Until very recently, many people in Sri Lanka probably were left traumatised because of the civil war from 23rd July 1983-2nd January 2009. The civil war apparently took place in the northern and eastern provinces of Sri Lanka. This war left people separated and homeless. Many of the war-affected families are still living in camp tents, it’s claimed. However, Sri Lanka plans to build at least 46,000 houses by early next year for these people on a priority basis.
Recent reports talk about, the Sri Lankan government wanting to set up a national welfare centre in Kilinochchi, northern Sri Lanka where the former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) administrative centre was. It’s believed that this welfare centre is supposed to support war-affected families by helping to provide food, accommodation and education for young children. Probably some of the people living in Kilinochchi requested for this centre to be set up.
On the 28th September 2015, The Hindu publication reported that the Indian government’s External Affairs Ministry, Vikas Swarup said: “We expect 46,000 houses to be completed by early next year.” According to this report, this plan involves reputed national and international companies being invited to give in proposals that will be reviewed and scrutinised by a committee for the war-affected families.
In total, the Sri Lankan government would like to build roughly 65,000 houses for the war-affected families for the northern and eastern provinces of its country. But the 65,000 houses, is only a part of the 137,529 houses that are required in these two provinces. So there are still many houses left to be built. Reports claimed that the Indian government are funding the 46,000 houses.
Some people believe, that Sri Lanka’s construction of houses, for the war-affected families is a result of Maithripala Sirisena being elected as President, in January 2015. It’s likely that Sri Lanka’s government has taken gradual steps to support the war-affected families. The new government supposedly pledged to promote reconciliation between most of the Sinhalese and Tamil community after the war came to an end.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe revealed how the war affected families in the north. Wickremesinghe said: “It is a well-known fact that most suffered people due to a war, are women and children. In the north alone, there are nearly 50,000 families that are headed by women. They are made destitute due to their inability to provide food, accommodation and educational needs to their children.”
A war-affected woman, Surenthiran Annaluxmi said: “I felt very happy when I found out I was going to get a house. Now we will feel much more secure, especially in the rainy season and in the dark. Once I could only dream about having such a big house. When it was complete I felt as if my dream had come true.”
The Hindu also claimed that the Sri Lankan government joined the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) as a co-sponsor on the 24th September 2015. Both Sri Lanka and the UNHRC seem to be on the lookout for the war-affected families. They are trying to come to a mutual agreement to acknowledge the question of the human rights violation in their country.
Roughly 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed during Sri Lanka’s war. But just after the war ended, many people called the city’s battlefield, a ghost city, it’s reported. It’s only after the new government was elected, that the country started to make peace between the two war zones. Back in November 2011, the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) apparently suggested that the housing plans should be addressed on an urgent basis and asked for help from institutions and individuals, nationally and internationally for the war-affected families.
