A consortium, of international humanitarian and relief agencies, recently acknowledged that the area where internally displaced persons (IDPs) are being currently resettled in the Batticaloa district is favourable for resettlement.
The consortium - Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Country Team said that an inter-agency mission, that included the UN, UNICEF and UNHCR, toured Wellavelli on May 18 to assess the situation. Subsequent to the visit, IASC declared that the majority of the displaced wished to return home and that the area was conducive to return.
The military appreciated the IASC's assertion, particularly as it comes against the backdrop of efforts to undermine the resettlement programme. A section of the media and other interested parties have accused the government of forcing the displaced to return to their villages, the military. "We aren't doing this at gun point," a senior police official said, adding, "This is a tremendous boost and a welcome sign as some expatriate workers have been generally critical of the resettlement effort."
UN Resident Co-ordinator headed the IASC which included over a dozen agencies and organizations, including UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, WHO, WFP, World Bank, Oxfam, Care, World Vision and Save the Children.
A senior official yesterday said that about 28,000 people had returned to Wellavelli (Porativu-pattu) in the Batticaloa (west) during the first stage of the resettlement programme which began on May 14. Although the military concluded the first stage of the resettlement programme by May 24, the displaced would be allowed to return, he said.
The government intends to carry out the resettlement programme at Pattipalai (Manmunai Southwest) and Vavunativu (Manmunai West) next month. The elite Special Task Force (STF) is in charge of security in areas earmarked for resettlement of the displaced.
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