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Commission ForJustice & Peace of The Catholic Diocese ofJaffna

P.O.0ox: oz

Dishop's flousp,Jaffna................20........

Director/ChairmanRev.Fr. S.V.B. Man galaraj ah

PatronRt. Rev. Dr Thomas Savundaranayagam

Bishop of Jaffna

SecretaryMr.A.Santhiapilla!

24 June 2014His Excellency Most Rev. Dr.Apostolic NuncioApostolic Nunciature22 0 B auddhal oka Maw athaColombo 7

Pierre NguySn Vdn Tdt

Your Excellency,

Greetings to your Excellency from Jaffna. On behalf of the Justice and Peace Commission of the CatholicDiocese of Jaffna I would like to extend a warrn welcome to you in our midst in Sri Lanka. I look forward to your

visit to our Diocese.

You would have got some information of the current situation in Sri Lanka especially about the 'civil war'which ended five years ago the reasons and circumstances which resulted in the civil war, the post-wardevelopments and the current situation.

I would like to bring to your attention the situation in the North which had to bear the brunt of the war byway of loss of thousands of precious human lives and the dismantling of the whole infrastructure.

A lot of grievances of the people here which led to the civil war still are not resolved. The people in the

Norlh are still insecure. No meaningful efforts have been taken by the Government to solve these issues. You willbe able see for yourself and hear from the people all that we undergo when you come here.

In this background our beloved Holy Father is coming to Sri Lanka in January 2015 and we are lookingforward to have him in our midst. I wish and pray that the visit of our Holy Father will augur well for our people

who are going through hard times. I wish the presence of our Holy Father in Sri Lanka will urge the Government

leaders to address the key issues which afflict the people in the North and East and the minorities and enable them

to live in peace with dignity, equality and justice.

I am sending you herewith a summary of the report of the current situation. I will be very glad to furnishyou with more details if you need.

May God bless you.

Yours devotedly in Christ Jesus and Mary Immaculate

!-Y.4 \r^rJu*Rev Fr. S.V:B. Mangalalalah.

Chairman, Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Diocese of Jaffna.

Telephone No: 077 809 6144E-mai1 : man galaraj ah@ gmail. com

Copies to: President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference, Sri Lanka.

Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas Savundaranayagam, Bishop of Jaffna.

Rt: Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph, Bishop of Mannar.

Rt. Rev. Dr. Kingsley Swampillai, Bishop of Trincomallee.

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Commission ForJustice & Peace of The Catholic Diocese ofJalfna

P.O.Eox: oz

0ishop's tlousp,Jaffna.

.20.......-

Director/ChairmanRev. Fr. S.V.B.Mangalara.i ah

PatronRt. Rev. Dr Thomas Savundaranay agarn

Bishop of Jaffna

SecretaryMr.A.Santhiapillai

Situation Report - June 2OL4

BBS

CM

EPDP

GOSL

LLRC

LTTE

PTA

STF

TNA

Abbreviations

Bodhu Bala Sena (A Buddhist extremist group which has strong support

from some powerful men in the Government.

Chief Minister

Eelam People's Democratic Party (A Tamil Political Party aligned to the

Ruling Govemment.

Government of Sri Lanka

Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (A Presidential

Commission established two years after the end of the war due to pressure

from outside to investigate into the excesses, human rights violations etc.

of both sides.

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (A militant organization of Tamil youth

who had recourse to armed struggle after the moderate Tamil leaders failed

in their non-violent struggle to win their rights.

Prevention of Terrorism Act (A controversial draconian Law to clamp

down the LTTE. According to this law a suspect can be kept in detention

indefinitely without being charge-sheeted" A number of such detainees had

been killed in various prisons due to disturbances there. Even after the

defeat of the LTTE this law has not been repealed.

