Abandoned villages in Trinco to be revived

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 November 2002, 02:34 GMT]
The Trincomalee District Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Committee (DRRC) met Friday and decided to take immediate steps to provide drinking water, electricity supply, education and other basic facilities to villages abandoned due to displacement following war. "We cannot allow our people to stay in refugee camps and welfare centres indefinitely after the ceasefire agreement came into force. We must see that they are resettled in their villages," said Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Mr. R. Sampanthan speaking at the meeting.

"The sons and daughters of displaced people and who got married while staying in refugee camps should be considered as separate units and be provided with land for residential purposes and cultivation in their villages when they return for resettlement with their parents,"said Mr.R.Sampanthan, Trincomalee district Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian presiding over the DRRC held at district secretariat Friday.

Mr.S.Thilak, Trincomalee District Political Head of the LTTE and Mr. Rajesh, Trincomalee town LTTE political head, attended the meeting. Tamil National Alliance (TNA) National list parliamentarian K.Thurairetnasingham, Trincomalee district Sri Lanka Muslim Congress parliamentarian Mr.M.S.Thowfeek, Government Agent Mr.N.H.K.Nelumdeniya, military officials and heads of government departments and representatives of international and local non-governmental organizations also attended.

Mr.R.Sampanthan (MP) K.Thurairetnasingham (MP), Mr.Thilak (Head, LTTE's political wing, Trinco District) and Mr.Rajesh TNA parliamentarian (Head, LTTE's political wing, Trinco town).

Mr.Sampanthan said, "around one million people have been displaced due to the war. Most of them are internally displaced. Some displaced have gone abroad. Most of the displaced are returning to their villages. Therefore we must take immediate steps to provide basic facilities to these villages, such as drinking water, electricity supply, health services, better roads and education.

"Peace talks are now being held in Thailand to work out a programme to form the Joint Task Force comprising government and LTTE representatives. The Trincomalee DRRC should prepare groundwork for the Joint Task Force to start implementing, without delay, the rehabilitation and reconstruction projects in the Trincomalee district with foreign funding," said Mr.Sampanthan.

Village level officers in the north of the Trincomalee district were directed at the conference to promptly submit detailed reports regarding the number of displaced returning from other areas and number of displaced staying in refugee camps in their areas to the respective divisional secretaries.