Ministers meet needs of villagers displaced by LTTE

Nimal Wijesinghe Anuradhapura Additional district group correspondent

ANURADHAPURA: Immediate relief measures have been taken for the people of Ethawetunuwewa displaced resulting the mortar attack to the village by LTTE terrorists.

A team headed by the Nation Building Minister S. M. Chandrasena along with Minister Tissa Karaliyadda, the Chairman of the Provincial Council NCP, SSP Anuradhapura Macarthy Perera and high ranking Government officials rushed to Elikimbulagala Maha Vidyalaya in Padaviya where the displaced from Ethawethunuwewa are accommodated.

Total of 350 families consisting of 1,700 men and women along with children have found shelter here.

The Ministers took immediate steps to provide the displaced families with drinking water, food, medicine, sanitary facilities and sufficient protection.

The victims stressed that they were highly reluctant to be housed in the school.

They demanded sufficient safety measures to their village and suburban villages such as Kiriibbanwewa, Nikawewa, etc., for them to occupy their own lands.

Having listened to the villagers, Minister Chandrasena telephoned the Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa apprising him of the position of the people and the surroundings.

The Minister informed the refugees who were highly depressed and disappointed that the Defence Secretary pledged to take immediate action to strengthen the security in the area.