Govt’s resettlement program on course

Lakshmi de Silva

The Government’s 180 day resettlement program is in progress with another batch of 1,500 civilians from the Manik Farm relief village being re- settled in Omanthai, Nochchimotai, Piramanalamkulam, Pirappumadu area tomorrow (Aug. 05), Vavuniya District Secretary P.S.M. Charles told the Daily News.

Reconstruction of roads, supply of electricity and water were already completed in these areas and the de-mining of the areas was also over, she said.

The Thandikulam checkpoint had been shifted to the Omanthai exit point so that it would enable the civilians to move about freely and this decision was taken after the discussions she had with the Security Forces Commander of Vavuniya Major General Kamal Gunarathna, she noted.

The Government had already taken steps to resettle nearly 5,000 civilians in their native places and had removed the fishing restrictions in the Mannar, Trincomalee and Jaffna areas allowing the civilians to engage in their normal livelihoods.

The Government had also provided the civilians with agricultural equipment, seeds and other essential requirements in the Musali area in the Mannar District.

To maintain law and order and to upkeep a better social fabric the Government had opened 17 new police stations and requested 47 Ministries to work together under the Uthuru Vasanthaya program.

The Vocational Training Ministry had started programs to train young people deprived of their youth and education in different trades while the Disaster Relief Services and Human Rights Ministry had also taken steps with the ex-combatants to resiliently adopt to civil society.

With new transport services being introduced in the region and opening up of new job opportunities to the IDPs a new life beckons them, an official said.