Special Task Force

Tamil National Alliance (A coalition of Tamil parties which won

overwhelmingly in the recent elections in the North)

IntroductionWe are in

destruction and

infrastructure.

the 5th year after

devastation withthe end of the

regard to the

prolonged Civilloss of human

war which left a traillives, property and

The Country has recovered fast with regard to the rebuilding of infrastructure and

economy though there are still a substantial number of people who do not have access tothese facilities. There are still remnants of the cruel war. A number of visitors and foreigndignitaries who had visited the war-torn N & E of Sri Lanka immediately after the war and inthe recent past few months are able to flnd the difference. There are now well-laid carpet(asphalt) roads and railway- lines. The train-service which is functioning up to Pallai in the

North and up to Madhu Road in the NW will hopefully reach Kankesanthurai and

Talaimannar respectively by the end of this year. There are new bridges, buildings forschools, hospitals, bus-stands, magistrate-cour1 complexes, market-complexes and otherpublic-utility buildings etc. There are also new houses built for the people who have lost theirhouses due to the war. Thanks to the number of countries who have helped generously toachieve all these.

The visitors are generally surprised by the facade of the N & E which looks attractiveand promising. Only when the visitor takes the trouble to go out of the way of 'a guided tour'in the N & E and ventures into the nooks and corners and talks to as many people as possible

especially those affected by the war in some way or other, he will come to grips with the

reality. At the moment the general public are afraid to speak out what they really feel and

undergo become they feel and quite rightly so that are under surveillance because of the

comprehensive presence of intelligence units.

Many of the unresolved issues and grievances of the people which are long-standingand which in a way led to the taking up of arms by the youngsters in the N & F. are still farfrom being addressed.

Many of the people both inside and outside the country especially those affected bythe war as well as the governments which helped the GOSL to fight the LTTE and to win thewar had hoped that the GOSL will do something meaningful to solve the ethnic problem and

bring about peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. However this goal seems to be a distantreality now and the moves of the GOSL indicate that they are taking a Victor - Vanquishedattitude which is no way going to be helpful in resolving the festering ethnic problem.

The following are some of the issues which need to be taken into consideration tobring about peace and reconciliations based on justice:

1. AccountabilityThe President and Ministers of SL speak a lot about peace and reconciliation. Peace

and reconciliation can be made meaningfully possible only when there is truth and justice.

All parties should come to terms with truth of what really happened. The Bishop of Mannar,Rt. Rev. Dr. R. Joseph, in his testimony before LLRC referred to the 146,000 + people whoare still unaccounted for, basing on the statistics given by the GOSL. The fate of the 16,000 +missing people, surrendered and since then disappeared, handed-over to the Security Forces

and then disappeared is still unresolved. Eg. The case of Fr. Jim Brown, a young priest of the

Diocese of Jaffna and his helper who were last sighted in front of a army-sentry point at

Allaipiddy junction and since then have not yet been found; Fr. Francis Joseph as elderlypriest and number of others who were taken in buses by the Security Forces in front of a lotof people and since then not seen, are some. During the past few decades there were also

other instances of more priests and a number of civilians who were killed by the Security

Forces but never admitted by them. There was the case of Fr. Mary Bastian of the JaffnaDiocese who w-as killed by the army in Vankalai, a parish in the Diocese of Mannar on the

2

5th January 1985 in his Parish house and his body was removed by them and there were

eyewitnesses. The version of the spokesman of GOSL then was that he had escaped to India.

Few months back in the evidence given at Chavachacheri before the Presidential

Commission for Missing persons headed by Mr. Maxwell Paranagama, some persons who

gave evidence were able to identify Capt. Duminda of the Navatkuly camp then who was in

charge of a round-up operation at Thanankillappu from where about 27 youngsters (men)

were arrested and never seen since then.

In a recently revealed photograph of Channel 4, there were the pictures of Isaipriya

(an LTTE broadcasting news-reader) and Ushalini (an LTTE woman-cadre) who are in atmy

custody along with a number LTTE men. The parents of this girl Ushalini who are now living

in Mallavi, immediately identified their daughter and told the press of the circumstances oftheir daughter's depafture from them. The army intelligence went to their house at Mallavi

and grilled them and it amounted to intimidation. Of all the pictures revealed by the Channel-

4, this photograph is very clear and the soldiers and even some of the LTTE cadres are clearly

identifiable. The army spokesman says that they are investigating the matter!

