Uprooted Tamils in Ampaa'rai district languish without resettlement

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 May 2012, 23:48 GMT]
Tamil villages in the DS divisions of Poththuvil, Chammaa-thu'rai and Akkaraippattu in Ampaa'rai district are still in the state of complete destruction. Out of 427 families uprooted from Thangkavealautha-puram, only 70 have been resettled. 80 families have been resettled in Kagnchi-kudichchaa'ru village out of 424 uprooted families. 60 families of 126 uprooted have been resettled in Kaagnchirankudaa village and only 35 out of 127 uprooted families have been resettled in Chaakamam village, civil officials said.

No relief assistance has been provided to the resettled Tamil families.

Some of the uprooted families are currently staying with their relatives and friends, as they are not provided with basic facilities such as pure drinking water, toilet facilities, transport and medical facilities although they are willing to return to their villages.

Students of the resettled families are not provided with schooling facilities. Students attend classes sitting on the ground inside a tent.

Resettled families are not allowed by the occupying Sri Lanka Army to do their profession such as inland-water fishing. But, Sinhala fishermen are encouraged by the SL Army to engage in inland-water fishing.

Several non-governmental organizations located in the district meet government officials in the district once in six months. But, none have attended the need for permanent housing and other critical needs of the resettled families.

In the meantime, lands belong to Tamils in the coastal areas in the district from Paa'nama to Koamaari are being purchased by Muslims and Sinhalese.

The Sri Lankan military continuous to harass the Tamil people.

Ten days ago, some unidentified persons abducted a Tamil youth who was earlier in the LTTE from his residence at Kaaraitheevu. He was kept blindfolded and released later.

The uprooted Tamil families due to attacks by the occupying Sri Lanka Army and paramilitary groups have not been fully resettled in their villages in Ampaa'rai district.

Tamil villages in the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Thirukkoayil, Aalaiyadivempu, and Naavithanve'li in the district are completely damaged in the war and the people were uprooted due to atrocities committed by the occupying Sri Lanka Army and paramilitary groups.

Sri Lankan Special Task Force personnel and Muslim home guards massacred more than one hundred Tamils at Udumpan-ku'lam village of Thirukkoayil DS division in 1986, resulting in the mass exodus of the entire village.

Likewise, Tamil people from Thiraayk-kea'ni, Thangkavealaayutha-puram, Kagnchi-kudichchaa'ru, Chaakamam and Ka'n'naki-puram fled from their villages following the massacre carried out by the occupying Sri Lanka Army in 1990.

Even after three years have passed since the end of the war, the uprooted Tamil people have not been resettled fully in the district. In contrary, the Colombo government is trying to give an impression to the world that all uprooted people have been completely resettled in their villages in Ampaa'rai district.