61,000 IDPs resettled last week:

More IDPs go home

The Government has accelerated the resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons housed in the IDP villages and centres in Vavuniya.

The de-mining process and the rehabilitation of infrastructure and other public services like schools were being completed by the Presidential Task Force on Rehabilitation and Resettlement headed by Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP, District Secretary Vavuniya P.S.M.Charles said.

“There are 171,000 IDPs of 54,625 families in welfare villages in Vavuniya as at yesterday and a total number of 61,000 IDPs were resettled in their own villages last week.

“Every other day IDPs numbering between 1,000 to 800 were being resettled”, she noted. Under the 190 day crash program and the Uthuru Vasanthaya rehabilitation program minor and major irrigation schemes, minor roads and highways have been renovated and infrastructure development were being done.

“There were temporary learning centres set up for children and the schools that were damaged during the war were being repaired and these schools would be reopened soon”, she said.

Although the monsoon rains had not started signs of rain were visible and we had a shower last Wedensday in Vavuniya. Further rain was expected in the next days and farmers could start cultivation in most of the areas where de-mining was already completed”, she said.

The largest ever resettlement program resettling 41,685 persons in four districts in 10 Divisional Secretary areas in 108 Grama Niladhari divisions was held on October 22.

The numbers resettled were Vavuniya 8,643, Mannar 6,631, Mullathivu 16,394 and Killinochchi 10,017 persons. (LdeS)