Program to issue identity documents to IDPs

The Constitutional Affairs and National Integration Ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has implemented a program to issue legal documents including National Identity Cards (NIC) to the IDPs in the welfare villages of Vavuniya.


Constitutional Affairs and National Integration Ministry Secretary M.S.Wickremesinghe addresses the media briefing on the Equal Access to Justice (A2J) project-Phase 2 held at Galle Face Hotel, Colombo yesterday. Assistant Resident Representative (Program) UNDP Zoe Keeler, Justice and Law Reforms Ministry Additional Secretary Kamalini de Silva and National Project Coordinator of the Equal Access to Justice Project Sharmeela Rassool are also in the picture. Picture by Sudath Nishantha
Under the UNDP Equal Access to Justice (A2J) project implemented, birth, wedding and death certificates and other legal documents will be issued to IDPs who have lost these vital documents amidst the conflict, left them behind while fleeing to the safety of the Security armed forces or never possessed such documents, legitimate Affairs and National Integration Ministry desk Ms. M.S.Wickremesinghe told a media meeting held at Galle Face Hotel, Colombo yesterday. The first movable documentation agenda to issue legal ID to IDPs in Vavuniya was held at the Kadirgamar Nagar Welfare Village on July 1, 2 and 3, she said.
" Nearly 2,050 applications for birth, death and marriage certificates and 1,553 applications for NICs were received from over 3,500 IDPs who participated in the primary program. Photographs were also issued to 2,200 IDPs, including 300 schoolchildren, for the purpose of obtaining NICs. In addition, 578 Police information were issued for loss of NICs," she said.
A2J National scheme Coordinator Ms.Sharmeela Rassool said a field place of work has been recognized by the Registrar General's Department at the Kadirgamar Nagar Welfare Village to ensure simple access for the IDPs to the armed forces provided by the Department.
She said A2J project has carried out a number of similar certification programs for IDPs as well as non-IDPs in the Eastern Province, facilitating the resettlement behavior and effective reintegration to the community by supplementary the IDPs to exercise their basic public rights. UNDP Assistant Resident Representative (Program) Zoe Keeler and fairness and Law Reforms Ministry Additional Secretary Kamalini de Silva were too present.
Courtesy : Daily News