Trincomalee’s Urban Council member, S Nanthakumar, has urged the government to allow international and local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to support the resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sampur.
Over 2,000 people were moved into IDP camps from the Tamil-majority Sampur in 2006, after the government declared it a High Security Zone. The IDPs were not paid any subsistence allowance and foreign and local NGOs are still not allowed to help the refugees, Ceylon Today reported.
Mr Nandakumar appealed to civil authorities to allow local and international NGOs to help the IDPs return to their own villages as the new government is reported to have taken some steps towards resettlement.
Sri Lankan government pledges to return 818 acres in Sampur (24 March 2015)
Hundreds of Tamil protestors demand resettlement in Sampur (18 February 2015)