Eachchilampaththu refugees complain of forced resettlement –TNA MP

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 September 2007, 08:38 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) forcibly loaded 74 families from Verukal, Eeechilampattu District, into buses September 6th for transport to a jungle area in CHinnakku'lam, Udappukkea'ni, 3 km from Eeechilampattu. The families who were previously housed in Batticaloa transitional shelters communicated their plight to Thurairatnsaingham, a Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian.

The refugees were left in undeveloped jungle areas despite pleas to the SLA to permit resettlement in Eeechilampattu, the affected families complained.

The refugees complain of no basic facilities in the area and shortages of relief supplies. Though materials to set up tents have been provided, there are no facilities to set them up and families are forced to stay under the trees.

Mr. Thurairatnsaingham, speaking to media, said that the displaced people have told him that the SLA has taken over buildingss and the hospital in Eeechilampattu District Council, and have constructed a large military base.

All houses in the vicinity have been demolished.

Meanwhile, SLA had already forced 1500 families displaced from Moothoor east, Trincomalle district to resettle in Ki'liveddi and Paddiththidal areas due to military offensives.

SLA is now taking steps to forcibly relocate them to Ma'nalseanai.

People already relocated to Ma'nalseanai are facing hardships due to the lack of basic facilities. Fourteen civilians were abducted from the area in August and three youths have been shot dead. The civilians in the area have expressed fear that if the 1500 families already forced to resettle in Ki'liveddi and Paddiththidal are taken to Ma'nalseanai, there will be more abductions and killings.

To safeguard and protect these displaced civilians, they should be resettled in their own areas, Mr. Thurairatnsaingham said.

Ma'nalseanai is located 4km from Mallikai Junction located in west side on Moothoor-Batticaloa road.