GTZ funds resettlement of ex-garrison town

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 July 2005, 04:47 GMT]
More than 110 displaced families from the village of Thattuvankotti near Elephantpass moved into their reconstructed houses, built with financial support of the German Government through the German Technical Co-operation (GTZ), at a ceremony organized by the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Thursday 3.00 pm, sources in Vanni said.

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The rehabilitated village also has other basic facilities including a common hall.

The Event presided by TRO co-ordintor Mr Rajan started with lighting of ceremonial flame and hoisting of TamilEelam flag. Families were then awarded the ownership documents by different officials attending the event including Assistant Government Agent Mr Sathiyaseelan, Education Commissioner Mr Pathmanathan, Mr Irenuess from the Planning and Development Secretariat (PDS), GTZ's Mr Jeyakumar and Country Representative for GTZ.

Families from the garrison towns fled as Sri Lanka army advanced from village to village since 1996. fled the Sri Lanka army’s advance from village to village since 1996. Elephant Pass Govt. Tamil Mixed School (GTMS), Paranthan GTMS, Paranthan Hindu Mahaviththiyalayam, Umaiyaalpuram GTMS and the Thattuvankoddi GTMS were occupied by the military inside the SLA's sprawling Paranthan Elephant Pass base until May 2000 when the Liberation Tigers overran the strategic gateway to the northern Jaffna peninsula.

Thattuvankottai, Umayalpuram, Uriyan, and Elephant pass and several other villages are also vulnerable to floods as spill over from Iranaimadu tank during heavy floods frequently submerge these towns in several feets of water.