SLA offers security to 'rehabiliatated' Jaffna youths

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 December 2008, 02:46 GMT]
Jaffna Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander Major Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri, presiding over conclusion of a vocational training event Friday evening for youths placed in the SLA Special Rehabilitation Camp (SRC) after surrendering to the SLA, said that youths will be allowed to return home if they wish to, and that SLA is ready to provide full security for the youths, sources in Jaffna said.

The youths placed in the SLA Special Rehabilitation Camp (SRC) in Thellippa’lai were awarded certificates on their completion of a 3-month vocational training course during the event.

54 youths who had sought protection with the SLA due to death threats had been placed in the Special Rehabilitation Camp set up by the SLA in Thellippa’lai have been following a three-month training course arranged by Jaffna Technical College (JTC).

Director of JTC, N. Yogarajan, Jaffna Additional Government Agent, S. Sivasamy, SLA officers and Police officers including Jaffna Superintendent of Police took part in the event which also marked the last day of the training course.

Though this event was to take place in the Thellippa’lai SRC, the venue was suddenly shifted to Thellippa’lai Union College located in the SLA High Security Zone, as Major General. Chandrasiri was to be the chief guest.

More than ten youths placed in the SLA special rehabilitation camp have been found jobs in East Arabic countries where they are leading a good life, Chandrasiri said.

He urged youths involved in ‘terrorist’ activities in the peninsula to surrender to the SLA.

Twenty-seven women and children placed in the protective custody of Special Rehabilitation Camp in Kurunakar by Jaffna magistrate court due to death threats by SLA troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries were also brought to participate in the event.

The above persons who had been relocated to the Rehabilitation Centre in Thellippa’lai from Kurunakar earlier were given things as a measure of assistance, in the event.

Earlier, Nadaarasa Marrooshan, 28, a youth from Uduppiddi, placed in SLA Thellippa’lai Special Rehabilitation Camp and who had returned home on his own request mid of this year, was shot dead at his home by unidentified gunmen.