Tamil Diplomat

8,000 outside; Closing of welfare centres does not mean the resettlement is complete: Kunabalasingam

Samakalam
July 23

The problems of the resettlement could not be solved only by closing the Welfare Centres to satisfy International countries. There are 8,000 refugee families living out of the Welfare Centres. There problem also should be solved, said the President of the Northern Rehabilitation and Resettlement Society, A. Kunabalasingam.

He was commenting on the orders to the District Secretary, Jaffna, from President’s Secretariat to complete the resettlement process before 15^th of August.

971 families are living in Welfare Centres unable to settle in their own lands. 971 millions were allocated for building houses for them. 150 houses are being built in land belonging to Kankesanthurai Cement Factory. These families do not have their own lands. But 330 families in the Centres have their own lands but, the Army is not allowing them to go there.

The resettlement will be complete only if areas including Myliddy, Thaiyiddy Palaly and Urani are released for resettlement. Allocations had been made to the families in the Centres. But there are 8,000 families living in rented houses and friends’ houses. Untill their problem is solved the resettlement will not be complete, he said.