News
Task Force abolished: New bureau for reconciliation
A new Bureau of Reconciliation is to be set up to handle matters earlier entrusted to the Presidential Task Force on Northern Development. A circular has been sent to ministries, government departments and state corporations among others that the Task Force is no longer operational.
Resettlement Ministry Secretary Janaka Sugathadasa said they had been informed by Task Force Secretary D. Divaratne that the Task Force had been appointed for a specific purpose and a specific period. That had now ended.
However, the Government is yet to resettle some 23,000 people in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. Some of them are living in welfare centres and others with relatives or friends. Some of them have not been resettled as their lands are located in High Security Zones while others have been without lands.
The 19-member Presidential Task Force was appointed to prepare strategic plans, programmes and projects to resettle internally displaced people and rehabilitate and develop economic and social infrastructure in the Northern Province. It was tasked to liaise with organisations in the public and private sectors and civil society groups for the proper implementation of programmes and projects.