Sri Lanka to rehabilitate former combatants at a cost of US$ 14 million

Sri Lanka government is preparing to launch a post-war rehabilitation program at a cost of US$ 14 million for the former Tamil Tiger fighters.

The government aims to rehabilitate nearly 10,000 former LTTE combatants who surrendered to the security forces during the final stages of the conflict.
The estimated cost for the two-year program, about US$ 14 million, is expected to be borne by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), according to the Government Information Department.

Considering a proposal by Minister DEW Gunasekara, the Cabinet has given its approval to the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms to implement the programme with the negotiation of UNDP.

The government has established Protective Accommodation and Rehabilitation Centres in the Northern and Eastern Provinces under the programme.

Quoting government sources, the Government Media Unit said the 12,000 ex-combatants have been provided with rehabilitation programmes, consisting of education, catch-up education, vocational skills, and information technology training before being integrated into the society.

The programme is to be implemented from 2011 ' 2013 under the Medium Term Budgetary Framework.