Fourth SIHRN meeting in Kilinochichi

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 February 2003, 17:41 GMT]
Fourth meeting of the SIHRN took place in Kilinochchi at the premises of SIHRN secretariat. Mr. Bernard Gunatillake headed the Government delegation and S.P Thamilchelvan lead the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) delegation. Ambassador Jon Westborg facilitated the meeting on behalf of the Norwegian Government. Ambassador Seichro Otsuka of Japan participated on behalf of Mr. Yasushi Akashi, principal advisor to the Sub-Committee.








Excerpts from the press release issued by SIHRN follow:

The Sub-Committee decided to initiate a programme for the resettlement of displaced persons in the Mannar District. The programme will respond to the needs and interest of all communities in the Mannar District. The Secretariat has been requested to initiate a Needs Assessment for the resettlement of internally displaced persons from the district.

Under the overall resettlement program, the Sub-Committee agreed:

1. to establish a resettlement program for the Mannar District in order to meet the needs of all displaced communities;
2. that the Mannar district will be assessed by five Assessment Teams comprising the following members GOSL – 02 (at least one member to represent the Muslim community) LTTE – 02 UNHCR – 01;
3. that these Needs Assessment Teams should as part of their work ensure that original residents, displaced outside the district of Mannar are also consulted,
4. that the reports of the Needs Assessment Teams should be submitted by 31st March 2003.
5. that an implementation proposal is to be developed based on the reports of the Assessment Teams. The implementation proposal shall be developed by a team comprising 2 members each from the GOSL and the LTTE and the UNHCR; and that the work of the Assessment Teams shall be coordinated by the UNHCR

SIHRN, to accommodate the urgent needs of the people, gave its final approval to the following projects that will be implemented as soon as the finances has been made available by the donors through the World Bank:

• The first phase of the road between Mullaitivu –Mankulam-Vellankulam
• Centre (located in Kilinochchi) for mentally traumatized women
• Renovation of paddy storage facility in Mannar district
• Construction of ice plants in Thirukovil and Saintthamaruthu in Jaffna and Ampara District respectively
• Resettlement of 8 villages, one in each of the eight districts in the North East

In addition 10 further projects were approved subject to certain clarification from the Director of the Secretariat of SIHRN: Emergency care unit in Kilinochchi, improvement of Mullaitivu Hospital, irrigation project in Kalmadu, irrigation projects in Miyankallukulam Kiran in Batticaloa, resettlement and rehabilitaion project in all districts, skill and capacity development in Mullaitivu, Amparai and Mannar districts, milk chilling and processing facility in Kilinochchi, construction of ice plant in Mullaitivu District, construction of ice plant in Jaffna District and rehabilitation of Pottuvil Hospital in Ampara District.