The conditions in the Relief Villages and welfare centres are continuously improved and upgraded in keeping with global norms and standards, said the Minister of Human Rights & Disaster Management, Mahinda Samarasinghe addressing in Parliament on July 22.

The minister emphasized that the IDP sites are a temporary measure to keep these persons in safety and security until a process of sustainable return and resettlement can be ensured. However, this does not mean that we do not provide them with the maximum level of comfort and care that we can afford, he added.

He also stressed that these persons are not a mere statistic to be discussed in the abstract. These are Sri Lankan citizens with all the expectations, hopes and dreams of a better tomorrow which has been made possible by the defeat of terrorism, the minister said.

Speaking on the Adjournment Debate on the IDPs, the minister spoke of the Government's concerns over the protection of Human Rights, and said all necessary measures will be implemented to protect Human Rights of IDPs in relief villages.

"The freedom of movement of some of these IDPs has been restricted. We are not happy to do so nor are we totally inconsiderate of their rights. We are well aware that some cadres of the LTTE have infiltrated the ranks of the IDPs and, until and unless those cadres are filtered out, we have no option but to keep them within the welfare centres and relief villages", he said.

The minister also said that the government has taken measures where possible to release some persons having duly considered their needs and their personal circumstances. Consequently, over 9,000 persons -children, elderly, pregnant mothers, mothers with very young children and the disabled have been released on a gradual basis after a thorough check.

The government has invited the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator and the Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to join key Government stakeholders in sharing experiences and evolving solutions to the problems IDPs face. The Human Rights & Disaster Management Ministry is working in close cooperation with the Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Empowerment, civil society and UNHCR, he further said.