Resettlement of Allaippiddi IDPs begins

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 April 2008, 18:27 GMT]
Thirteen families of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Allaipiddi, the islet village where 13 civilians were massacred by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in May 2006, have been resettled in Allaippiddi in the first stage of resettlement, according to Jaffna Secretariat. 65 more families are ready to return to Allaippiddi and to occupy houses built for them with the help of World Vision, International and local NGOs and they will be resettled on Monday, Jaffna Government Agent announced. Education Department officials in the islet are making arrangement to reopen Paraasakthi Maha Viththiyalam, the only school in Allaippiddi.

Four of the five wards in Allaippiddi have been cleared of land mines by Danish De-mining Organization.

But SLN continues to deny permission to clear the fifth ward which remains sown with land mines and littered with unexploded Multi-Barrel Launcher shells, local fishermen said.

The said mine infested area, being the beaches of Allaippiddi, is a serious danger to the fishermen whose livelihood is denied to them by the SLN, they added.

The reopening of the school is one of the projects meant to provide basic facilities for the resettled familes.

Meanwhile, more than 125 IDPs are still staying in camps in Jaffna and some of them have expressed wish to be resettled in Allaippiddi, Jaffna Secretariat sources said.

Eighty families which remained in Allaippiddi, the islet village where 13 civilians were massacred by Sri Lanka Navy completely vacated the village Saturday 20 May 2006 in fifteen lorries.

42 families sought shelter in St.Michael's church in Naavaanththu'rai.

38 families in six lorries proceeded towards Liberation Tigers controlled areas 20 May 2006 but two lorries were stopped by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers manning the Mukamalai checkpoint saying the checkpoint was closed for the day.

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