Govt allocates more funds for rehabilitation of ex-LTTE cadres

The government has increased the allocations for rehabilitating the former LTTE cadres from Rs. 300 million to Rs. 500 million. Minister of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Chandrasiri Gajadeera said.

The Minister revealed this addressing a ceremony held in Vavuniya Cultural Centre yesterday to release a batch of former cadres of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

A group of 313 former cadres were reintegrated into the society yesterday to mark the Hindu cultural festival Thai Pongal that falls today.

The former LTTE cadres undergoing rehabilitation receive vocational training during their rehabilitation program to learn skills that could find them employment once they are reintegrated into the society.

Of the over 11,600 former rebel cadres surrendered to the military at the end of war in 2009, only a few hundred remain in rehabilitation camps now.

Commissioner General of Rehabilitation, Brigadier Darshana Hettiarachchi said that they have designed a mechanism to monitor the progress of those who have reintegrated into society with a plan to monitor their post-rehabilitation, to restore their livelihood and explore employment opportunities.