Colombo: Nearly 42,000 ethnic Tamils displaced by the war against LTTE were sent to their homes in war-ravaged northern Sri Lanka on Thursday as the government hailed India for its assistance in the resettlement process.
Speaking at a function in Mannar, senior Presidential Advisor and chief of the task force on development of North, Basil Rajapaksa, expressed gratitude to the Indian government and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for their support in resettling the internally displaced persons (IDPs).
A senior official said another 30,000-35,000 displaced people are expected to be resettled in two weeks' time.
A total of 41,685 IDPs were being resettled in Vavuniya, Mannar, Mullaittivu and Killinochi. As many as 12,095 families were being resettled -- 2,583 in Vavuniya, 2,644 in Mannar, 4,415 in Mullativu and 2,453 families in Killinochi.
Each IDP family was given an assistance of SLR 5000 and SLR 20,000 as bank deposits. After completing necessary formalities at the local level, the IDPs will be able to return to their homes in two-three days, officials said.
Rajapaksa thanked India for providing materials such as roofing sheets and tarpaulin sheets.
Nearly 2.53 lakh Tamils were living in camps after they fled the final months of the government's decades-long war against the separatist Tamil rebels. Rights groups have been demanding their early resettlement but the government had been saying that the process can begin only after demining of the north and screening of the IDPs for LTTE cadres.
However, the government had assured a delegation of MPs from Tamil Nadu, which had visited Sri Lanka earlier this month, that 58,000 IDPs would be sent home from the camps in a fortnight.
Rajapaksa described the number of people resettled in northern Wanni and other areas after the defeat of the LTTE in May as a "world record". Even the US has not fully resettled the victims of Hurricane Katrina that took place four years ago, he said.
Officials said all infrastructural support will be given to the IDPs who are being resettled.
Minister of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Rishad Bathiudeen and Governor of the Northern Province, Major General G A Chandrasiri were among those who were present on the occasion.
In his message addressed to "each IDP family", Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the period of "immense tragedy" and temporary hardships as IDPs is now over.
"You are moving on to a new life, in the company of family and friends. You will find new and welcome challenges of the future. My government has done much to make your new life most acceptable to you, providing the needs for a quality life to enhance your dignity as a person," the President said.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, October 22, 2009, 21:38