IDPs not allowed to enter their places in HSZs in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 January 2010, 03:08 GMT]
Following the announcement made by government ministers and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officials, persons who went to observe ‘Pongal’ in their houses in the SLA High Security Zones (HSZ) in Ariyaalai North and Valikaamam North Thursday were chased away by SLA soldiers and police deployed at the Front Defence Line (FDL) positions in these areas, Internally Displaced Person’s Welfare Association representatives said. All promises of resettlement in Jaffna HSZs made by government ministers and SLA officials remain unfulfilled and empty promises made with the aim to get the IDPs to vote for Mahinda Rajapakse, they openly accused.

Basil Rajapakse, the brother and senior advisor of President Mahinda Rajapakse had promised to attend to the eleven requests made by the IDP Welfare Associations when he was in Jaffna to canvas votes for his brother Mahinda Rajapakse.

The eleven requests included performing religious rites in the Saiva temples and churches inside the HSZ, farming and fishing.

The IDPs, though not allowed to resettle in their places as promised, had gone with the hope of at least to observe ‘Pongal’ in their own houses but were chased away by SLA soldiers at Ariyaalai North and by police at Thellippazhai FDL position in Valikaamam North, the sources said.

The IDPs who went to Thellippahzai were only allowed to worship at the Saiva temple in Keerimalai.

The IDP Welfare Associations, enraged by the empty promises, said that they are to announce their next course of action before the presidential election.