SLN imposes restrictions on NGOs assisting Allaipiddy IDPs

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 February 2008, 13:29 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) stationed in the Jaffna islets has imposed severe travel restrictions for Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) assisting the residents of Allaipiddy to resettle in their own village, civil society sources in Jaffna said.

According to a recent directive issued by SLN, local and foreign NGOs including United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNCHR) involved in assisting the displaced civilians of Allaipiddy, have to apply to Jaffna secretariat three days prior to their intended date of travel before they are given permission.

Earlier many local and foreign NGOs had withdrawn their services from the islets in particular, and peninsula in general, due to the harassment by SLN and Sri Lanka Army (SLA).

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the demining agency, Danish Demining Group (DDG), currently involved in removing land mines around the schools in Allaipiddy said this task will be completed very soon, in order for the children of the returning residents begin their education.

Meanwhile, UNCHR officials have requested the Jaffna Government Agent (GA) to provide them with the details of the needs of the people wishing to resettle in their own area in Allaipiddy.

After the massacre of 9 civilians on May 13, 2006 allegedly by SLN sailors and Eeelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) cadres, followed by further killings in August, 150 civilians fled from the hamlet to Jaffna and are living in various welfare centres.

Since 65 of those families have expressed their desire to return to their homes, the residential representative of UNCHR visited Jaffna Friday and held talks with local officials regarding the resettlement procedure of Allaipiddy residents.