July 01, Colombo: The visiting Japanese peace envoy Yasushi Akashi commended the efforts taken by the Sri Lankan government to improve the facilities for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) sheltered in the welfare villages in the North.

Akashi who is in the island to attend the Sri Lanka Economic Summit met with the President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday.

The President briefed the Japanese envoy on the measures taken by his government to improve the conditions of the camps and highlighted the enormous challenge the government is facing to resettle nearly 290,000 IDPs while clearing land mines and reconstructing the infrastructure facilities.

Akashi said the Sri Lankan government has done its best to provide facilities to the IDPs. With the establishment of the fifth camp, the congestion had been reduced to a great degree, he noted.

While acknowledging the enormity of the task the Sri Lankan government is undertaking, Akashi urged the government to expedite the process of resettlement. Japanese government has begun to fund the de-mining activities in Sri Lanka, he said.

President Rajapaksa assured the Japanese envoy that the government has taken measures to attend to the daily needs of the people while the development activities going ahead simultaneously. Arrangements have been made for children to attend school without idling in the camps, he added.

The President further stated that he wished to provide an opportunity to the LTTE carders who are among the IDPs to be rehabilitated and integrated into the society.

President Rajapaksa reiterated his commitment to a home-grown political solution to address the grievances of the minority communities with the implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.