Over Rs 1,500 m to rehab detinues

Jayasiri Munasinghe

The Government expects to obtain between Rs. 1,500 million and Rs. 2,000 million through the International Organization for the Displaced, for the rehabilitation of persons arrested by the Security Forces and the LTTE cadres who have surrendered. An agreement in this regard will be signed between officials of the Justice and Law Reforms Ministry and the International Displaced Organization this week in Colombo.

Ministry sources said this agreement will be a boost to the Government's efforts to restore civilian life in the North after the defeat of the LTTE.

USA, UK, France, Japan and India have expressed their consent towards this grant, Ministry sources said. Under this program, arrested and surrendered Tiger cadres are to be given training in information technology, carpentry, masonry, tailoring and technical courses. "We hope to harness human resources in the North and East towards the country's economic development under this program," Ministry sources said.