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Sri Lanka refugees 'to be freed' | Sri Lanka refugees 'to be freed' |
(20 minutes later) | |
The Sri Lankan government says people living in camps since the conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels will have freedom of movement as of next month. | |
The camps were set up to house Tamils fleeing the final stages of the 25-year civil war which ended in May. | The camps were set up to house Tamils fleeing the final stages of the 25-year civil war which ended in May. |
The special adviser to President Mahinda Rajapaksa also confirmed an earlier promise to close the camps, which still house 130,000 people. | |
He said all the residents would be resettled by the end of January. | He said all the residents would be resettled by the end of January. |
The special adviser to the president, Basil Rajapaksa - who is also his brother - made the announment during a visit to the largest refugee camp, Menik Farm. | |
The facilities were hastily built for people who had fled the war zone during the government's victorious offensive against the Tamil Tigers. | |
The refugees had been detained while they were screened by the army for links with the rebels. | |
Many of those displaced had complained about poor food and sanitary conditions in the camps, and Sri Lanka had been under international pressure to allow them to leave. |