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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Government extends more facilities to the Relief Centers where the people escaping from the clutches of LTTE are sheltered

On the directions of His Excellency the President relevant Government Agencies have committed their respective services for provisions of cooked meals, Dry Rations, Health and Educational Service, Drinking Water, Temporary Shelters, Model Villages, and several other essential services to the people who escaped the clutches of the LTTE said Hon.Rishad Bathiudeen M.P., Minister of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services. According to the Minister, up to date over 62,000 persons who fled the LTTE areas have sought Government protection and assistance.

At present 15 Relief Camps are in operation in Vavuniya District.

Chettikulam Maha Vidyalaya

Aruvi Thottam Welafare Center

Kadirgamar Relief Village

Arunasalam Relief Village-Zone 03

Educational Vidyalaya

Nelunkulam Kayyamakkal Vidyalaya

Poonthottam Maha Vidyalaya

Pammemadu Relief Center

Technical College

Gamini Maha Vidyalaya

Tamil Maha Vidyalaya - High School

Tamil Vidyalaya - rimary

Saivaprakash Maha Vidyalaya

Kovikkulam Maha Vidyalaya

Vavuniya Muslim Maha Vidyalaya

Up to now in the above 15 refugee centers, there are 16,768 families consist of 52,208 persons.

In the Jaffna District 06 Refugee Centers are in operation;

Kodikamam Relief Centre

Minusuvil Relief Centre

Kaithadi - Relief Centre

Gurunagar - Relief Center

Kopay Relief Centre

Kaithadi University

In above 06 relief centers as of now, there are 6,000 persons are accommodated.

The Government forces have currently engaged in directing another 4000 persons to relief centers through the Omanthai check point. They have been provided with all essential facilities by the security forces. My ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services has appointed special officers to arrange all necessary facilities for all these persons.

Relief centers will also be provided with telecommunication facilities hopefully from tomorrow. Through these communication lines the IDPs will be able to be in touch with their relatives and friends within Sri Lanka and abroad.

The Government also made arrangement for family re-unions for the members of the families who are separated or missing after fleeing the clutches of the LTTE. Thus up to now 600 families have been re-united. Over 408 persons above the age of 60 have been entrusted to their relatives and they have also been provided with facilities under the supervision of the Ministry officials who are appointed recently, continued the Minister.

The civilians who are fleeing from the LTTE area are being issued with special Identity Cards by the Presidential Secretarial. These Identity Cards are issued not only to recognize them as Sri Lankan nationals but also to draw the attention to the International Community to the atrocities perpetrated by the LTTE on these innocent civilians.

The construction works in the Ananda Kumarasuwamy Relief Village will be completed by the end of April. The Hon. Minister further stated for this purpose Central Advisory Board, State Engineering Cooperation, Department of Engineering, National Housing Construction Department, Building Department as well as Northern Provincial Council are entrusted to provide their relevant services.

As of today, there are over 3000 persons at the Arunachalam Relief village. In that centers inmates are sharing the collective kitchen for preparing their meals. In the Kadirgamar relief Center, there are 3000 shelters to accommodate over 1,500 persons with necessary facilities. As of now 15,000 units of shelters are occupied by 7,500 people.