IDPs return to homesteads after demining

P. Krishnaswamy and Vavuniya Special Corr.

Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe told the Sunday Observer that the Government’s objective in liberating the people of the North from the clutches of the LTTE was to restore democracy and provide all necessary infrastructure for development and economic prosperity of the people with opportunities for their livelihood.

Displaced refugees from the Wanni who are now being housed in welfare centres in Vavuniya would be resettled in their own native villages as soon as possible after the ongoing demining process is completed and basic infrastructure facilities were provided.

Social Services and Social Welfare Minister and Chairman of the Northern Province Development Task Force, Douglas Devananda, arrived in Vavuniya yesterday (Saturday) on a two-week visit to personally look into the problems of nearly 40,000 displaced refugees housed in welfare centres and to make sure that relief measures, proper shelter and all other facilities were being provided to them.