‘Only original dwellers will be resettled’
Chaminda Perera
*Not a single family other than original dwellers were resettled in
the villages in the Musali Division
*Health facilities, schools and vocational training centres in
welfare camp complex
Transport Minister Dullas Allahapperuma on behalf of the Government
yesterday stressed that the Sinhalese will not be settled in earlier
Tamil dominated areas when displaced persons are resettled in the North.
Addressing a press briefing at the Mahaweli Centre in Colombo, the
Minister emphasised that no Sinhala colonies will be established in the
areas where only Tamil people were living during the resettlement
process.
Scoffing at a Parliamentarian’s comment to Times UK online, that the
Government is trying to settle Sinhalese in Tamil villages under the
cover of resettling displaced in the north, the Minister said not a
single family other than original dwellers were resettled in the
villages in the Musali Division in Mannar.
“The Government has no intention to Sinhalize people in Tamil
dominated areas. We have not settled any outsider family other than
permanent dwellers in the Eastern province,” he said.
The Minister said the displaced people in the Northern Province will
be resettled in their original places of residence as soon as possible
and the Government has not even thought of settling Sinhalese people in
these areas.
Minister Allahapperuma also rejected the allegation that over 2,400
people die in the Menik farm welfare centre complex every week.
He said the Government has provided all facilities to these people
and Japanese Special Envoy Yashushi Akashi also admitted that conditions
in the welfare camps were satisfactory.
The Government looks after their welfare including health and
educational requirements.
“We have established health facilities, schools and vocational
training centres in this welfare camp complex,” he said.
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