Resettlement, Development and Security in the Northern Province: President appoints Task Force

President Mahinda Rajapaksa by virtue of powers vested in him by Article 33 (f) of the Constitution of the Democratic, Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, has appointed a 19- member Presidential Task Force for Resettlement, Development and Security in the Northern Province. It is mandated to prepare strategic plans, programs and projects to resettle internally displaced persons, rehabilitate and develop economic and social infrastructure of the Northern Province.

At the first meeting of the Task Force held yesterday Senior Presidential Advisor and the Chairman of the Task Force Basil Rajapaksa MP said, that 90 percent of the territory of the Northern Province had been cleared of terrorism by the Security Forces at great sacrifice under the guidance and leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The highest tribute that can be paid to the war heroes is to provide the IDPs with basic facilities, to resettle them in their original native places and to restore their livelihoods. Already Security Forces have taken steps to provide security to cleared areas and the Government led by the President has drawn its attention to the security of the people, security of the North and of the country, he added.

He further said that the President had sent a directive yesterday to all Secretaries of Ministries to make arrangements to resettle IDPs in their original homes and to restore their lost livelihoods. In the aftermath of the conflict in the East the Government successfully resettled IDPs. In the near future, IDPs in the North too will be resettled, pledged Basil Rajapaksa MP. Read more ...