Uprooted civilians from Vadamaraadchi East refused permission to resettle

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 May 2010, 05:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Jaffna Commander and Jaffna Government Agent (GA) who met the uprooted civilians from Vadamaraadchi East still held in Thenmaraadchi interim refugee camps told them Sunday that they cannot be resettled in their own places immediately, sources in Jaffna said. Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) which controls Vadamaraadchi is reluctant to allow resettlement of the original residents, mainly fishermen, as they do not want to hinder the Sinhalese fishermen who now monopolize the deep seas with their trawlers from Naakarkoayil to Mullaiththeevu where most of the fish are caught in Jaffna peninsula, fisheries society representatives in Vadamaraadchi said.

The SLA Commander and the GA claimed that Vadamaraadchi East is dangerous for resettlement as it is still infested with landmines.

SLN, occupying Vadamaraadchi East after the capture of the area from Liberation Tigers, however, have so far not permitted any de-mining in the area either by humanitarian de-mining organizations or by SLA landmine removal units.