Eelam war IV: Tiger captives down to 7,900, rehab programme on track

(By Shamindra Ferdinando)

Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe, Commissioner General of Rehabilitation says LTTE cadres are being gradually released from government centres following rehabilitation in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. Brig. Ranasinghe, who succeeded Major General Daya Ratnayake, says their work is on track thereby allowing small groups of LTTE cadres to rejoin their families every month. 

In a brief interview with The Island on Sunday (July 25), Brig. Ranasinghe said that 7,948 ex-combatants, including about 1,100 females were still undergoing rehabilitation. According to him, of the 1,100 females, about 700 are now working in the garment trade. About 400 are being trained as Montessori teachers (120). Others are learning English (100), IT (60) and drama ‘therapy’ (60).

Brig. Ranasinghe said that garment workers received Rs 12,000 plus per month along with food, medical facilities and accommodation. An effort was being made to explore the possibility of securing the help and expertise of the British Council to teach English. The Montessori course, he said, would commence in the first week of August, while the remaining three programmes were already in progress. He appreciated versatile actress of international repute Anoja Weerasinghe’s support for a drama ‘therapy’ programme.

At the conclusion of the war in May last year, military-run detention facilities held 11,686 LTTE cadres, including members of the suicide squad and elite fighting formations such as the Charles Anthony ‘Brigade’.

Responding to criticism that the international community had not been given access to ex-combatants, Brig. Ranasinghe said that their families were regularly allowed to visit them. Family visits had begun several months back, he said adding that the government spent as much as Rs. 100 million a month to run the rehabilitation programme.

Brig. Ranasinghe said that the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) had facilitated their efforts by providing transport and profiling of LTTE cadres.

Former Justice and Law Reforms Minister Milinda Moragoda was able to involve the international community, local business community as well as the Hindu Congress in the rehabilitation process.

Brig. Ranasinghe said that it would be only a matter of time before they could complete the rehabilitation process.

The remaining LTTE cadres were held at 12 centres situated in Jaffna (1), Batticaloa (3) and Vavuniya (8). Of the eight centres in Vavuniya, two are exclusively for females.

Asked whether the ICRC was allowed to visit detention facilities, Brig. Ranasinghe said that question should be posed to the Defence Ministry. He reiterated that families and relatives were allowed to visit those undergoing rehabilitation.

At the beginning of the rehabilitation programme there had been over 20 holding facilities, he said.

(The Island)