SLN orders 33 Tsunami resettler families to vacate homes in Point Pedro

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 April 2007, 09:08 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy, engaged in setting up a large guard post at Point Pedro Munai (light house) to fortify, has ordered 33 resettled families affected by 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, to vacate their new homes, according to the fishermen in the area. Meanwhile, District Secretariat (Kachchaeri) officials coordinating Tsunami resettlement in the peninsula have expressed fear that the move could affect hundreds of resettled families in the area.

The SLN officials had told the vilagers that the Sri Lankan Government would provide alternate accommodation elsewhere.

However, the officials at Jaffna District Secretariat were not aware of any initiative for alternate accommodation for the affected families.

The fishermen expressed fear that they would be left without any viable alternatives, as thousands of families, already affected by the military High Security Zone of the Sri Lankan military in the peninsula, ten years ago were not provided any alternative arrangements by the Sri Lankan government.

The fishermen in the area said the SLN move also aimed to seize the road running through the Munai area for military usage and thereby construct a large base in the Munai area.

The newly constructed SLN guard post will have Radar fitted Dvora Fast Attack Crafts besides smaller kinds of combat boats, according to informed sources.

This area near Point Pedro harbour, already occupied heavily by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and Navy troopers, will turn into a garrison port with the construction of the new SLN guard post.

Divisional Secretariat officials in Point Pedro, declining to comment the SLN ordered expulsion, said the construction work of 11 houses have been stopped following the orders from the Sri Lankan navy.

Chronology: