JVP wants IDPs given their original properties in Vanni

June 27, 2012, 10:34 pm

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The JVP alleged that the government was making an attempt to settle war displaced families away from their original villages.

JVP spokesman, MP Vijitha Herath yesterday accused the government of trying to take over fertile land belonging to the war affected and push them to barren land in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. The Gampaha District MP alleged that the government had forcibly taken back a group of displaced families to Menik Farm after they refused to accept alternative land given to them instead of their own in the Tirumurikandi in the Kilinochchi district.

Rehabilitation authorities said that the JVP was trying to scuttle the resettlement process by provoking the war displaced. The JVP couldn’t stomach the rapid progress made in resettlement, reconstruction and rehabilitation in the Northern and Eastern districts. The resettlement process was in its final phase, they said, adding that contrary to JVP allegations the resettlement process was continuing.

Sources alleged that various interested parties were trying to inspire protests involving the war displaced. They alleged that the JVP and its breakaway faction, the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) had been working overtime to cause trouble at welfare centres.

The JVP said that the government shouldn’t deny the right of the war affected to return to their original places of living now that the war was over.

According to UN agencies by 31 May 2012, about 436,500 people (130,600 families) had returned to the Northern Province, including some 229,000 people (72,600 families) displaced after April 2008 and 207,400 persons (58,000 families) displaced before April 2008.

Sources estimated the number of people accommodated at Menik Farm awaiting resettlement at 6,000 IDPs (1,800 families), displaced after April 2008.

An additional 7,300 IDPs (1,970 families) from the protracted or long-term caseload, displaced prior to April 2008, remained in welfare centers in Jaffna and Vavuniya districts.