The investigation process of the 17 'Action Fame' workers killed at Muthur and the 5

students in Trincomallee in 2006 is very slow. Every time there in an important event like

Commonwealth Conference or Geneva Meeting there is some noise about investigation and

then it is shelved till the next such meeting.

2. Political PrisonersHundreds of political prisoners are still in detention in prisons in Anuradhepura.

Welikkada, Boosa etc., and a good number of them have been there for more than 10 years

under PTA without being charge-sheeted. There are also some women with their children.

One lady Thirumagal was in detention for 18 years already in20l2 and she had up to the end

of July 2012 been produced before courts 429 times! Another old woman Muthusamy

Kathaye (68) from Badulla was arreste d in 1994 in Chenkkaladdy, Batticaloa for having links

with the LTTE and detained under PTA. She died in custody of cancer on 06.01 .2013 rn

Welikkada without proper medical care and after developing bed-sores etc. The killing ofNirmalaruban and Dilruckson from Vavuniya and Passaiyoor respectively 2 years ago after

receiving severe beating from the jail-guards and the S.T.F. was another case. These two

were in coma stage in the prison hospital and still fastened to the bed with chains!. The

Bishop of Mannar was denied permission to meet them when they were in the hospital. On

Easter day this year the Bp. of Mannar and the Bp. of Anuradhapura tried to visit the prison

in Anuradhapura to meet the political prisoners and again permission was denied.

These political prisoners are kept along with drug traffickers, murderers and common

criminals of dangerous nature. The past events have shown that in any outbreak of violence in

the prison these political prisoners are the first targets as it happened in Wellikada in 1983 in

Anuradhapura in 1985, in Boosa in 2000 and Wellikada again a few years ago when a

number of Tamil political prisoners including some teen agers \l'ere massacred.

Following a series of hunger-strikes of these unfoftunate people promises were made

to expedite their trials. Some Speed-courls were proposed, but so far very little progress has

been made.

From the month of March the GOSL initiated a clamp-down on the so called

'resurgence of LTTE,'. The first targets were two women, Jeyakumari (48) and her daughter

Vibushikka (15) in Tharmapuram in Kilinochchi. These two were arrested for sheltering a

3

suspected LTTE cadre and when their house was surrounded the LTTE cadre named Gopi,

the army said, escaped after shooting and injuring a policeman. The identity of thispoliceman, how serious was the injury, how Gopi managed to escape when the house inwhich he was hiding was already surrounded by more than 200 Security men remain a

mystery! This Gopi and two other hard-core LTTE cadres who were in custody in the

Kokkavil anny camp and a Tamil intelligence man who was involved in investigating them

were all killed in a huge round-up incident in the Nedunkerny jungles few weeks after the

Tharmapuram incident. The three LTTE cadres were killed while they tried to hurl grenades

at the security forces and escape while the intelligence officer was killed in a friendly-fire or

cross-fire. Their bodies were not handed over to the relatives. The army buried them. The

whole process remains a mystery. After the Tharmapuram incident a number of arrests have

been made under PTA including the arrest of Fr. Praveen Mahesan, O.M.I. and the Human

Rights activist Mr. Rukki Fernando and about 60 others of whom about 10 are women. (The

GOSL had to release Fr. Praveen Mahesan and Mr. Rukki Fernando after three days due to

mounting intemational pressure. The others, some of them women over 60 are still indetention). The Security Forces said that they found a metal-detector owned by a demining

group in the house where Jeyakumari and her daughter Vibushikka were staying. Three

weeks ago there was another incident where the Security Forces arrested two men from the

South who were on the way to Wanni who had with them two metal-detectors. Paradoxically

Jeyakumari and Vibushikka were arrested under PTA and the two men from the South are

being tried under the normal law! It has to be noted the family of Jeyakumari and Vibushikka

remains a thorn in the flesh of the GOSL as three in the family are lost, one son and the father

were taken into custody and missing since then and the other son was killed in the war. The

mother and the daughter remain a symbol of the suffering of those affected by the enforced

disappearances and the GOSL had a need to silence them.

