Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has planned to visit Jaffna on Pongal day (January 15) and hand over land deeds for 600 acres, held till now by the security forces, to legitimate owners in the Northern Province.

In an interview to The Hindu here on Sunday, Mr. Sirisena said he would soon set up a task force to find solutions to problems of the displaced persons.

‘Consensus on PTA’s repeal’

Sri Lankan President Maithipala Sirisena said that only after his unscheduled visit to a camp for the internally displaced persons at Konapulam in Jaffna district 10 days ago did he find that there were people living there for the last 25 years. “I blamed myself that I was not aware of the tragic situation of people.”

On repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), a long-standing demand of human rights activists and Tamil groups, he said there existed a commonly held view that the Act had to be repealed. “When even powerful nations are grappling with problems... my government has to consider all factors before taking a decision.”

(The Hindu)