UK will give Sri Lanka £1 million for North-East resettlement

Nearly 600 families resettled on newly released land in the North and East of Sri Lanka will benefit from £1 million from the UK Government to support the provision of basic infrastructure and services.

Helping families return to their villages is a crucial element of Sri Lanka addressing the legacy of civil war and is a key part of the joint strategy agreed by the UN and the Government of Sri Lanka to support long-term post-conflict peacebuilding in Sri Lanka.

The funding will help those returning to their homes in the Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Batticaloa districts by contributing towards roads, wells and sanitary services, and help re-establish access to local government services as well as local civil society organisations.

It will also help families rebuild their lives by supporting livelihood development through training on small business management, and provision of essential fishing and agricultural equipment.

Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field said that helping some of the families resettle in districts from which they had been displaced is a very important step.

“It is symbolic of the steady progress made after decades of conflict. There remains a lot to do, but I am proud of the UK’s support to the rebuilding process. We will continue to encourage the Sri Lankan Government to make progress delivering their Human Rights Council commitments, and I hope that the UK’s Sri Lankan diaspora will also play their part in encouraging that progress,” he said.

The Minister said that the UK currently supports stability in Sri Lanka through projects designed to build reconciliation and the rule of law; including, police and defence reform, demining, interfaith mediation and anti-bribery and corruption, among other issues.

The funding is being provided through the UK’s Conflict Security and Stability Fund (CSSF), increasing the UK’s contribution through the CSSF for Sri Lanka to £7.9 million between 2016 and 2019.

The funding is part of the UK’s contribution to Sri Lanka’s Peacebuilding Priority Plan; a joint strategy agreed by the UN and the Government of Sri Lanka to support long term post-conflict peacebuilding in Sri Lanka. (Colombo Gazette)