Job fair for Sri Lanka's rehabilitated ex-combatants

The Sri Lankan government has organized a special job fair for the rehabilitated former LTTE combatants, a government minister said Sunday.

Deputy Minister of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Vijithamuni Zoysa told the local media that a job fair will be held in Vavuniya at Pompemadu rehabilitation centre on September 29 and 30 for the former LTTE cadres who completed their rehabilitation and vocational training.

According to the Minister over 25 private sector organizations from various fields such as garments and construction would participate in the job fair.

Among the LTTE cadres surrendered to the security forces during the final stages of the war with the rebels, the military had identified 11,800 ex-LTTE cadres for rehabilitation from the IDP camps.

The government has released 4,000 ex-combatants after rehabilitation at special rehabilitation centers. These combatants have been given vocational training at 12 rehabilitation centers to prepare them to earn a living.

The Deputy Minister has said that another 418 rehabilitated cadres would be released at ceremony to be held parallel to the job fair. The government plans to release another 2,000 rehabilitated former LTTE cadres next month.