MPs FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: UNP,SLMC,DPF,TNA MPs TO VISIT VANNI TAMIL IDPs!!! THANKS TO DR.JJ!!! GR SHOULD ALLOW THEM SOON!!!???

Opposition MPs to visit Wanni and Mannar


By Yohan Perera
A group of Opposition MPs expect to visit Wanni and Mannar to study the situation regarding the internality displaced persons. These MPs are members of the parliamentary lobby group ‘Parliamentarians for Human Rights’ which has been formed recently.

UNP MP and Parliamentarian for Human Rights General Secretary, Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene told a news conference yesterday that five MPs have already consented to participate in the visit.

The others who are expected to participate in the tour are UNP MP Thalatha Athukorala, SLMC MP Shafik Rajabdeen, DPF MP Mano Ganeshan and the TNA MP P. Chandranehru. Dr. Jayawardene said more MPs will be joining them later

He said they have already written to Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa for clearance. “We will take up the issue with the international community if the government refuses us permission for the visit,” he said.

The main objective of the visit according to Dr. Jayawardene is to study how the people who had come from the un-cleared areas are keeping and find out about the facilities they are given.

He charged that over 200,000 internally displaced people have been repeatedly displaced because of the ongoing conflict while it is estimated that there are over 3000 pregnant women among them “These people are being sent from place to place,” he charged.

Meanwhile, the UNP also charged that pensions have not been paid to over 5000 soldiers who have either died or were injured in action during the ongoing fighting in the North.

Dr. Jayawardene recalled that the government in its election manifesto promised that a pension equal to 85 percent of their monthly salaries would be paid to these war heroes but this has not been fulfilled to date.

“It is unfair for the government to treat the soldiers in such a shabby way at a time they are doing a wonderful job to defeat terrorism in the country,” he said. The UNP MP charged that the government is politicizing the war and the armed forces.
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