"Halt resettlement in Thenmaradchi" - Jaffna Mayor

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 September 2001, 06:30 GMT]
The Jaffna Municipal Council Mayor said that during the past six months sixty civilians have lost their limbs due to landmine blasts in Thenmarachchi area in the peninsula. The meeting of the Jaffna Muncipal Council held Friday discussed the danger people undergo when being resettled in areas captured by Sri Lanka army. The discussion took place following the deaths of six members of a family recently at Kattaithirai, Kopay in Jaffna in a pressure mine blast.

The Mayor Mr.N.Raviraj introduced a motion requesting to stop all resettlement programmes in areas considered as not safe for civilians.

"There is no conducive situation prevails in Thenmaradchchi area for resettlement. But resettlement continues unabated. It should be stopped forthwith," he stressed in supporting his motion.

However the motion was not carried out due to the opposition by Councillor Thambiraja Robert (Subathiran) of the Eelam Peoples' Revolutionary Front (EPRLF-Varathar wing).

Another motion moved by Councillor Mr.M.Mangalanesan of EPRLF (Varathar wing) that no development works should be undertaken by any political parties or institutions within the Muncipal limit without the permission of the Jaffna Muncipal Council was unanimously passed.

Related Articles:
28.09.01   ‘Don’t resettle in areas mined by SLA’ - LTTE
24.09.01   Family killed in Jaffna mine blast