Sinhala families in Jaffna:

New land for the displaced

Chamikara Weerasinghe

All Sinhala families in IDP centres in Jaffna will be resettled. They will be given new land, Resettlement Minister Milroy Fernando yesterday promised 150 displaced Sinhala families living in makeshift tents at the Railway Station.

Minister Fernando told the families that he will brief to President Mahinda Rajapaksa about their problems.

He assured them that they will get food, water and sanitary facilities and extra care from the Ministry during their stay in the IDP centre. He ordered Rs1,000 allowance be paid to every member of each displaced family.

Fernando told the Daily News, “ they have hitherto been paid Rs 200 and from now on they will be paid Rs1,000 .”

”I called the Essential Services Commissioner, the Jaffna District Secretary and other local authorities to ensure that they get enough supply of food and water,” said Fernando. As pointed out by some Sinhala families at the IDP centre, they were forced to live in the centre as their homes and lands have been occupied by others.

They were chased out of their homes by the LTTE terrorists in 1983. They have been living in temporary shelters since then until they came to Jaffna recently to settle in their original homes.

Asked why that the returnees could not settle in their original homes, Minister Fernando said they have gone to Jaffna after 30 years.

Their lands had been occupied by others since then.

Asked if it was prolonged occupation by others or any legal matter that has led to the situation of Sinhala families having to live in IDP centres, Minister Fernando said there is no legal issue obstructing their rightful ownership to their properties.