NPC should monitor relocation of SL military buildings: Uprooted Keappaa-pulavu people

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 August 2017, 23:34 GMT]
SL Minister of ‘Resettlement’ D.M. Swaminathan has provided 148 million rupees to the occupying Sinhala military in Keappaa-pulavu without securing any guarantee of freeing the lands that are being actually demanded by the uprooted people of Keappaa-pulavu. The SL minister transferred 50 million rupees also in the past. He claims that the money was intended to enable SL military to find alternative locations for itself and release the lands of people. However, as evidenced last time, the occupying military didn’t relocate itself. Instead, it only released forested lands located elsewhere from the coast of Nanthik-kadal. At the same time, the people have no means of livelihood if they are not allowed to resettle along the fishing coast and in the fertile lands situated close to the lagoon.

The funds provided by the international Establishments to the SL unitary State in Colombo are being channelled to the occupying Sinhala military by the SL Minister while the uprooted people are completely abandoned on the streets by the so-called international community, commented Tamil activists in Mullaiththeevu.

SL military in Keappaa-pulavu is scheming to occupy more lands without releasing the lands it has seized. This is only expansion of Sinhala militarization, the activists said.

UNP Minister Mr Swaminathan has claimed that the money was intended for the release of 120 acres. Then, the money should be spent to relocate the buildings of the SL military away from the residential and livelihood areas in Keappaa-pulavu and the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) should be monitoring the de-militarisation and relocation process, the uprooted people of Keappaa-pulavu have urged.

While the occupying military is getting the funds that are intended for resettlement of civilians, the people who were allowed to resettle in Pulak-kudiyiruppu complain that they are unable to resume their livelihood in already released lands because there is no infrastructure to sustain their livelihood and security.

The women and children in Pulak-kudyiruppu are facing security threats as the SL military is present everywhere.

There is no electricity for resettled families while SL military is beaming lights inside the military zone during nights in a threatening manner.

The school-going children have no means of transport to their schools that are currently situated in a long-distance away from Pulak-kudiyiruppu.

Tamil women find it difficult extremely threatening to stay at houses located in areas that are frequented by Sinhala soldiers.

As a result, many families are reluctant to move into Pulak-kudiyiruppu.

In the meantime, 60% of uprooted Tamil families in the North still lack housing and infrastructure schemes for proper resettlement. It is under these circumstances, the occupying SL military in Vanni is getting money for sustaining the occupation.

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