Jaffna reconstruction projects cancelled

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 November 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Jaffna GA turned down a request by the NGO Consortium of Jaffna for large reconstruction project in Waligaman north saying that he had no funds from the government for such work.

The Consortium was seeking money to repair and rebuild 1125 houses, 111 wells and 225 toilets destroyed and damaged in fifteen Grama Sevaka divisions in Waligamam north when the Sri Lankan Army advanced into the peninsula in 1995, raining heavy artillery fire ahead of its path.

This project is intended to help the large number of people who languish still in refugee camps and the houses of relatives and friends.

"Reconstruction and rehabilitation work in Jaffna that the government talks about is only on paper" said Dharmalingam Sidarthan MP for Vanni, commenting on the acute shortage of government funds for any work in the northern province.

The NGO Consortium of Jaffna is short of donor agency funds due to the unofficial ban imposed by the Sri Lankan Army on non-government organisation working in the peninsula from April 96 to May 97.

The NGOs in Jaffna therefore were unable to secure any funds from donor agencies for relief and rehabilitation work in the peninsula for the 97 financial year.

Now they have to wait until donors prepare their budgets and layout for the next financial year say social workers in the peninsula.

The Sri Lankan Army has imposed severe restrictions on NGOs working in the east as well.