At least 1600 million rupees would be required to restore the 683 acres in Myliddy, recently released from Sri Lankan Army occupation, back to habitable conditions, the Jaffna District Secretariat has said.
The owners of the released land returned last weekend to find their homes and infrastructure including wells and outbuildings had been demolished by the troops.
The DS requested the amount from the Sri Lankan resettlement ministry and said that the 1600 million rupee figure would go towards constructing 1000 new houses and repairing 250, restoring 300 toilets and 300 wells, repairing roads, reconstructing schools and community spaces and clearing overgrown forests.
While the Myliddy landowners said the Jaffna District Secretariat was correct to demand money from the state to restore their villages, they also said they should be receiving compensation for the past 28 years of displacement and lost livelihood.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
