Resettle IDPs in Jaffna before Presidential Election – IDP Welfare General Committee

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 November 2009, 19:09 GMT]
The Welfare General Committee (WGC) of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Jaffna demands the speedy resettlement of IGPs in their own places occupied by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in its High Security Zones (HSZs) in Jaffna peninsula before the Presidential elections, WGC sources said. WGC has decided to present its request directly to Sri Lanka President, Mahinda Rajapakse when he visits Jaffna 8 December. Meanwhile, WGC strongly condemns Minister Douglas Devananda’s recent announcement that resettlement in HSZs in Jaffna peninsula will take place only in July 2010 after the presidential election.

WGC has invited the Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians, Minister Douglas Devananda and the representatives of related government departments and public organizations to take part in a Special Conference to be held in Thellippazhai Divisional Secretariat on Monday to discuss the IDP resettlement issue.

WGC representatives also said that they will be launching non-violent struggle to achieve their aim if their appeal to President Mahinda Rajapakse fails to bring about a positive response.

Residents from Vadamaraadchi , Ponnaalai, the islets of Jaffna and many parts of Thenmaraadchi were forcibly evacuated from their villages by the SLA when it established the HSZs in Jaffna peninsula.