Akashi satisfied over progress at IDP villages

The Foreign Ministry said yesterday that visiting Japanese Special Envoy Yasushi Akashi had expressed his satisfaction over the progress he witnessed at the IDP welfare villages in the North, since his last visit to Sri Lanka.

The Ministry in a statement said that Akashi at a discussion with the Foreign Minister and other officials had said that normalizing the living conditions of the IDPs was a daunting task for any country, and in this context, Sri Lanka had been coping with the humanitarian situation with tenacity and sincerity.

Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, while acknowledging the existence of shortcomings in the welfare villages and IDP camps, had emphasized that the Government was taking concerted action to improve the facilities and services in these locations.

During discussions he had also pointed out that the welfare villages were under civilian control. Referring to the presence of the military, the Minister had said that their role was to provide security to the camps and to clear and build basic infrastructure to accommodate the displaced persons.

The Minister had also reiterated the Government's firm commitment to the implementation of the 180 day program to resettle 80 percent of the IDPs in their native places, which has already begun in the Mannar district.

The Ministry also said that during the discussions, the need for international community to help Sri Lanka rebuild the conflict damaged infrastructure in the North too had come under close scrutiny.

The Japanese delegation had responded positively to the request for financial assistance to undertake de-mining of areas in the North, to make them safe for human habitation and economic development they added.

Japan has already contributed US$ 2.1 million this year to finance de-mining operations in the North.Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said the immediate priority for the Government was to address the humanitarian needs of the IDPs, who have undergone untold pain and suffering.

He said the Government was committed to restore the livelihoods of these people, which would enable them to return to their homes and rebuild their lives. In this context, he underscored the need for rapid economic development of the North, which will open new vistas of opportunity.

Referring to the political process which is underway to find a lasting solution to the conflict, Prof. Peiris pointed out that one of the most heinous acts the LTTE had committed in the past had been to destroy the entire political leadership of the Tamil people.

In this backdrop, it is the expectation of the Government that by holding local government elections in the North, space would be created for the emergence of a new and viable leadership among the Tamil community.

Having defeated terrorism, it was of paramount importance that this victory be translated into political empowerment of the people and economic development of the North. In the past, some of the political proposals could not be implemented due to a lack of consensus in the South.

Therefore, the Minister pointed that it was essential that the APRC proposals that are being finalized should command the support of the people.

Foreign Secretary, Dr. Palitha Kohona, Justice and Law Reforms Ministry Secretary and Commissioner General of Rehabilitation, Suhada Gamalath, Secretary to the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage, senior officials of the Foreign Ministry and relevant line Ministries were on the Sri Lankan delegation. Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Kunio Takahashi and accompanying members of the Japanese delegation were associated with Akashi.