SL Defense Ministry to hold conference on Jaffna HSZ

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 September 2003, 19:45 GMT]
The controversy over the resettlement of internally displaced people (IDP) in their lands and houses located in the high security zones in the Jaffna district is to be discussed at a high level conference scheduled to be held in Colombo at the Sri Lankan defence ministry office Thursday, security sources said.

The Defence Minister, Mr.Tilak Marapone, has summoned the conference on a request by the Hindu Affairs Minister and Jaffna district parliamentarian, Mr. T.Maheswaran, sources said.

Jaffna district Government Agent Mr.S.Pathmanathan, divisional secretaries of the Point Pedro, Thenmaradchchi, Valigamam north and Theevaham divisions, which come under the high security zones in the district, left Jaffna Wednesday to Colombo to attend the conference, sources said.

High officials of the three armed forces and the police who are in charge of areas declared as high security zones in the Jaffna district, have also been invited to attend the conference by the defence ministry, sources said.

Even though an assurance was already given that some representatives of the humanitarian agencies in Jaffna district would be invited to the conference, not a single humanitarian services agency has received invitation to attend the Colombo conference till Wednesday evening, sources said.