Govt taking all steps for IDP welfare - Defence Spokesman

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: The Government is doing its utmost to provide relief for more than 87,711 internally displaced people in Batticaloa who had fled uncleared areas in Batticaloa to seek refuge in cleared areas, Government Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.

Addressing the media at the weekly security press briefing, the Minister said that some people are trying to exaggerate the number of IDPs in Batticaloa district with various objectives.

“The Government is facing a fairly big problem but it is doing its utmost to provide them with basic facilities,” Rambukwella added.

However, the Minister said the Government has expedited resettling the displaced people from South of Trincomalee and Vakarai area to ease the present situation in Batticaloa.

“We are not letting the IDPs live in camps. The Government is compelled to make sure that all the displaced people are resettled in their original villages as soon as possible,” the Minister added.

“The Government is not shaking in its responsibility of looking after the displaced civilians,” the Minister said.

Minister Rambukwella recalled the way the Government took steps to create an environment for the people South of Trincomalee and Vakarai to return their original villages.

According to statistics 3,844 people have already been resettled in Vakarai area and 2,803 people from Trincomalee South have been shifted to a transit camp in Kiliveddi, Trincomalee.

“Another 21,197 who have been displaced from the South of Trincomalee area will also be resettled in their original villages soon,” Military Spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said. Brigadier Samarasinghe said 52,447 IDPs are now registered with the Security Forces and another 47,000 people are reportedly living with their relatives.