Discussion on making documentary on Vali North IDPs

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 April 2005, 15:38 GMT]
A discussion was held at the Tellipalai Divisional Secretary’s office in Jaffna Saturday to prepare a documentary on the plight of the thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Valigamam North division of the northern peninsula. The IDPs homes, villages and entire towns in the division were garrisoned by the Sri Lankan armed forces fifteen years ago. “The documentary will be aimed at drawing the world’s attention to the long suffering of IDPs who lost their homes to the Sri Lankan military”, Mr. T. Ganesh, President of Valigamam North public organizations told TamilNet.

The discussion was called by Tamil National Alliance MPs for Jaffna and by the federation of public organizations in Valigamam North.

“We can regain our homes and villages only if we struggle and stand united. There is no other way to solve this problem. We have to struggle against the Sri Lankan government and its armed forces even if we have to lay down our lives in this fight”, said Mr. Krishnan Sivanesan, Tamil National Alliance MP for Jaffna, speaking at the discussion.

Mr. Ganesh warned TNA politicians that they should do more to help the IDPs regain their homes. “We cast the ballot for the house. But you have not yet got our homes back for us”, he told the TNA MPs present at the discussion. (TNA’s e;ection symbol is a house)

TNA MPs for Jaffna Mr. Mavai Senathirajah and Mr. Suresh Premachendran also took part in the discussions and made suggestions about making the documentary.