Facebook icon
Twitter icon
e-mail icon

£1m UK funding for families resettling after military occupation in North-East

The UK will provide £1 million in funding for families resettling back into their lands following the release of land from military occupation in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Batticaloa. 

"The funding will help those returning to their homes in the Jaffna, Killinochchi, Mullaithivu and Batticaloa districts by contributing towards roads, wells and sanitary services, and help re-establish access to local government services as well as local civil society organisations," the UK government said in a statement released today. 

"It will also help families rebuild their lives by supporting livelihood development through training on small business management, and provision of essential fishing and agricultural equipment."

The funding comes as families returning to lands that have been occupied by the military for many years find that their homes are not habitable, often partly demolished and without access to basic water and sanitation. 

The Minister of State for Asia & the Pacific Mark Field said, "helping some of the families resettle in districts from which they had been displaced is a very important step. It is symbolic of the steady progress made after decades of conflict. There remains a lot to do, but I am proud of the UK’s support to the rebuilding process."

"We will continue to encourage the Sri Lankan Government to make progress delivering their Human Rights Council commitments, and I hope that the UK’s Sri Lankan diaspora will also play their part in encouraging that progress."
 

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.