3. Surwiving victims of the warThe normal family fabric has been decimated with regard to a substantial number of

families in the North & East

I. Widows: Due to the war there are 89,000-90,000 widows in the North & East In

the North the member is 40,000 upwards and is the East almost 49,000 upwards.

Women whose husbands have been arrested, surrendered, and taken in white-vans

and missing since them are not included in this number.

In 20 1 3, November 22nd there was a meeting of the representatives of these widows

in Batticaloa and they came out with some of the problems they faced.

. They are not treated with equality with other women. They are looked down as

people who can be made use of.

. They face sexual harassment. The officers etc. who come to help them expect

sexual favours.

. They face lot of difficulty financially and is providing security if they have

grown up girls.

In a report to U.N. on 11.6.2014 Mr. Alian Sibinale pointed out that 40Yo of the women in the

N & E. of Sri Lanka are insecure.

II. Widowers-menThere are men who lost their wives in the war and they find it difficult to bring up

their children. They have financial difficulties, unemployment, debts etc. During the last

stages of the war and immediately afterwards 1042 men have committed suicide. Some triedto go abroad through unreliable agencies, leaving their families behind hoping to call them

once they reached the destination. They had borrowed money, or sold all their possessions toget the required amount. Many such people have been caught and sent back and hence lost

everything. There are also moral problems due to this, such us break-down of families,immoral family unions, abortions, suicides etc. Some become addicted to alcohol, drugs, etc.

III. ChildrenThousands of children's have become orphans and hence are housed in children's

homes run by the government and by religious-bodies. There are also families headed bybigger children and in such cases they are very vulnerable.

Infant mortality in Sri Lanka for

Infant mortality in South of Sri Lanka

Infant mortality in North (Vanni) of Sri Lanka

1000 - 23

1000 - 14

1000-41

Malnutrition and anaemia in the North & East is high.

In Sri Lanka underweight children under 5 Years - 25 %

In Vanni underweight children under 5 Years - 40 %

Malnourished pregnant women ratio is also high in North &repoft of Dr. Murali Vallipuranathan, a Social Medical Ofhcer.

Children leaving school half way, is very high in VanniChildren going for odd jobs and begging also can be observed.

In Karadiyanaru M.V. in the East a random survey found out

to School without breakfast.

East according the latest

unlike in earlier times.

that240 Children come

4. Usage of drugs, alcohol and break-down of law and orderIn a public meeting at Varany on 02.02.2014 the C.M. Mr. C.V. Vigneswaran pointed

out that there is a hidden power which promotes the use of drugs even among school

children. Drugs have been found available near some leading school in the Jaffna peninsula.

Eg. In Point Pedro, near Hartley College.

In Some public festivals and tournaments held in Jaffna town and Vanni, organized by

the army, the prizes were beer-can-cases and arrack-bottles. In the stalls of these public

festivals alcoholic drinks were freely available for sale for all, including the teenagers.

There are some underground gangs of youngsters and even some teenagers runningwild brandishing weapons (swords etc) injuring and killing people. Eg. Ava & Dilu groups.

They were released on bail quite easily and it is alleged that they were involved in more

violence. Some of the weapons they possess are found only with the Security Forces.

Availability of drugs and the free movements of these terror groups raise lot of suspicion

about the excessive number of the soldiers and their movements in everv nook and corner.

5. The Plight of the former LTTE CadresThere are a number of rehabilitated LTTE Cadres who are undergoing a lot of

pressure. They have to report themselves to the nearby anny-camp at regular intervals and

they have to be at their disposal whenever called. They are supposed to be informants withregard to any 'unusual' movement, visitors, gatherings etc. in the region. If there happens to

be any development not up to the agenda of the army such as lightings lamps and candles on

'heroes' day' in Nov or May 18th or display of posters against the government, these

unfortunate people are suspected. In some cases they have also been arrested. Some of these

former LTTE ers who have some foreign connection have managed to flee the country. Those

who are here have to pay heavily for any 'untoward incident'.

