Resettlement of IDPs:

Sri Lanka sets world record

Lakshmi de Silva

Tiny Sri Lanka had set a world record by resettling a larger number of IDPs within few months while the big countries could not do so in many years. Hurricane Katrina victims are still living in temporary shelters. But most of these countries did not have a problem of land mines or security problems about their IDPs.

But after clearing land mines we have now settled nearly 100,000 IDPs, Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP said at Kanthankulam Manthai West recently when he visited the IDPs who were being resettled.

This was not an easy task but a very tedious effort made by the government with the assistance from friendly countries, INGOs, NGOs, specially our neighbour India with its State of Tamil Nadu also encouraging us amidst criticism, he said.

Resettling IDPs in their native villages and towns was one of the priorities of the government and from the time President Mahinda Rajapaksa gave instructions the Governor Northern Province, District Secretaries, Divisional Secretaries and other officials from different government departments were involved in planing, monitoring and evaluating the progress made under the 180 day crash program Wadikkal Vasantham, he added.

If not for the dedication and sacrifices of the armed forces we would not be able to settle such a large number of IDPs in a such a short period. Also the police department helped to ascertain the identity and of people and gave clearance to resettle them assisting us to speed up the resettlement program, he said.

The problem of IDPs was not confined to Sri Lanka but to many countries that had faced such situations or under different circumstances such as floods, tsunami, earthquakes, landslides or hurricanes or other calamities. But it was Sri Lanka that resettled such a large number of IDPs within a short period, he emphasized.

Under the Wadikkal Vasantham 180 day crash program new roads, renovated minor and major irrigation schemes, built new Divisional Secretary offices, schools and improved all other infrastructure facilities in the Northern Province.

Eluvankulam bridge in Puttalam, Mannar-Jaffna road, Sangupity bridge, renovation of railway stations and rail roads would provide better transportation facilities to the community, he said.

At the ceremony held to resettle IDPs at Kanthankulam there was a spectacular rhythmic dance performance put up by the National Youth Council Dance troupe on an open stadium which took away the attention from the official function for a moment. The army personnel distributed drinks and food to the large number of IDPs at the ceremony without disturbing the proceedings.