Protracted Muslim IDPs from Jaffna in Puttalam and their Right to ...

3. Timeline of return to Jaffna
IDPs wanting to remain in Puttalam
The gender breakdown of the 324 respondents in the category of those not wanting to return was 171
persons or 53 percent female and 153 or 47 percent male. They ranged in ages from 20 to 90 years
and the average age was 42.8 years.
Reasons for wanting to remain in Puttalam
Almost 30 percent said their principal reason for wanting to stay is HLP ownership in Puttalam, and a
close 27 percent said that their primary reason is consideration of Puttalam as home. Around 25
percent of the respondents said they intended to remain for the better economic and livelihood
opportunities available in Puttalam, 5 percent due to being dependent on children who do not want to
go back, and 4 percent because of their lack of HLP ownership in Jaffna. Another 4 percent said they
would not return due to both considering Puttalam as home and owning land there, 3 percent due to
both better economic conditions in Puttalam and owning land there, and the remaining 2 percent said
they would stay back now but may join families in Jaffna later depending on how well the first group of
returnees is able to integrate there.
4. Reasons for wanting to remain in Puttalam
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