Garrison holds 6645 destroyed, damaged homes

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 October 2003, 03:29 GMT]
Six thousand six hundred and forty five homes remain completely destroyed or damaged in the Valigamam North Division of Jaffna, which is heavily garrisoned by the Sri Lankan armed forces, rehabilitation officials in the northern peninsula said Thursday. All the houses are large and medium permanent brick and cement structures, according to them.

Of these, 2796 are completely destroyed and 3849 are damaged - sans roofs, doors, walls etc., the officials said.

Valigamam North Division was the most densely populated and economically developed region of Jaffna before its population was driven out and it was garrisoned by the Sri Lankan armed forces.

Hundreds of temples, churches, factories, public buildings and amenities lie derelict in this large garrisoned region, overgrown with shrub jungle.

The Sri Lankan armed forces have restricted resettlement in villages bordering the outer perimeter of the Valigamam North garrison.

“The monsoon rains will soon be here. Many Valigamam North refugees are living in crumbling temporary shelters in lands without proper drainage and sanitation. The thought of going back to their homes, to be under their own secure roof is uppermost in their minds now”, a rehabilitation official in the Jaffna District Secretariat told TamilNet.