"We wish to record with appreciation the arrangements made by Basil Rajapaksa MP, to release 177 Hindu Priests including 573 family members from the camps to All Ceylon Hindu Congress (a Federation of Hindu Religious Associations and Temple Trusts in Sri Lanka), ACHC General Secretary Kandiah Neelakandan had said.

We also thank the President, the Government, Ministers Douglas Devananda and Pandu Bandaranayake, the Defence Ministry and the Hindu Religious Affairs Department for the action taken to release these Hindu priests and their families," he had further stated.

44 families (155 family members) of Hindu Priests have been released to be settled in Vavuniya, and another eight families (34 family members) will be arranged to be sent to be settled in Mannar respectively.

Arrangements are being made to send 58 families (222 family members) to Jaffna and six families (24 family members) to the Eastern Province respectively.