UN Chief Ban Ki-moon has welcomed Colombo's decision to grant freedom of movement to the displaced Tamils living in the military guarded camps at the Northern Vayuniya district in Sri Lanka.

"The Secretary-General welcomes the decision by the Government of Sri Lanka to grant increased freedom of movement to internally displaced persons (IDPs) still residing in camps in northern Sri Lanka," said a statement issued here by Ban's spokesperson.

"These are steps which the UN has long been pressing for in its intensive engagement with the authorities in Sri Lanka, including during the Secretary-General's own visit in May," it added.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa's brother and Chairman of the Task Force for Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Basil Rajapaksa, told reporters in Vavuniya that the government had taken this decision to respect the human rights of the displaced persons.

The government maintained a strict restrictions over the displaced persons citing security reasons,and fearing a resurgence of LTTE loyalists.

Rajapaksa also noted and that present decision to ease restrictions would be in place till the end of January when all those displaced from the fighting are expected to be returned home. "We have decided to allow freedom of movement to these people from December 1, " Rajapaksa declared.

"They are free to move in and out of the camps and could even go home if they wished."

The decision to allow them to venture out of the camps came soon after UN's top official for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, John Holmes, who recently wrapped up his visit to Sri Lanka noted that the government was making good progress to send the IDPs home.

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