Tamil civilians blame LTTE for their plight

Tamil civilians who managed to escape from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to safe zone camps on Monday blamed the Tigers for their plight.

“I am happy that the Gvernment is trying to rehabilitate us after liberating us from the LTTE,” Parmeswari, who managed to escape from an uncleared area in Vanni said.

She had lost her relatives and friends in Kilinochchi and is unsure of the whereabouts of her husband.

“I along with my husband and children were all escaping from Kilinochchi but my husband, the last one trying to cross over to army controlled area, was caught by the LTTE and prevented from leaving Tiger areas in the Vanni,” Parmeswari, who is now lodged at the Internally-displaced Peoples (IDP) camp told PTI.

She blamed the LTTE for the “sorrowful” plight of Tamil civilians in the once Tiger-dominated Vanni and said the LTTE had brought things to such an extent. An emotional Parmeswari could hardly speak when she said that she did not know the whereabouts of her husband. “I don’t know whether he is still alive or forcibly dragged into the LTTE fighting force and killed,” she said.

Vavuniya Government Agent P.S.M. Charles, said the Government has allocated Rs. 300 million just for the IDP permanent camps coming up near the town with basic facilities such as water and electricity.

About 2,800 people had already moved into these permanent camps and the infrastructure is being enhanced to accommodate 500 more families, he said. The officials pointed out that the transit camp was a temporary stay place for the IDPs and they would be moved to independent metal sheet houses being built very soon.

“Our ultimate aim is to sent back the IDPs to the original places such as Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and the Vavuniya fringes after the Security Forces fully finish the LTTE,” a Government official said.

Charles said the screening process in the permanent camps was on and would be completed within three weeks after which the IDPs would be categorised into various sections. “We can then arrive at a conclusion on what job orientation program they have to be given,” Charles said.