6. UndercoveroperationsThe GOSL is involved in intimidating mudslinging activities against anyone who do

not support them or those who criticise them or stage protests against them.

The latest example for this in the organising of a counter protest on 05.06.2014 infront of the Kachcheri in Mullaitivu when there was aheady a protest with the due permission

on behalf of the'surrendered" and since then disappeared people on behalf of some of whomHabeas Corpus petitions have been filed in the Mullaitivu Courts. Even after one year no

substantial progress has been made due to inordinate and irresponsible delay caused by the

State Counsel. Another example would be the counter-demonstration organised by the C.I.D.when the British P.M. came to Jaffna in November 20i3 when there was already a

demonstration against the GOSL organised by the Citizens Committee of Mannar in front ofthe Jaffna Public Library. The people brought by the CID were not aware of the fact that they

were being brought to stage a demonstration in front of the British P.M. When they were

brought they were given some banners on which some slogans raising the issue of the Britishexcesses during the Colonial Period were written. In the past also there used to be

demonstration is support of the GOSL or the President and the people used to be brought withpromises such as housing projects or relief materials for them.

There had been instances of throwing of waste-oil on peaceful demonstrators who

were demanding the withdrawal of the army from their houses and lands in ValikamamNorth.

There was a forged publication of a popular Jaffna Tamil daily "Uthayan' on the day

of the Provincial Council election which carried a lead-news that some of the leading TNAcandidates have withdrawn their candidacy the previous night and that they had asked the

people to boycott the election. What was strange was that Delft an island about 17 miles fromJaffna which was a stronghold of the party aligned to the ruling government party, the EPDP

also received bundles of these particular paper. Before that EPDP members never allowed

this paper Uthayan to come into Delft as they felt that it was very critical of them. However

the forgery was discovered when the original copies of 'Uthayan' arrived a little later.

7. Clamp down on the university and intervention in Schools

There have been a number of instances of interference and intimidation for some

years and these are becoming more acute in the recent past with regard to the university

students and the staff in Jaffna. Anonymous posters appeared in the university premises

naming some students leaders and some members of the staff gives them death threats if they

do not keep quite on days like 'heroes' day in Nov., and May 18th., the day the war ended 5

6

years ago. Prior to May 18th, Prof. Rajakumaran was asked to repoft in Colombo forquestioning in the notorious 4th floor. Few days before that, the representatives of students

and the staff were summoned to the army headquarters in Palaly and they were given a tight'briefing' by the Northern Commander with regard to any public function on the 1Sth of Mayin the University premises. Then the University was closed down on the 1Sth of May and acouple of days before and after and the students in the hostel were also asked to vacate the

premises.

With regard to the Schools there had been instances when the army entered some

schools to gather information of the students and the staff. Few weeks ago the army went intoa girls' school in Vavuniya and asked the Principal to give information about the teachers and

the students. The School authorities told them that such information should be taken onlyfrom the Education Deparlment and not from them. The army then threatened them and got

the phone numbers of some teachers and threatened them at odd times.

8. Victory Day Celebrations - May 18thThe GOSL had been celebrating for the last four years 18th of May as a Victory day.

On that day five Years ago and a few days before thousands of people perished in and around

Mullivaikkal. More than in the previous years the security forces took special measures toprevent any public demonstration of remembering the dead on that day. Army personnel wereposted for each Church and Temple to see that neither bells rung, nor lights, candles lit, norreligious services held. Some of the routine religious festivals had to be even cancelled insome Hindu Temples due to army intervention. In some Catholic Churches the army wentand told the incumbent priests not to have any services or ring the bells or light candles

during those days. 18th of May is a very sensitive day for the Tamils as many of their near

and dear ones perished on that day 5 years ago and many diplomats pointed this out and

abstained from participating in the Victory day celebration when they were invited. The

GOSL needs such celebration to boost up their popularity among the extremist elements inthe South whose support the need to remain in power. We feel that such celebrations will not

in any way help to bring about peace and reconciliation between the North & South

9. Attempts to change the demographic pattern in the NorthDuring the past five decades the successive Governments have succeeded in changing

the demographic pattern in the East especially in Amparai and Trincomallee districts whereonce the Tamils were in the majority and the Sinhalese in the minority. This was made

possible mainly due to state sponsored settlements.

