Northern resettlement begins
Chaminda PERERA in Mannar
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MP Basil Rajapaksa |
Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP yesterday said the
Government will not give into conditions from the international
organizations assisting Sri Lanka.
He was speaking at a ceremony to initiate the resettlement of
civilians displaced by terrorist atrocities in the Northern Province at
Savariarpuram in the Musali DS Division, Mannar.
Over 400 persons from 122 families in Savariarpuram in the Mannar
district were resettled in their original places of residence yesterday.
The Resettlement and Relief Services Ministry together with other
government agencies have taken serious efforts to ensure that these
people were provided all basic needs.
Schoolchildren of these families can attend schools from today. All
Government agencies such as DS office, Post office and stores are kept
open for civilians.
“Aid organizations should be honest in helping civilians who have
fled from the terrorists’ clutches. International agencies are engaged
in a futile attempt to create fissures among communities under the
pretext of assisting Sri Lanka. The government will not allow
international organisations to sow the seeds of disunity and division
among communities,” he said.
The resettled families who were engaged in fishing can resume their
livelihood without fear. The hardships and difficulties they had to
endure under the LTTE have now ended and the Government has created an
atmosphere in which they can lead peaceful lives, the Senior
Presidential Advisor said. He said the Government is committed to the
development of North which was deterred by terrorist atrocities for
decades. “We will hold an election for the Northern Province after
terrorism is completely eradicated. “Security Forces saved thousands of
innocent civilians at the expense of their own lives,” he said.
The Senior Presidential Advisor said the Government launched a
massive development drive in the Eastern province after terrorists were
flushed out from the area. The Eastern province has now seen massive
infrastructure development under President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s
directive. Dry rations and kitchen utensils were distributed among these
civilians by Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP.
Resettlement and Relief Services Minister Rishard Bathiutheen and
Ministers Karuna Amman and Douglas Devananda also spoke.
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