Madhu resettlement begins

Nimal Wijesinghe Anuradhapura Additional District group corr

The Defence Ministry has sanctioned the commencement of the resettlement program in Madhu road area in Mannar district. Anuradhapura Government Agent H. M. K. Herath on the request of the Resettlement Minister Milroy Fernando is coordinating the Madhu Road villages resettlement program.

Herath told the Daily News that he was making arrangements for the resettling under instructions of Minister Milroy Fernando and Minister Risath Bathiudeen.

There were nearly 250 Sinhala families in Madhu Road village stretching along the land belt starting opposite the Madhu Road Railway station and stretching along Madhu Road-Mannar main road for about four to five kilometres paralled to Yodha Ela.

They lived in harmony with their Tamil brethren depending on agriculture, inland fisheries industry, trading and bakery industry.

They were made to flee for life in 1985 due to fierce LTTE attacks and chased away by LTTE terrorists and were sheltered in the Anuradhapura Senapura refugee centre. Later we endeavoured to settle these families in the newly created 'Asokapura' in Mihintale," Herath said.

He said on the seventh, as a preliminary step of the proposed Resettlement program Minister Milroy Fernando toured the Madhu Road area and convened a special meeting at Madhu Road Bodhirajarama temple.

He said he himself with a batch of once displaced Madhu Road village residents were present at the meeting. Minister Risath Bathiudeen, Northern Province Governor G. A. Chandrasiri, Mannar Government Agent Nicholas Pillai, high ranking Ministry officials, Madhu Divisional Secretary along with divisional Army and Police Chiefs participated at the meeting.