IDPs refusing to resettle in new areas refused relief

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 August 2007, 10:12 GMT]
East Provincial Governor Rear Admiral Mohan Wijewickrema is reported to have instructed civil authorities in districts of Trincomalee and Batticaloa not to provide food and other relief assistances to Tamil displaced families frpm Moothoor east and Eachchilampathu division who refuse to be relocated in new lands allocated to them by the Sri Lanka government in other parts of the Trincomalee district. Moothoor east and Eachchilampaththu have been declared as high security zone after the military operation and civilians are not being allowed to resettle there, civil society sources said.

Large number of displaced families from Moothoor east and Eachchilampathu division in Trincomalee district now staying in temporary shelters in Batticaloa district have been demanding that they should be resettled in their own houses located in their own villages.

The IDPs have told the civil authorities that they are prepared to stay in temporary shelters in Batticaloa district if their demand is not met, sources said.

Meanwhile, about five thousand IDP families displaced from eleven villages in the Moothoor east and Eachchilampathu division were brought from Batticaloa district and are currently sheltered in welfare centres located in Killiveddy in government-controlled area in Trincomalee district.

About one hundred IDP families in this group have been asked to be ready to resettle in lands allocated to them in Raalkuzhi village, outside the demarcated HSZ, sources said.