IDPs occupying railway properties in Jaffna to be evicted

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 June 2009, 11:13 GMT]
Jaffna Government Agent (GA) has instructed all Internally Displaced People (IDPs) presently occupying railway stations and other railway properties including living quarters and the railway track areas from Thellippazhai to Kodikaamam to vacate them before 20 June, sources in Jaffna said. The government decision to resume train service from Vavuniya to Kaangeasanththu’rai soon and its directive to the GA is the reason for the urgent eviction order. The IDPs, more than 20,000 in number, are in a quandary as no alternate places for them to relocate have been arranged by the authorities, the sources added



The IDPs were forced to leave their residences and properties in Valikaamam North as they were declared Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zones (HSZ) in 1990.

The displaced civilians had built temporary shelters in the premises of the Railway department, railway stations, railway crossings and the railway track areas besides railway quarters, which had been abandoned.

Non-government Organizations (NGOs) in Jaffna had helped the IDPs to build shelters in the above locations in which they have lived for nearly 20 years.

There are no funds allocated to projects related to finding alternative places for the IDPs to resettle, according to Jaffna Secretariat officials.

The NGOs expressed concern that the IDPs have been asked to vacate their shelters without being given any alternative locations.