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Leading News from Sri Lanka ::
Oct 30, Colombo: The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has officially launched a new program to help former rebel combatants from the East to reintegrate into the society, the U.S. Embassy in Colombo said.
The program launched in Batticaloa with the participation of the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pillayan, will provide the former fighters equipment and supplies to start their own small businesses.
The two-year pilot project to facilitate the reintegration of 1,000 former fighters in Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Ampara districts is funded by USAID.
The project, implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), is part of USAID's larger efforts to increase human security and stability in the Eastern Province by working with local communities as well as returning ex-combatants, the Embassy release said.
"This project will play an important role in helping post-conflict communities return to normalcy by creating opportunities for former fighters to get the training and support they need to start new lives and build secure futures," Rebecca Cohn, USAID Mission Director has said.
According to the USAID, the project provides information and counseling to former fighters, referring them to vocational training, psychosocial support, and employment opportunities. Some participants, with appropriate experience and skill sets, also receive small grants to help them start their own business in their local communities.
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