Resettling families in Pulavuk-kudyiruppu complain about lack of assistance

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 15 March 2017, 15:31 GMT]
The uprooted people of Pulavuk-kudiyiruppu in Keappaa-pulavu complain that have not received any assistance to clear their 48 acres of lands that have been released after a long struggle. The SL Air Force, that has kept their lands seized has not used them, but destroyed their houses and infrastructure facilities. Not only the SL State mechanisms, the UN agencies have also failed to address their needs, the resettling families complained. In the meantime, 138 families waging a continuous struggle in front of the SL military base at Keappaa-pulavu have intensified their protest with a fasting campaign since Saturday.

The SL military, deploying scorched-earth policy as during the times of war had demolished and bulldozed all the properties of Pulavuk-kudiyiruppu people before handing their lands back to them. Now, families are forced to clear their lands on their own and put up huts for themselves. No humanitarian assistance has reached them, the families complain.

Apart from the houses of 138 families, there was a Government Tamil Mixed School, (Keappaa-pulavu GTMS), three Saiva temples, one church, one Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society (MPCS), a pre-school, a play ground, a social service centre, a common hall and two cemeteries, one Hindu and a Christian, the people continuing their struggle say.

There are around 120 school-going students among the 138 families that are continuing the struggle.

Uprooted families from Pulak-kudiyiruppu in Keappaa-pulavu have gained 48 acres of their lands back after waging a continuous struggle for one month in February. But, 138 families continue to demand their 482 acres of lands that the SL military is refusing to hand back to the uprooted people.

The families were threatened by the SL military not to block the road and they have been continuing their struggle peacefully along the two sides of the road.

The families of enforced disappeared are waging their continuous protests in Ki'linochchi, Vavuniyaa and in Trincomalee. Families of missing persons in Mullaiththeevu have also joined the struggle by stating continuing protest in front of the District Secretariat in Mullaiththeevu.

The uprooted families from the main village of Keappaa-pulavu have stepped up their struggle with continuous fasting.

Uprooted people from Pulavuk-kudiyiruppu are living under trees in the lands recently released back to them.

Families of enforced disappeared continue their struggle in Ki'linochchi, Vavuniyaa, Mullaiththeevu and in Trincomalee