200 IDP families resettled in Vaharai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 March 2007, 06:12 GMT]
Two hundred Internally Displaced families (IDP) from Vaharai have been resettled in Oriyankadu area opposite Vaharai village, said sources in Valaichenai. Fifty-seven IDPs including 16 women, however, expressed their reluctance to be resettled at Oriyankadu, after being taken there by Vaharai Regional Secretariat officials, due to the temporary accomodations and they feel unsecure with the dominating presence of Sri Lanka Army (SLA), the sources added. The A15 route remains closed by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA).

A section of the Vaharai IDPs living in refugee camps at Welfare Centres at Vinayagapuram and Pentecostal church in Valaichenai were taken in four buses and resettled in Oriyankadu, Velaiyady madu, Sethukuda villages in Vaharai Wednesday.

Vaharai Regional Council secretary, Mr. S. Kiritharan, took the heads of families to Oriyankadu.

Fifty-seven IDPs including 16 women were taken to places allocated to them for resettlement by Vaharai Regional Council officials have now returned to their camps.

These IDPs expressed their reluctance to be resettled in the places shown to them because they have to live in tents there besides facing harassment by SLA troopers as the resettlement will be in stages, where only a small number of them will be resettled each time.

Vaharai Regional Council which had been operating temporarily in Valaichenai has begun functioning at Vaharai from Tuesday.

Vaharai regional hospital also has resumed treating patients.

Dry foods for a period of six moths will be issued to the resettled IDPs, M. A. C. Mohideen, Derector from the Ministry of Rehabilitaion who visited Batticaloa, said.

Restoration of the A15 road has been completed up to 42nd mile post in Kadjuwathe but still remains blocked for transport by SLA, according to sources.