Indian Tamils chased out by LTTE to be resettled in Sri Lanka

Colombo, Oct 8 (UNI) The Sri Lankan government has declared that permanent shelters would be provided to around 5000 Tamil families of Indian origin who were chased out by the LTTE in 1996.

As many as 30,000 Indian Tamils were forced to move out of Killinochchi and Mullaithievu districts by the Tamil Tigers of Tamil Elam who accused them of working secretly to remove the LTTE from these areas.

These Indian Tamils were presently living in several refugee camps in Vavuniya.

Senior Advisor to Sri Lanka President Basil Rajapakse said Indian Tamils were settled in the area by the NGOs and the Norwegian Red Barna in the 1980s.

Muslims from Arippu, Silavathurai and Musali in the Mannar districts were also chased out in October 1990 and were presently living in the refugee camps in the Puttalam districts. They would also be resettled, Asian Tribune quoted him as saying.

The Sri Lankan security forces had given clearance for the resettlement of the Muslims living in the camps in Puttalam.

Mr Rajapakse said the Government was negotiating with the UNHCR, World Bank and with several NGOs regarding the permanent resettlement of these Tamils and Muslims living in the refugee camps for more than a decade.

UNI