Resettlement
ASSISTANT High Commissioner for Refugees Kamel Morjane said in mid-August that 103,000 internally displaced people (IDP) have returned to their home areas since the signing of the ceasefire agreement in February this year. Mr Morjane was on a visit to the island to assess the situation for resettlement. UNHCR estimates the number of IDPs in Sri Lanka at 800,000. But other agencies such as the Norwegian Refugee Council say the number may be over one million. Mr Morjane says that UNHCR is keen to ensure that resettlement takes place in an atmosphere of safety and dignity and will not encourage any forcible resettlement of refugees or IDPs. UNHCR will not become party to the use resettlement to change the population for political reasons. According to UNHCR, the government is spending Rs 60,000 for the resettlement of a family of five members. Mr Morjane emphasized that some 500,000 landmines in the north-east must be removed if the pace of resettlement is to be accelerated. He further says that on assessment of the current rate of mine clearance, it may take another ten years for the removal of most mines and to ensure the safety of the IDPs. He expressed concern that agriculture has been adversely affected by landmines.
Ponnambalam Satheeskumar was seriously injured by a mine at Kunjukulam in the Vanni while working in his field in August. M Dansika, 8, was killed by a bomb in Viswamadu on 24 August. It also seriously injured V Mangaleswary, 3, and V Akila, 4. The displaced family had returned to Viswamadu to repair their house. On the same day, a 13 year-old boy was injured by an explosive at Chavakachcheri in Jaffna. In Kerudavil, Velupillai Vinasithamby, 71, was wounded by a landmine when he went to clear his field.
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