Recent elections in the North, both Parliamentary and Provincial Council, the results

of which must have been an eye-opener for the GOSL when the ruling parly could not get a

break-through as it had in the East. With the implementation of the government plan of State

sponsored settlements of the Southerners in the North, especially in Mannar, Musali,Mullikulam and Madhu-Road and in Jaffna at Valikamam Nofih, Mullaitivu, Kokkilai,Nedunkerni, Kokkuthoduvai etc. in large scale the ruling party may be able to get some seats

in the forthcoming elections. It is acceptable that any Sri Lankan can buy land anywhere inSri Lanka and settle down. What we are opposed is the state-sponsored settlements od

Southerners in the Norlh. There are no such State-sponsored settlements of the Noftherners inthe South. When the original inhabitants of the Norlh do not possess a piece of land as theirown it is not fair to give lands in the North to the landless of the South. What is still worse is

7

depriving the Tamils of their traditionally owned land and giving that to the Southerners.

Such action will provoke more tension among the Northerners and the Southerners.

There is also another subtle form of controlling the population in the Norlh going on.

On 31st August 2013 young women in three remote coastal area villages in the Kilinochchidistrict (Valaippadu, Veravil, Kiranchi) were subjected coercive birth-control. On the 31st

August over 20 nurses and midwives came from Kilinochchi and went from door to door inthese villages and asked all the young mothers to come to the Veravil district hospital withtheir children under 5 years. They were transported by ambulances. They had been told tocome with the clinic-card to weigh their children under 5 years. Upon arrival the doctor and

nurse used coercive languages and manipulated medical information to convince the women

to take Progesterone Only Sub Dermal Implants (POSD's) a long term hormonal birth controlchip (Jadel) inserted under the skin of the woman's upper arm. When the women expressed

their unwillingness to receive it, they were told that in that case they will not be given any

other treatment in the hospital in future. They were also threatened that if they refused to

comply their husbands would be brought and be subjected to some birth control measure.

After this a lot of women were compelled to agree. A similar operation was performed on

another young woman in a neighbouring village Malayalapuram and this lady developed

some complication later on and she was transferred to the Jaffna hospital and she died a fewclays later. Though the hospital authorities do not accept that there was a connection between

this operation and her death the husband of this lady had serious doubts and he even filed acase. A few days after-wards he committed suicide. The women in this area went and told the

parish priest of Veravil that they lost their many of their children in the war and now the

GOSL is trying to deprive them of their need to have children and asked him to do something

about it.

10. Occupation of lands of civilians and acquisition of more landsThe largest area of civilians' land has been occupied by the Security Forces in

Valikamam area for the last 25 years. Altogether 24 G.S. divisions land has been taken over

as part of the high security zone. Thousands of families (about 10,000 families) driven out

from here are in welfare- centres and in the houses of their relatives and friends. Some have

gone abroad also undertaking risky journeys. The red-soil area in this region is the most

fertile land in the Jaffna peninsula. The coastal area of this area in very lucrative as a good

portion of the fish caught in Sri Lanka used to be from here. Besides, this coastal region isvery salubrious for health. Elderly nuns of the Holy Family Sisters had houses here and there

was also a holiday house for priests and Seminarians. Now the Security Forces have built and

are continuing to build holiday-resorts and hotels along the coasts for the use of top security

men and V.I.P. s.

Besides a number of famous Hindu Temples of historical importance, the CatholicChurch has altogether 55 pieces of lands with deeds where there are Churches, parish houses,

convents, age-old cemeteries and a number of institutions. If is to be noted that of the entire

Valikamam North covering 15,206 acres the Security Forces occupy 6,3 8 1 acres.

