The Sri Lankan government has failed to address the issue of housing for displaced Tamils in the North, said Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian and spokesperson Suresh Premachandran.
"Simply releasing the lands is not enough,” said Mr Premachandran, commenting on the government's recent release of land in Jaffna. “The government should consider providing the people being resettled with some basic facilities to the people to enable them to pick up the threads of life once again" he said.
Earlier reports emerged that the Sri Lankan military had built army camps where houses of displaced Tamils once stood, in the recently released land in Valikaamam North. Families who have been unable to resettle there are still languishing in welfare centres in the North.
Those who were granted permission to move back into the areas that they once inhabited found that the jungle had overgrown over much of their land, added the MP, forcing them to clear it all themselves.
"The government should consider providing temporary huts for those who are resettling until they build a proper house in their own lands. Government has failed to address such necessary issues," he said.
"I have lodged a complaint regarding these problems with the Koppay Divisional Secretary. I have urged him to provide temporary shelters for those who are to resettle in Valalaai. Their temporary shelters were damaged in the recent heavy rains and winds. It is a must that the government should address these issues immediately," he added.
See our earlier posts:
Sri Lankan army camps on released land blocks resettlement says TNA MP (17 April 2015)
Sri Lankan army camps built on released land (14 Apr 2015)
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