Jaffna humanitarian agencies slam Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 June 2002, 16:17 GMT]
The Council of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA) in Jaffna Thursday slammed the Sri Lankan government for ignoring the plight of thousands who want to resettle in their villages in the northern peninsula. "In Jaffna, restoring normalcy as promised in the cease-fire agreement means the resettlement of internally displaced people.

Hundreds of families are returning from the Vanni now to start life here again. Hundred and fifteen days have passed since the cease-fire agreement was signed. But the Sri Lankan government hasn't given a cent so far to help these people resettle in their villages", said Mr. S.Paramanathan, the President of the CHA - Jaffna.

He said that there are more than 25 thousand displaced persons in the Thenmaradchi division alone who are in need of urgent assistance for resettlement.

Mr. Paramanathan speaking to the TamilNet at the office of the CHA-J in Jaffna (Photo: TamilNet)

"The Chavakachcheri town is slowly limping back to life. Thousands of people in Thenmaradchi who fled the war in 2000 want to get back to their homes now. But they do not have the basic amenities like water and sanitation to begin rebuilding their homes and lives in many towns and villages of the region. The gross apathy of senior government officials in Jaffna is making matters worse for families that are hurrying to resettle," Mr. Paramanathan said.

"And now there is a daily increasing inflow of families from the Vanni. Many of their homes were razed to the ground in Sri Lanka army offensives or are heavily damaged. There is no mechanism to assess their needs and provide them basic assistance", Mr. A.K Sivasubramaniam, the secretary to the CHA - J added.

A displaced family returning from the Vanni Thursday breaking journey in Chavakachcheri town. The family fled from its village in Urumpirai north of Jaffna town in 1995 in the face of a massive offensive by the Sri Lanka army. (Photo:TamilNet)