Resettlement of IDP families in welfare camps

On the direction of President Maithripala Sirisena, action has been taken by the Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense and with District Secretaries to resettle the IDPs now in welfare centres. 

Currently, there are 31 welfare centres in Jaffna District with 936 families and one welfare centre in Poonthoddam, Vavuniya with 97 families. 

With regard to the IDPs in the welfare centre at Poonthoddam, Vavuniya, 66 houses are being constructed in Sinnadamban, Vavuniya North and 31 houses are being constructed in Puliyankulam, Vavuniya North covering all 97 IDP families. These houses are scheduled to be completed by September and October 2016 respectively. These houses are being constructed by Gnanam Foundation - a voluntary organization, under a MOU signed between the Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs and Gnanam Foundation. Therefore a permanent housing solution has been found for all 97 families in Poonthoddam, Vavuniya camp, said Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs Secretary V. Sivagnanasothy.

With regard to 936 IDP families in the Jaffna welfare camps, Cabinet approval has been granted to construct permanent houses. Accordingly 100 houses are being constructed  in the Kankesanthurai, Keerimalai area with the support of the Sri Lanka Army on a fast track basis and scheduled to be completed in September 2016. Further, 104 housing units are under construction in Palali North under an owner-driven concept and scheduled to be completed in October 2016. Further, 250 plots of lands have been identified in the cement factory area to resettle 250 landless families from welfare camps. A further 452 families from welfare camps need to be resettled to fully address the IDPs issue, said Sivagnanasothy.

On the instructions of President Maithripala Sirisena, the Ministry of Defence has already taken action to resettle the families living in welfare camps and with friends and relatives. It is learnt that 450 acres of land in Kankesanthurai West, South and Center, Palai Vemankamam North and Thaiyyiddy are under discussion for release which will reduce the families staying in the welfare camps by a further 100. 

The Government has given higher priority to release private lands under State Authorities to enable the IDPs to be resettled and in this regard, a special team headed by Ministry of Defence Secretary, Eng.  Karunasena Hettiarachchi is working with District Secretaries to release private land for IDP's resettlement.

The Cabinet of Ministers at the last cabinet meeting granted approval for the National Policy on Durable Solutions for Conflict Affected Displaced Families. Further, the owner driven 10,000 housing program has progressed well in the Northern and Eastern Provinces and some of them have reached roof-level whereas others are window-level. 2400 partially damaged houses are being renovated and 7600 sanitation units are being constructed for IDP families including water supply and infrastructure facilities such as internal roads and electricity etc.  Moreover, 12,050 families are covered under the livelihood development program with the maximum of Rs.100,000/- per family. The beneficiaries under this program include IDPs, refugee returnees, women headed families and socially integrated ex-combatants said Sivagnanasothy. All these efforts are aimed at bringing a sustainable reconciliation process in Sri Lanka.