Lack of facilities plague IDP resettlement in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 May 2007, 10:59 GMT]
The resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Batticaloa district has begun from Monday and a special office was established adjoining the Ma'nmunai South West Divisional Secretariat (Ka'luvaanchchikkudi) to expedite the process. The IDPs living in the Transit Camps were escorted to the said office and sent to their respective villages following necessary registrations and checking.

In the last three days, 4208 persons from 1445 families of the Village Service Officer divisions of Koayilpoaratheevu, Koayilpoaratheevu South, Koayilpoaratheevu West, Munaiththeevu, Paddaapuram, Punnaikku'lam, Periyapoaratheevu, Vipulaananthapuram and Maaveatkudaa were resettled.

On Thursday people from Pazhukaamam-1, Pazhukaamam-2 and Vanninakar and on the following day people from Kazhumunthanve'li, Veerancheanai and Kaanthinakar are expected to be resettled.

The IDPs were given lunch packets. 15 busses are being utilized for transporting the IDPs, sources in Batticaloa said.

Meanwhile, Special Task Forces stationed in Poaratheevu Pattu division have erected new camps at Paalaiyadiveddai, Vellaave'li, Pazhukaamam, Periyapoaratheevu and Thumpangkea'ni.

Due to the new STF camp at Kaddu'rampuchchimaraththadi in Periyapoaratheevu, the Periyapoaratheevu - Pazhukaamam road was closed for public traffic forcing people to travel many additional miles using a route via Koavilpoaratheevu and Munaiththeevu, civil society sources said.

Meanwhile, the officials conduct review meetings every evening at Batticaloa Kachcheri presided to S. Arumainayagam, the Batticaloa Government Agent. Officials from the sectors of Education, Health, Irrigation, Highways, Water supplies, etc. including K. Sivanathan, the Planning Director of Rehabilitation, R. Neduncheliyan, the Director of Planning, participate in the meetings.

Meanwhile, five schools out of 27 in the Paddiruppu Educational Zone -Koayilpoaratheevu Vivekananda High School, Munaiththeevu Shakhty School, Pazhukaamam Ka'nduma'ni High School, Periyapoaratheevu Paarathi School and Thiruppazhukaamam Vipulaanantha School -are expected to function from Thursday.

Mrs. Shanthythevi Pavalakaanthan, the Zonal Director of Education, and S. Thillainaathan, Poaratheevu Pattu Divisional educational officer, are involved in this effort, according to education officials.

Even though, the resettlement activities in Poaratheevu Pattu Division started on Monday, the bus services have not yet started by the Ka'luvaagnchikkudi bus depot. As a result, the resettled people have to walk along Paddiruppu Bridge to their homes.

However, the post offices at Poaratheevu and Munaiththeevu have resumed their services.