This is a brief note about our visit to the areas and some reflections of our visit and I share this with you as I feel it is important others also know about this. Because, former regime spreaded utter lies about IDPs saying there is none of IDP in the country since September 2013.
I am extremely happy that we work on the resettlement to displaced people and the democracy to the citizens in SL past few years. For that we joined with various groups to build up democracy in the country, Change with Reforms campaign was one among them and now we are receiving results of it,
Living with out fear, intimidations, threats, abductions or media smear campaigns are no more for the time being. Instead, we are invited for the dialogues in the media, round tables, policy dialogues etc. But, yesterday at Valalai in Jaffna and last week at Passikudah in Batticoloa we faced some threats from CID fellows as they attempted to disturb our work in both the places though not succeded.
At the same time, we traveled in many places of Jaffna where the new government allowed to people to resettle in their places of original.
Some places, people are back to their lands though there is not a single house left to settle them in their own lands.
We could see the extent of area covered under HSZ during the previous regime. It is unbeleivable. On the one hand Mahinda Samarasinghe said there is no single IDP left in our country since 26 September 2013. Then where are those people lived past 25 years.
Do you know, these people displaced since 1990 and only after 25 years they can return back to their places of origin.
Yesterday, we went to meet some of the communities where they are returning to their places of origin. In Valali we met some of the fisher families who are returning to their lands after 25 years and displaced. I will send you a full report of the visit and their situation in Valali. East to Palali and west to Thondamanaru.
We asked what is their feeling of the return to their original lands.
People were happy though they are not 100% happy with the situation.
Actually many places, people in Veemankamam,[82 in number Housing scheme of Village Awakening program] Valikamam South and Valali [182 fisher families close to the sea] said they are happy with the decision they took on 8th January.
However, they need some basic assistance to get organize as a community.
We could not talk to their leader of the community as he was not there at the village. However, we left a message with our details to contact us.
So,
we need attention for their smooth resettlement and to address other
issues immediately. Because, there is a danger that delays will cause
people's frustration on one hand and the keeping the land in the hands
of military if any other government come in to power during the coming
election though the possibility is very low/
So, may I
urge all concern people to help those communities through possible means
to resettle and assert the land, livelihood rights as well as a decent
life of the people in Jaffna and else where in the country,Anyone who is willing to support to those communities may contact us directly.
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