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by Ranil Wijayapala

The Government and the LTTE on Saturday agreed to have an integrated plan of action on resettling the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in the High Security Zones in the North.

Jaffna Commander Major General Sarath Fonseka will present the first such proposal for the resettlement of IDPs in a limited area in the high security zones in the Jaffna peninsula before December 21, for the consideration of the two parties.

The two parties agreed on this following the second meeting of the Sub Committee on De-escalation and Normalisation(SDN) held on Saturday in Muhamalai.

Meanwhile, the second meeting of the Sub Committee on Intermediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation Needs in the North and East (SIHRAN) commenced yesterday afternoon in Killinochchi and will continue till noon today.

At this meeting, the two parties will discuss regarding the provisional budget of the Secretariat, its organisational structure and selection of a custodian of the fund, the Peace Secretariat said yesterday.

The Norwegian and Japanese Ambassadors will also participate at this meeting. The Government delegation will be headed by Director General of the Peace Secretariat Bernard Goonetilleke.

The Norwegian Embassy which facilitated the second meeting of the SDN in Muhamalai on Saturday said the two parties agreed that a solution to the resettlement of IDPs in the present high security zones and other areas could only be solved through integrated plans of action.

The two parties agreed that plans for resettling of IDPs should be started in limited areas in the high security zones in consultation between the relevant Brigade Field Headquarters. These plans will be developed continuously while already-agreed plans are being implemented.

Accordingly, Jaffna Army Commander Major General Sarath Fonseka will present the first plan for the resettlement of IDPs in a limited area previously populated in the Jaffna peninsula before December 21.

This plan will thereafter be discussed and agreed upon at a meeting between Major General Fonseka and Colonel Theepan, the LTTE commander of the North with the assistance of Major General Trond Furuhovde, Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, as a consultant.

The LTTE will also come up with similar proposals on procedures on how to deal with the return of land and property to the rightful owners within 14 days.

These proposals will be presented to the Government and a decision regarding this matter will be made at the next meeting on SDN to be held in Omanthai on January 20, 2003.

The Norwegian Embassy said yesterday that the meeting took place in a conducive atmosphere and lasted for almost seven hours.

Defence Secretary Austin Fernando headed the Government delegation while Colonel Karuna Special Commander of the LTTE in Batticaloa and Ampara headed the LTTE delegation.

The Government delegation also comprised, Major General Shantha Kottegoda, Jaffna Commander Major General Sarath Fonseka, Brigadier S.R. Balasuriya, Group Captain Kolitha Gunathilaka, M.A. Majeed, SSP Nimal Lewke and Rtd Major General Devinda Kalupahana.

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