New village for Menik Farm IDPs

By Supun Dias

A 600 acre new village at Kombavil in Mullaitivu is to be set up to resettle the remaining IDPs who are now at the Manik Farm relief village, the Defence Ministry said today.

Media Centre for National Security Director General Lakshman Hulugalle said he could not specifically give a time by when the people would be settled in KombavilAccordingly, 7394 IDPs of 2097 families who are presently accommodated at the Manik Farm relief village will be resettled in the village, and each family will be provided with a 40 perch block of land and a semi-permanent house in the Kombavil village enabling them to start their livelihood soon after resettlement. The new village is adjacent to their places of origin in Putdukuduirruppu and Meritimepattu.

The government has taken this remedial measure until the completion of the ongoing de-mining process in seven Grama Niladhari Divisions of Puthukuduirruppu and three GN Divisions in Meritimepattu.

These areas are still unsafe for civilian living due to the heavy density of mine fields and unexploded ordnance, military sources said.

Putukuduirruppu GA, UN agencies, several INGOs and the Sri Lanka Army launched a programme called "Come and tell "to make the IDPs at Manik Farm aware of the project. And also the "Go and See" Programme allowed the IDPs to see the new location at Kombavil village, to get familiar with their new neighborhood, the Defence Ministry said.