Colombo, May 25: Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister
Ranil Wickremasinghe on Monday asked the Government to allow "free
access" to aid agencies to camps where the displaced Tamil
civilians are lodged.
He also said the Government should try to resettle at
least 80 per cent of the displaced civilians in their towns
and villages by this year.
"ICRC and the UN relief agencies should be given free
access for development of Wanni and rehabilitation of the
refugees. We need international help. This year government
should target 80-90 per cent resettlement of the Tamil people
in Wanni," he told reporters.
"The UN agencies should be allowed free access to the
IDP camps," he said.
Wickremasinghe said while President Mahinda Rajapaksa
"finished the LTTE and terrorism" in the country, other Sri
Lankan leaders also played a role in defeating the Tiger
rebels by weakening the outfit.
"During my period, the Ceasefire Agreement was brought
which to a great extend weakened LTTE during 2002-04," he
said, adding that at least 4,000 tiger rebels had surrendered
during that time, he said.
He said his party is willing to help the government in
rehabilitating and resettling the displaced people.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, May 25, 2009, 15:11