SLN obstructs resettlement of IDPs in Allaippiddi in the islet of Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 March 2009, 15:46 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) which hold the islets of Jaffna in its control is delaying permission for IDP resettlement in Allaippiddi besides not allowing demining in the coasts of Allaippiddi, according to Jaffna Secretariat officials who had forwarded the applications of 48 Allaippiddi families staying in refugee camps in Jaffna town to SLN officials. Recently, Minister Douglas Devnanda, along with his government, had made much publicity in resettling Allaippiddi IDPs, sources in Jaffna said.

In 2006, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) army had pounded Allaippiddi with Multi-barrel rocket Launcher fire from Jaffna town in retaliation following a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) offensive, killing hundreds and injuring many more residents of Allaippiddi.

The entire residents had been evacuated with great difficulty and placed in the refugee camps in Jaffna churches and schools.

Later, 81 families were resettled in Allaippiddi and schools reopened with normalcy returning to the islet.

In the above context, 48 families are waiting for SLN permission to resettle in Allaippiddi having tendered their applications to the SLN.

The SLN, however, is dragging its feet in handling the applications, the officials in Jaffna Secretariat said.

Yet another 59 families are ready with their applications in their camps seeking SLN permission to be resettled in their village.

SLN is said to be particularly reluctant to allow resettlement along the coasts of Allaippiddi besides refusing to permit demining activities on the coast.