UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Sir John Holmes who is on a three day visit to Sri Lanka addressing the media personnel at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo said that he is satisfied with the government’s proceedings with the resettlement and infrastructure development process.
During his official visit he has visited the Menik Farm welfare village in Vavuniya, IDP resettlement centres in the Jaffna peninsula and infrastructure development work sites in the Northern Province.
He has also met and discussed with the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister for Disaster Management and Human Rights, Presidential Task Force Head for the Northern Province development project Parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa and several other key officials.
Sir John Holmes, who is in Sri Lanka on the invitation of the Foreign Minister said that he was pleased to be in Sri Lanka for the fifth time under more positive circumstances.
He also said that he was satisfied and encouraged by the Sri Lankan government’s IDPs resettlement process, accelerated demining process and infrastructure development proceedings in both the North and East provinces.
He further said that the number of IDPs which stood as 280,000 at the initial stage had been declined to 135,000 at present. ‘Schools are reopening, health services are kicking off and many development projects are taking place”, the UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs added.
Questioned over the Sri Lankan Government’s pledge to 180 days resettlement plan, Sir John Holmes said “whether is 180 days, end of this year or end of the January next year, the most important thing is continuing the necessary process in a satisfactory level”.
He also reiterated the process of reconciliation and stated that it was an important opportunity for reconciliation in the post-conflict phase.
- Asian Tribune –
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