The entire village of Mullikulam in Mannar where there were more than 400 familieshas been taken over and people are forced to take shelter in the jungle adjoining and in other

places. The houses of the villages that had been there for several generations have been

occupied by the families of the Naval personnel. At Kuruvilan in Palaperumalkattu inManthai West the people living there for many generations have been asked to leave by the

8

Wild-Life authorities. It is the same in the East also as in the case of Sampur the originalinhabitants have been driven out.

Besides, there are also a number of other places where the Security Forces haveestablished huge camps. It is now a common phenomenon in many places along the mainroads in Jaffna and Mannar that there are written sign boards indicating 'this land belongs tothe Security Forces'. Thus we can find in Cheddikulam, from Periakattu in Chettikulam alongthe road to Madawachchi a land of approximately 7,000 acres has been reserved to theSecurity Forces.

Of late. especially after the much publicised 'LTTE regrouping scare' the SecurityForces are trying to occupy more lands of the civilians. Land belonging to 11 families inNunavil in Chavachacheri was surveyed on 02.06.2014 to allocate it for an army camp andthe people had then protested. The camp at Vallai is being expanded. At Thikkam in Alvai inVadamaradchi, land belonging to 30 families has been surveyed for the same purpose. It isthe same at a location in Atchuvely also. At Paravipanchan in Kilinochchi the army is bent ontaking over some land belonging to the civilians.

11. Attack on the Media and Media-MenThe attack on media and media men though not strange in the whole of Sri Lanka, it is

very acute in the North. A number of media men have been attacked and some even have

been killed. Some media offlces have been attacked and so far nobody has been brought tobooks. Some of the targeted offices are situated close to some army camps.

The latest attack needs mentioning here. Following one of the LLRCrecommendations 'the Transparency International' had organized a seminar for the Sinhalajournalists with regard to efficient news reporting in disturbed areas and the participantsbenefitted. Then it was organised for the Tamil joumalists in Polonaruwa and before it gotunderway the Minnerrya army camp personnel came and stopped it on the 22th of May 2014.Then it was organized in a hotel in Negombo a few days afterwards and a group of ex-armymen styling themselves as Organization for National Integration along with a number ofothers carrying banners that these people are trying to give new life to terrorists and came and

disturbed it. Then the organizers of the seminar took the parlicipants and to ensure theirsecurity kept them in Galadhari Hotel. But soon afterwards the hotel management asked thesepeople to leave the hotel within one hour. The reason given was that some influential groupshave asked them to not to give them shelter and if they continue to do so they will surroundthe hotel.

During the past 12 months news-paper distributors have been attacked and theirvehicles set on f,tre. Some sub-offices have been ransacked and set on fire. As usual theculprits are yet to be found!

12. Fisherman, Farmers, etc, losing their livelihoodIn some places especially in the North East i.e. from Kokkilai upto Mullaitivu and

beyond there used to be some fisherman coming from the South and they were allowed to putup their 'wadis' (temporary shelters in the sea-shores) and they used to do the fishing. (ll7 ofthe total fish caught in Sri Lanka used to be caught in these Waters). All the facilities, permits

etc are being given to these fishermen from the South by the Fisheries Department, and otherGovernment Offices. In the early stages they had 32 boats and in the subsequent years this

numbers steadily increased and now there are 350 + boats. They are now involved in the

catch of prawns, lobsters and bech-de-mer with the help of powerful lights and cylinders.This is forbidden in these waters as the fish along the coast go fuither deeper into the sea toescape the light etc. The local fishermen are hence badly affected. In some coasts especiallybetween Salai and Mullaitivu the local fishermen are not allowed to get into the sea and the

fishermen from the South are allowed with the help and permission of the Navy who have

their Camps along these coasts. In Kokkilai, Kokkuthoduvai and Karnattukerny. Almost7500 areas of land which originally belonged to the local Tamils have been divided and given

to the Sinhlalese. Also permits to excavate granite stone from Thattayamalai is now given forthe asking to the big industrial magnates from the South at the expense of local ecology and

good water

When the CM went to Thunukkai, Mallavi and other villages in the region the farmerscomplained that the Security Forces have taken large areas of land and are doing farming and

are depriving them of their livelihood. They are not able to cut down trees from their owncompound to make doors and windows for their houses whereas lorry-loads of timber are

being cut and transported by people from the South with the support of the Security forces.

