TNA MP lauds IDP facilities

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** Lakshman Kadirgamarpuram Welfare Village setup following exodus of civilians

** Village has a school for children of displaced civilians

**Vocational training centre for youth

** Recreation facilities provided to the people

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Trincomalee district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian S. Vino Noharthalingam participating in Thursday’s (19) debate in Parliament on the draft Widows and Orphans Pension (Amendment) Bill praised the facilities provided by the Government to internally displaced persons who are now housed in the Kadirgamarpuram Welfare Village in Vavuniya.

“The Government has provided all facilities to the people at the Kadirgamarpuram Welfare Village. I saw how the people there are living freely without any fear. All essential services are provided to the people at the village. Youth receive vocational training and this should be really commended,” he told Parliament.

“Earlier their lives were threatened by the LTTE but now there is no threat to their lives,” the MP added.

The Government set up the Lakshman Kadirgamarpuram Welfare Village following the exodus of civilians from the newly liberated areas in the North in January 2009.

This village has a school for children of displaced civilians and also a vocational training centre for youth who are in the village.

Recreation facilities are also provided to the people in addition to common amenities. In contrast to the usual tents where IDPs are normally housed Kadirgamarpuram Village has separate temporary houses for the displaced civilians who will move into their new places of residence once de-mining is completed and necessary infrastructure facilities are established.

Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP visited the village as soon as it was established to personally look into the facilities provided to the IDPs.

A delegation of Ambassadors and other high ranking diplomats who toured the welfare village in early March were highly pleased with the facilities there.

The delegation comprised South Korean Ambassador Choi Ki Chul, Indonesian Ambassador Djafar Husein, Russian Ambassador Vladimir P. Mikhaylov, French Ambassador Michel Lummaux and Japanese Embassy Counsellor K. Shimasak.