Another batch of 1,800 former Tamil Tiger rebels who have undergone a two-year rehabilitation program was reintegrated into society yesterday.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa handed over the rehabilitated former members of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to their families yesterday at a function held at the Temple Trees with the participation of family members or next of kin of the former rebels, ministers, members of parliamentarians, and diplomats.

Addressing the gathering President Rajapaksa said the released combatants were given vocational training to live in the society as useful citizens. The ex-combatants were provided training in masonry, carpentry,
tailoring and agriculture.

President Rajapaksa said these former LTTE members were deprived of the opportunity to live as free citizens and added that further measures are being taken to erase their dark past.

"We have made you a person worthwhile to society," the President said and added that peeple's lives should not be allowed to be destroyed to fulfill the needs of a small group.

The President said the villages in the North destroyed during the war are being rebuilt and he will work to develop the North same as the South. He is not prepared to treat the North any differently from the South, he said.

Minister of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms, Chandrasiri Gajadeera said the rehabilitation programme was implemented according to the needs of present day society.

During and immediately after the final phase of the Humanitarian Operation 11,700 LTTE cadres surrendered to government security forces.

The government has allocated Rs.750 million for the rehabilitation process and for this year and has spent Rs. 2.5 billion on the rehabilitation of ex-LTTE cadres since the conclusion of the humanitarian operation in May 2009.