SLA blocks access road to resettled areas in Vadamaraadchi East

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 November 2010, 05:52 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) occupying Vadamaraadchi East has blocked Point Pedro-Maruthangkea’ni road, the main access road to Vadamaraadchi East where nearly 6,000 uprooted persons were resettled recently, Non-government Organizations (NGO) representatives in Jaffna said. The resettled families suffering without any help from Sri Lanka government after being allowed to resettle depend entirely on NGOs for their sustenance. The access road, opened with much publicity by SLA and Sri Lanka minister Douglas Devananda when the people were resettled, was later blocked for public. Government officials and NGOs, however, were allowed to use the road. But SLA has now blocked the road even to them. The NGOs are forced to suspend or abandon their assistance to the resettled families due to the closure of the main access road by SLA.



The resettled people, government officials and the NGOs have to use the circuitous alternate way through Puthukkaadu Chanthi, travelling long distance to reach the resettled areas.

Meanwhile, the bridge on Maruthangkea’ni road is in a bad state and feared to collapse any time. Building materials have to be unloaded and carried across the bridge as it cannot stand heavy weight.

SLA refuses to repair the bridge and all construction work has stopped, the NGOs said.

Though the schools in the areas have been allowed to function, the students have to sit under trees as the school buildings have no roofs and are in a damaged state.

The NGOs are forced to suspend or abandon their assistance to the resettled families due to the closure of the main access road by SLA.