Eastern resettlement before June end

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: Steps are being taken to resettle the displaced people in the East by the end of June with the completion of de-mining and the establishment of Police stations and other infrastructure, Military Spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said yesterday.

Brigadier Samarasinghe said the Police Special Task Force is establishing camps in the west of Batticaloa and the South of Chenkaladi - Maha Oya road to facilitate the resettlement of people.

"The Maha Oya - Chenkaladi road will soon be open for the public with the completion of de-mining," Brigadier Samarasinghe added.

Brigadier Samarasinghe said four STF personnel were killed in a pressure mine explosion on Sunday. He said 17,814 people have already been resettled in the Eastern province and another 118,153 are yet to be resettled. Brigadier Samarasinghe said that process will be completed in four phases commencing from May 14.

First, people in Porathivu and Vellaveli will be resettled commencing from May 14 and the second phase will commenced on June 10 to resettle people in Kokkadicholai, Pattipola and Vavunathivu.

He said 26,000 people have already been provided with identity cards and the process will be completed before resettlement in their original villages. "The Government intends to complete the entire process by the end of June," he added.

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DPL restrictions to Eastern Province lifted

Manjula Fernando

COLOMBO: The Foreign Ministry yesterday lifted the travel restrictions imposed on envoys and diplomats visiting the Eastern Province after the military forces declared all LTTE controlled 'pockets' in the three districts, cleared.

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama announcing the decision which came into force from 3.00 p.m. yesterday, said this has been made possible due to the improved security situation in the East.

Earlier the Minister briefed the diplomatic corp over development and humanitarian condition in the east and the current state of the SLFP's political proposals for the All Party Representative Committee.

The decision to advise diplomatic heads to seek prior approval from the Foreign Ministry when travelling to Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Ampara was taken two months ago following an LTTE artillery attack targeting a group of diplomats in Batticaloa on a humanitarian mission.

The group accompanied by the Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe came under attack soon after arrival at the Batticaloa airbase. Bogollagama said military operations instigated by the Mavil Aru sluice gate blockade by the LTTE led to liberating the entire eastern province including LTTE dominated pockets in Vakarai, Muttur and most recently Batticaloa.

The restrictions on North still stands, the Minister said adding it was still not safe for free travel and he as the Foreign Minister is responsible for the safety of the diplomatic community based in Sri Lanka.

"I hope the day would soon come when we could go to North without any restrictions."