Govt resettlement action plan:

Curtain falling on IDP camps

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

Welfare camps in the Eastern and Northern provinces have been closed with over 95 percent of the quarter million internally displaced persons in them having returned to their homes. The government is set to provide them with permanent houses, Resettlement Ministry officials told the Daily News yesterday.

The Indian government has promised funds to build 50,000 houses for displaced families in Jaffna, the sources said.

“Moves are underway by the ministry and the Construction Engineering Ministry to launch a massive housing programme for the resettled.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees is assisting the process,” the sources said.

Resettlement Ministry Secretary Uthpala Basnayaka said the curtain will fall on the country’s last couple of IDP camps in Menik farm, Vavuniya, Anandakumaraswami camp and the Kadirgamar camp within the next two months.

”The Resettlement Ministry is taking steps to resettle the 2,020 displaced families (7,000 individuals) in Menik Farm, to officially end the resettlement process. The Ministry will give houses to them in the Kombavil area,” he said. Meanwhile, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed Resettlement Minister Gunaratne Weerakoon to expedite the ministry’s resettlement process in the Trincomalee district with special directions to settle those internally displaced in the Sampurai area. According to Economic Development Ministry sources, there are 1,000 families in Sampurai who have been internally displaced in the area, but live with their friends, relatives and host families.

Asked about the resettlement in Jaffna, Basnayaka said the process will end once landmines have been removed from the areas. “We have resettled 14,000 IDPs in areas which have been cleared of landmines,” he explained.

Of the internally displaced, the government has resettled 29,907 persons in Jaffna, 85,212 in Mannar, 36,270 in Vavuniya, 73,318 in Mullaitivu and 120,943 in Kilinochchi. It has resettled 127,344 persons in Trincomalee, 148,218 in Batticaloa and 159 in Ampara.

Resettlement Ministry Secretary Basnayaka assured that they will complete the resettlement process before the year end.