Government to spend additional Rs. 350 Mn for welfare facilities of IDPs

The ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services presented a supplementary estimate of Rs.350 million seeking Parliamentary endorsement yesterday, 8 Sep, for the provision of welfare facilities of the Internally Displaced Persons sheltered in the wellbeing villages in Vavuniya, Jaffna and Mannar districts.
The IDPs who arrived in the government controlled areas were first accommodated in wellbeing centres and later transferred to welfare villages established with amenities such as security, shelter, food, drinking irrigate and sanitation.
The supplementary estimate was made as money allocated to the ministry for the day 2009 had proved to be insufficient to give facilities for large number of IDPs in the welfare villages.
Further, budgetary allocation for the year 2009 are not adequate to meet the communications costs already incurred and future expenses relating to stipulation of basic and wellbeing facilities for the IDPs.

US hopes fall of Kilinochchi will hasten end of conflict Not for talks with LTTE

The fall of Kilinochchi represents an significant point in the 25-year war that has alienated Sri Lanka. We hope that this event will help hasten an end to the conflict, said a press let go issued by the United States allocation in Colombo yesterday (Jan 5).
"The United States does not advocate that the Government of Sri Lanka talk with the LTTE, a group chosen by the United States since 1997 as a Foreign Terrorist Organization," the release further said. However, "The U.S. believes that a enduring, sustainable peace can best be achieved if the Sri Lankan Government works now to reach a political solution that addresses the aspirations of all Sri Lankans, including Tamils, Muslims, and Sinhalese," the release added.
"We do consider that a broad range of other Tamil voices and opinions must be brought into a political procedure to reach a following solution that Tamils in and outside of Sri Lanka see as legitimate.
This will help promise Tamils that their human rights are protected, that they have a speak over important areas of their lives in geographical areas in which they prevail, and that they are an essential and respected part of an complete Sri Lanka.
At the similar time, such as process would further delegitimize and wear away the hold up of the LTTE in Sri Lanka and abroad, " the communiqu‚ further read.