Resettled Vanni IDPs in Jaffna left to suffer

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 February 2010, 04:03 GMT]
The Internally Displaced People (IDPs) from Vanni brought to Jaffna and resettled have not been given economic or other assistance as promised and are facing severe hardships, civil society organizations in Jaffna expressed concern. Some of the IDP families are still to be paid the initial payment of 5,000 rupees while the families who were told that their second payment of 25,000 rupees will be paid before 15 January have not been paid the amount. Jaffna Secretariat officials refused to comment on the issue, sources in Jaffna said.
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"Referendum on Eelam is our right and responsibility"

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 January 2010, 04:42 GMT]
"Diaspora Tamils live in established liberal democratic states with freedom of the press and where the rule of law is invariably observed. This weekend’s referendum in Britain provides us with a chance to prove that the demand for Tamil Eelam is, as it always was, the well reasoned conclusion of rational, free-thinking, independent individuals. By endorsing an independent statehood, we demonstrate our commitment to our people in the island and make clear and that there can be no peace or reconciliation without a just solution, without freedom and equality for the Tamil nation; and that it is stability, not chaos we seek in our homeland," comments Sivakami Rajamanoharan, member of the TYO-UK (Tamil Youth Organisation – United Kingdom), on the forthcoming referendum in UK.
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SLA harass relatives, friends visiting resettled IDPs in Ki’linochchi

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 January 2010, 05:41 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers restrict and harass the relatives and friends of the small number of Vanni Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) allowed to resettle in Ki’linochchi, the IDPs said. SLA soldiers inspect the National Identity Cards of the relatives and friends of the IDPs visiting them besides registering their particulars. Meanwhile, the soldiers subject the IDPs to severe interrogation after the visitors had left and these harassments have made the IDPs to request their relatives and friends not to visit them.
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Government plans election-rigging in Jaffna, say Fonseka supporters

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 January 2010, 03:59 GMT]
Although the delivery of polling cards ended on Monday postmasters in Jaffna have been unofficially instructed to continue to issue the cards by high government authorities, according to postal department officials who wish to remain anonymous. IN addition, Sri Lanka's Minister Douglas Devananda and former Inspector General of Police, Chandra de Silva, are engaged in activities aiming at rigging the votes of people in K’linochchi district which falls under Jaffna electoral division, Sarath Fonseka’s supporters in Jaffna alleged.
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Mahinda inciting racial hatred between Sinhalese and Tamils - Suresh Premachandran

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 January 2010, 14:01 GMT]
“President Mahinda Rajapakse, on learning Tamil National Alliance (TNA) intention of supporting his rival Sarath Fonseka in the presidential election, is actively engaged in whipping up racial animosity between the Sinhalese and the Tamils,” Suresh Premachandran, TNA parliamentarian said in a press briefing held Tuesday in his Jaffna office. “Mahinda, Minister Douglas Devananda and other government supporters are deceiving the Tamils with their false promises,” he further said.
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Patten: Sri Lanka to choose between two alleged war criminals

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 January 2010, 02:31 GMT]
Chris Patten, currently the co-chairman of the International Crisis Group, notes in a New York Times article that public in Sri Lanka is "faced with a choice between two candidates who openly accuse each other of war crimes," and adds, "[w]hoever wins, the outside world should use all its tools to convince the government to deal properly with those underlying issues to avoid a resurgence of mass violence....In short, this means not giving Colombo any money for reconstruction and development until we know how it will be spent. And if we see funds not being used as promised, it means not being afraid to cut them off until." Patten is a senior international figure and is the last British governor of Hong Kong.
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TAK passes 25 resolutions in its 60th anniversary meeting

[TamilNet, Monday, 11 January 2010, 04:23 GMT]
The General Committee of Thamizh Arasuk Kadchi (TAK) met Sunday in Jaffna on the 60th anniversary of its formation and passed 25 resolutions unanimously on issues related to Tamils, sources in Jaffna said. TAK said that it continues to stand firm that the Tamil ethnic issue should be resolved on the principles based on Tamil traditional homeland, Tamil Nation and self-rule based on the right to self-determination. The leader of Tamil National Alliance (TNA), R. Sampanthan presided the meeting which was held in the I’lam Kalaignar Hall in Nalloor.
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"I will not accept partition of the country" - Sarath Fonseka, in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 January 2010, 04:25 GMT]
"I am not prepared to allow partitioning the country, be it proposed by the minority or majority community," Sarath Fonseka, the common opposition presidential candidate, said in a press meet held Saturday in Jaffna town. In response to a question Sarath Fonseka took pains to explain the difference between the role he had to play as a military officer in the past and his present role as a politician. He had to give priority to the safety of soldiers as the Military Commander and now as a politician he gives priority to the benefit of people, he added.
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Dengue claims 5 lives in Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Thursday, 31 December 2009, 03:01 GMT]
Five persons, including two resettled Vanni IDPs, in Jaffna penisula have died due to dengue fever which is spreading at an alarming rate while hospitals are unable to treat dengue patients for want of basic facilities, according to Dr. K. Ketheswaran, Jaffna Director of Public Health (DPHS). Nearly 40 to 50 dengue patients are admitted to Jaffna Teaching Hospital (JTH) daily and they have to be accommodated along corridors due to lack of space, JTH administration said.
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Around 800 persons including 50 women held in Boosa detention centre

