Agenzia Fides

Palukathurei (Agenzia Fides) - Caritas negotiated with the authorities of Sri Lanka for the return of 150 families in the village of Palukathurei after six years of forced removal from their respective homes. So far, the village was occupied by Navy military forces rather than by the residents who lived there for decades. The half-demolished church was the only building left standing after the end of the long civil war between the national armed forces and the Tamil Tigers. According to local sources, instead of the coconut trees, real military bunkers were built and the village seems an abandoned cemetery. Over the past 6 years, the fishermen had been transferred to the Kalpitiya islands. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 02/08/2012)