More families leave for Kilinochchi

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

Hundreds of displaced families living in Manik Farm Welfare Village in Vavuniya have left for their original homes to resettle in their homes of origin in the Kilinochchi district's Pudhikudiiruppu Divisional Secretariat area , which had once been a military nerve center of the LTTE.

Resettlement Minister H M Gunaratna Weerakoon yesterday said around 1,204 persons belonging to 380 families have moved away from Mank Farm to resettle in their homes of origin in Pudikudiiruppu east with the land-mines in the area being removed by the government's demining programmes.

“The Resettlement Ministry has allocated Rs 2.3 million to provide the resettled IDP's basic humanitarian needs , such as water, sanitation and hygiene, the minister said.

He said , 206 families were resettled in the Pudikudirruppu Divisional Secretariat area in the district on August 10.

Another 174 families were resettled in Mallikaithivu area in the Pudikudiirruppu east today (yesterday 13 ), he said.

The government has taken steps to provide them with provisions of food , water and other basic needs for six months. They will get a package of dry rations, he said.

“We have already resettled 265,523 persons belonging to 73,498 families who were living in Manik Farm in their original homes,” said Minister Weerakoon. .

“We have arranged to resettle some 1,183 families who have been living in Kadirgamar and Anandakumaraswami Welfare Villages in their original homes within a few months, “ the minister added.

“They will be resettled once landmines have been removed from areas they are to be resettled,” he added.