ISSN: 1391 - 0531
Sunday November 4, 2007
Vol. 42 - No 23
News  

Northern Muslims mark 17 years in exile

By Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe

Muslim IDPs who were driven away from the Northern Province by the LTTE and are now living in IDP camps in Puttalam marked their 17th year a few days ago.

The IDPs held a public protest in Puttalam demanding resettlement in their homelands in the North. Around 10,000 IDPs took part in the protest saying that living in camps would not be bearable for long. They had come to Puttalam in late 1980s leaving all their possessions behind. There are more than 136,000 IDPs living in 136 camps in Kalpitiya, Puttalam, Mundel, and Wanathawilluwa divisional secretariats in Puttalam District.

Most of the camps do not provide basic facilities for the people. Sixty per cent of the children in camps who are of school-going age do not attend school.

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