Evil forces malign resettlement efforts

by Wijitha NAKKAWITA

A sinister plan was afoot to discredit the rehabilitation and resettlement of thousands of Tamil civilians of the North who had fled the grip of terrorists. President Mahinda Rajapaksa had assigned the highest priority for efforts and physical resources to be put into resettling and rehabilitating the civilians within the shortest period of time, senior government sources told Sunday Observer.

A certain section of the print and electronic media was trying to impress upon the Tamil civilians now being looked after by the government agencies including the District Secretary, Vavunia, the personnel of the three armed forces, Healthcare and Resettlement, Disaster Relief Services Ministries that they will not be resettled in their own villages and towns of the north soon and that it might take years not months for them to go back to their homes, Minister of Mass Media and Information and Investment Promotion Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said.

This was totally false and mischievous propaganda aimed at demoralizing and destabilizing those civilians who had suffered under the yoke of the terrorists for decades. President Mahinda Rajapaksa had not only directed the ministers and senior officials to ensure that each civilian who had fled the terrorist held areas past or present should be made to understand and feel that they were a part and parcel of the Sri Lankan nation and everything within the power and resources of the government was being done for them, he said.

A section of the media had been attempting to give the impression that the civilians who fled or were fleeing the terrorist held areas would be neglected by the government but this was very far from the truth. Adequate resources were allocated and personnel including doctors, nurses, teachers and even family health workers had been despatched to Vavunia where temporary housing, meals, medical care, schools, post offices and even clothing had been provided for them. The government had gathered much experience from the Eastern Province where there was an influx of tens of thousands of refugees from the LTTE controlled areas and within a span of a few months they were resettled and provided with all facilities including electricity, roads, safe drinking water, agricultural and fishery implements and even tools for vocational employment in the rehabilitation program that was admittedly successful, he noted.

Presidential Senior Advisor and member of Parliament Basil Rajapaksa personally inspected a majority of the rehabilitation resettlement and development programmes in the East, met the officials and the affected people and was doing so even in the north as President Mahinda Rajapaksa was monitoring almost on a daily basis the progress made towards the provision of welfare of the Tamil civilians arriving amidst the threats, harassment and even facing the gunfire of the LTTE terrorist outfit, senior official sources said.

Adequate food and medical supplies, even cooked meals and energy packs are being given to the fleeing Tamil civilians on their arrival as some were injured during their flight to freedom and some had undergone privations and starving for days at end till they were received by the members of the three armed forces and civil public servants at places like Thandikulam, Vavunia or other transit points in the north, sources added.

Fact sheet: February 24-Rescue of Tamil civilians - Sri Lanka Navy rescued 44 boat people fleeing from LTTE area

February 25-Navy vessels rescued 1000 patients of the Mullaitivu district and ferried them to the Trincomalee hospital for treatment _ The ICRC cooperated.

February 17 Food ship "Sinhabahu" took flour, dhal, sugar Etc for people in Wanni.

Feb 19-Food ship "Green Ocean" children's milk,sprats, tea, sugar, chillie powder etc.

On return trip "Green Ocean" 1060 patients brought to Trincomalee.

Feb 20-Food ship "Seruwila" took food stocks.

Feb 23 Ship "Green Ocean" - Medical Supplies and milk powder etc to the people of the North.