New Sinhala colony in Raalku'li, villagers complain

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 September 2007, 11:07 GMT]
Resettled Tamil families in Raalku'li, a traditional Tamil village in Moothoor division in Trincomalee district, expressed fear that the Sri Lanka government is attempting to settle Sinhala families in their village. The fear follows the laying foundation stone for about 138 houses under a resettlement project in the village with the funding of a Buddhist Organization located in Colombo.

The foundation was laid for the project on September 8 by a government delegation led by Mr.Basil Rajapakse, Senior Presidential advisor and accompanied by ministers Susantha Punchinilame, Najeeb Abdul Majeed, and Rischard Badiudin, sources said.

222 Tamil families are living in Raalku'li. They fled from the village following the military operation launched by the Sri Lanka Army last year. They stayed in transit centres in Kinniya division before being resettled.

Displaced Tamil families have refused to be resettled elsewhere other than their own villages in Moothoor east division. Hence the houses now to be constructed with the funds provided by a Buddhist organization are expected to be handed over to Sinhalese families once completed.