Over Rs 2.5b since May 2009 on rehab

Since May 2009, the government has spent more than Rs. 2.5 billion for the rehabilitation of former LTTE cadres, the Rehabilitation Commissioner, Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe said.

“More than 8,000 former rehabilitated LTTE members have been reintegrated into society during the period and plans are afoot to reintegrate another 150 rehabilitated former LTTE cadres into society, next Friday,” he added. According to Major General Ranasinghe only 2,700 former LTTE cadres remain with them out of over 11,000 who came under rehabilitation at the end of the humanitarian mission in 2009.

The government spent Rs. 1.8 billion from May 2009 to May 2010 and another Rs 770 million from May 2010 onwards on rehabilitation activities, the Commissioner added.

According to him the former LTTE cadres have been provided with necessary education, vocational and skills training to enhance their employability.

“Some have entered University and other higher education fields. Many others are already employed or are engaged in other livelihood avenues including self-employment”.

“We have organized job fares, further vocational training courses and have arranged loan schemes to start self-employment programmes,” he added.

The Commissioner said that the remaining former LTTE members under their wing too would be reintegrated into society in the near future as soon as their rehabilitation activities are completed.