Released' IDPs still in camps

Displaced Tamil people released from the camps in Vavuniya are still in camps, local political leaders say.

R Thurairatnam, a member of the eastern provincial council, told BBC Sandeshaya that 123 families released from Vavuniya camps are still kept in camps in Batticaloa.

360 people are currently kept in two schools, Sinhala Maha Vidyalaya and Kurukkalmadam Vidyalaya, in Batticaloa in early morning on Saturday.

Correspondents say the internally displaced people (IDPs) earlier released from Vavuniya camps were allowed to go home or visit their relatives.

'Over 9000 released'

Nearly 300,000 IDPs are held in government run camps in Vavuniya. The government has recently released some of them, elderly and children are mainly among them.

On Friday, nearly 2,000 or so people were allowed to leave the Menik Farm camp.
The government said 9900 IDPs were released.

“Among those released were 6838 to Jaffna, 2170 to Trincomalee, 683 to Batticaloa and 274 to Ampara,” a statement by the Defence Ministry website said.

Mr. Thurairatnam, a member of the EPRLF, was told by officials providing security at the Batticaloa camps that the IDPs will be released within next few days after registration process is over.

However, no reason was given for their continued detention, he said.

BBC Sandeshaya could not contact Resettlement Minister Risath Badiuddeen, despite repeated attempts.

© BBC Sinhala