In terms of the government policy framework, the “Mahinda Chinthana” Way Forward, the prime objective of the Ministry of Resettlement is to ensure dignified resettlement of all displaced persons, who lost their original places of residence as a result of three decades of internal armed conflict in Sri Lanka.

In the process of resettlement or relocation of internally displaced persons, as the case may be, the Ministry of Resettlement focused mainly on two aspects. The first aspect was to provide humanitarian assistance required by such persons. In this regard, the Ministry provided shelter grants, cookedmeals, dry ration (for six months or more) water, sanitation, education and health facilities. These facilities were made available to all the internally displaced and resettled families, which number around 300,000. 

Secondly, the Ministry focused on creating an enabling environment by facilitating, monitoring and providing regulatory guidelines for re–integration of resettled communities with the rest of the economy. This includes sustainable livelihood opportunities for affected families and further improving infrastructure facilities to meet needs for socio-economic recovery by those resettled in conflict affected areas. 

In addition to making available such basic facilities as water, sanitation, roads, electricity, healthcare etc, the Ministry is also quite keen to create opportunity for the youth in the conflict affected areas to develop entrepreneur and vocational skills. Given the fact that the resettlement of those displaced as a result of humanitarian operations conducted is nearing completion, in keeping with the policy decisions of the Government of Sri Lanka, the Ministry, in the near future, will concentrate on taking action towards creating an enabling environment for the displaced persons of Sri Lankan origin but currently living in India and elsewhere to take considered decisions with regard to their return to Sri Lanka. Further, action will also be taken to facilitate the early resettlement of displaced Muslim and Sinhala families in their places of origin in the respective areas.

The objective of this Web site is to keep the stakeholders and general public aware of the activities of the Ministry and I hope that this site will be beneficial to all concerned to obtain required information.