wanni and rehabilitation of the A 32 Mannar-Jaffna Road has already begun.Repairs to the Sangupiddy-Pooneryn bridge have also been commissioned. These are part of the preliminary arrangements that have been initiated to resettle the refugees as soon as possible and the process will start immediately after de-mining the areas, the Minister stated.

Meanwhile, official sources of the Vavuniya district secretariat said that over 30,000 people who fled the LTTE-held territory in Mullaitivu and arrived at Vavuniya are housed in 20 schools, two student hostels and two welfare centres and their influx was on the increase day by day. An area of 1000 acres was being cleared working round the clock using heavy earth moving equipment, including 40 bulldozers and backhoes, for construction of semi-permanent housing units in the vicinity of the Menik Farm welfare centre with half of the target have already been completed. Building materials for the construction of the houses have arrived, funds needed for the process have been released and houses would be constructed in four settlements, each covering an area of 250 acres, the sources said.