Sri Lanka government is actively engaged in resettling Vanni IDPs along A9 road from Oamanthai to Maangku’lam in an attempt to show the outside world that it is resettling Vanni IDPs in their own places, in view of the forthcoming presidential election, sources in Jaffna said. Resettlement in areas located east of A9 road in Vanni will not be possible in the near future, according to sources in Northern Province Governor’s office. The IDPs taken to areas along A9 road from Oamanthai to Maangku’lam have been only allowed to live in places close to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps and sentry posts while neither the government nor NGOs provide them with any assistance, thee sources said.
Almost all the houses in Vanni had been destroyed during the war and SLA soldiers had taken away the tiles, timbers in the remaining houses and other properties of the residents to their places in South.
The Vanni IDPs who are allowed to settle in areas between Oamanthai and Maangku’lam have nothing but the tarpaulins they were given in Vavuniyaa camp to erect shelters. SLA does not allow them to enter the nearby jungle to cut the needed timber for the construction of shelters.
Resettlement of the IDPs in their own places like Mullaiththeevu, Puthukkudiyiruppu, Vaddakkachchi that are located east of A9 road will not take place in the near future, according to Northern Province Governor’s Office sources.
IDPs will only be allowed to resettle in Poonakari, Ki’linochchi, Paranthan, Thu’nukkaay and Mallaavi, the sources added.
The IDPs taken in a hurry to Ki’linochchi are held in Ki’linochchi Maha Viththiyaalayam and are not allowed to go outside, according to government officials and representatives of NGOs who had visited Ki’linochchi.
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