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 December 2009, 03:14 GMT]
Nearly 800 youths including 50 women who had been either abducted in white vans or arrested by the armed forces in Vanni detention centres from January to September 2009 are being held in Boosa camp, according to a list sent to Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna officials by HRC office in Colombo. Most of the families of the above detainees, being still held in Vanni detention centres, have no way of learning the fate of those abducted and arrested, the HRC Jaffna officials said.
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Government seeks NGO's assistance to help resettled Vanni IDPs in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 December 2009, 03:31 GMT]
Sri Lanka Government extended a request to the International and local Non-government Organizations in Jaffna to help the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Vanni now resettled in Jaffna, in a conference held with the NGOs Sunday at Jaffna Secretariat. Jaffna Government agent presided the conference which was attended by Minister Douglas Devananda and the Governor of Northern Province, Major. Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri, sources in Jaffna said. Whatever assistance given to the above IDPs by the government leaves much to be desired, NGO representatives said.
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Poor quality rice given as relief food in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 25 December 2009, 02:48 GMT]
Rice that is distributed as relief food for the resettled IDPs and other needy people in Jaffna district by the government of Sri Lanka is of very poor quality and unsuitable for consumption, according to concerns raised by Non-government Organizations in Jaffna. All relief dry food items are purchased by the Commissioner of Essential Services (CES) in Colombo and sent to Jaffna for distribution, Jaffna Secretariat officials said. The officials further said that they distribute what is sent to Jaffna by the CES.
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Resettled IDPs in Jaffna yet to be give initial payment

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 December 2009, 03:50 GMT]
More than half the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) resettled in Jaffna peninsula have not been paid the first stage payment of 5,000 rupees yet, according to information which came to light in a conference held by Jaffna Government Agent (GA) in Jaffna Secretariat Tuesday. Only 44% of the total 71,186 persons of 23,882 families resettled IDPs have been paid 5,000 rupees as initial payment in the first stage. Two thirds of the IDPs in Jaffna camps had been taken over by their relatives in Jaffna peninsula, the GA said. Meanwhile, IDP Welfare organizations in Jaffna complain that the relief food items supplied by UNCHR are of poor quality.
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"Tamils should claim rights gradually" - Douglas Devananda

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 December 2009, 06:58 GMT]
Tamils have been reduced to the stage where they cannot no longer fight for their rights. Their non-violent approaches as well as armed struggle have failed leaving them in a situation where they can only claim their rights step by step, Minister Dougala Devananda said Saturday in a press meet held in Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) office in Jaffna Srithar theatre. The minister further said that EPDP will take full responsibility of the consequences arising by Tamils in North and East voting for President Mahinda Rajapakse in the forthcoming presidential election.
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Improve lives of resettled people in Moothoor, demands IDP Union

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 December 2009, 13:44 GMT]
The president of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Union requested government authorities to take several actions which could greatly help the resettled people to improve their lives, in a meeting held Wednesday around 10:00 a.m in Kaddaippa’richchaan Vipulaanantha Mahaa Viththiyaalayam. Eastern Province Chief Minister, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, Governor Mohan Vijayavickrama, Government Agent T. T. R. de Silva, Cooperative Development Minister, A. Majeed, Eastern Province Agriculture Minister T. Navaratnarajah, Divisional Secretary N. Selvanayagam and government officials participated in the meeting, sources in Trincomallee said.
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Floods displace many in Vadamaraadchi

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 December 2009, 11:39 GMT]
Continuing rain and floods in Jaffna peninsula, particularly in Vadamaraadchi North and East, have caused people from the coastal areas to seek shelter in Churches and public buildings, sources in Jaffna said. The most affected are the people brought from Vavuniyaa camps and resettled in the abandoned tsunami shelters in Ma’natkaadu in Vadmaraadchi and those who have no relatives to take responsibility of them, the sources added.
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Resettled IDPs in Jaffna ordered to register particulars with SLA, SLN

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 December 2009, 03:13 GMT]
The Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) brought from Vanni camps and resettled in Jaffna have been ordered to register their particulars with the local civil administrative authorities of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) or Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), sources in Jaffna said. These IDPs who had already registered their particulars with their local Village Officers are again being subjected to endless inconvenience, the sources added. The IDPs in Jaffna peninsula and the islets cannot move freely without the Family Registration Certificate (FRC) issued by SLA or SLN.
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Unrelenting rain continues in Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 December 2009, 14:15 GMT]
Monsoon rains continue to pour down in Jaffna peninsula for the third day Monday flooding the low lying areas, sources in Jaffna said. The most affected by the persisting rain are the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) resettled in Jaffna and those living as permanent refugees evicted by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) because they are located in low lying areas that are easily flooded. However, no one had left their residences until now and they will have to move into school buildings if the rains do not stop, Jaffna Secretariat officials said.
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“We are not going to start another armed struggle” – PLOTE Sitharathan

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 December 2009, 10:25 GMT]
“We are not preparing ourselves to launch another armed struggle. The accusations that we had abducted minors from Vavuniyaa camps are baseless,” Sitharathan, the leader of People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) said in a press meet held Saturday in PLOTE office in Jaffna. He further said that after the talks held with President Mahinda Rajapakse his party has decided to support him in the forthcoming presidential election, sources in Jaffna said.
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Cluster voting booths to be installed in resettlement areas in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 December 2009, 03:17 GMT]
Cluster voting booths in the forthcoming presidential election are to be installed in Karaichchi and Poonakari areas where Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) had been resettled, Jaffna Assistant Election Commissioner (AEO), S. Suthakar said. Meanwhile, provisions have been made to enable IDP voters who had lost their identification documents due to the war, he further said.
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