13. Provincial Council - a nominal bodyIt has been several months since the people in the North voted overwhelmingly in the

Provincial Council election and the Council has been established. From day one it has been

made clear that much of the meaningful power will not be given to the Council and that theywill not be a part of the major decision making in the administration. Though there are some

meetings jointly chaired by the Minister for Rural Industries Mr. Douglas Devananda and the

CM. Mr. C.V. Vigneswaran such meetings are only propaganda stunts. Some recent

developments throw light on this issue.

On the 15th of June 2014 there were three functions held in Jaffna and to any of these

the CM or the TNA MPs were invited. There was a handing over of a renovated housing

complex and a foundation-laying ceremony in the hospital in Jaffna and as opening of the

Agricultural Department an extension of the Jaffna University. For this the ProvincialCouncil Minister for Agricultural Minister Mr. Inkaranesan was invited. Mr. Inkaranesan

asked the officer who brought the invitation whether the CM u,as invited. To this the officerconcerned replied that the University Authorities are under tremendous pressure not to invitethe CM for this function or any other function of the similar nature in the University.

14. Recruitment of boys and girls for Security forcesRecruitment of young boys and girls to the army and for jobs in the army camps with

attractive promises (Rs.30,000 monthly salary to begin with) seem to be attractive to the

youngsters who are desperately looking for jobs to alleviate povefty in their families. Stillonly few are responding and in the places where interviews are held soldiers can be seen

distributing application forms to the youngsters passing by and even forcing them to fill up

and apply. In some places such forms are distributed in their houses and the people come

under pressure to apply for these jobs.

15. The latest unhealthy developmentsThere is now an upsurge in the violence unleashed against the minorities. Churches,

Hindu Temples and Mosques used to be targets. Now Moslems, their Mosques, business

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enterprises and houses have come under attack. It is very clear that some Buddhist extremistgroups are behind these attacks by their provocative rallies and speeches. The GOSL is not

able to take a firm decision to stop their provocative activities.

The International Investigation sponsored by the UN to probe into the Human Rights

violations and war crimes committed by both sides especially in the final stages of the war

will be the right step in the direction of establishing truth and justice which are essential to

bring about peace and reconciliation in our country. Now the GOSL is totally against it and

does not want any such inquiry and denied permission for the investigation team to enter Sri

Lanka. The GOSL has also threatened anybody who would be coming forward to give

evidence against the GOSL with serious consequences.

16. Papal Visit to Sri LankaWe are very happy about the Papal visit to Sri Lanka in January 2014. We are well

aware of fact that our beloved Holy Father H.H. Francis always raises his voice for the

afflicted wherever they are and he gives priority to visiting countries which are hit badly by

natural as well as man-made disasters. We know that our Holy Father is well aware of the

fact that thousands of people perished in the 'civil war' in Sri Lanka which ended five years

ago leaving behind atrarl of destruction especially with regard to the loss of precious human

lives. In this connection we appreciate the statement of our Holy Father that the religious

extremism in this country will not help in any way to solve the problem thus underlining the

key issue of the whole problem.

The most badly affected people by the war especially those living in the North and

East have yet to come out of their grievances. To mention just one, there about 100,000

widows as well as those who 'lost' husbands due to arrests, kidnapping in 'white van' forquestioning and since then not found.

In this background, a visit of the Pope to the North will be kind gesture a be a source

of consolation for people in the North. We are afraid the GOSL will not like very much the

Holy Father visiting the North as it is facing IIN sponsored intemational inquiry into the

human rights violations and war-crimes committed especially during the final stages of the

war in the North when thousands of unarmed civilian were killed. Besides, we also have a

strong feeling that the limiting of the papal visit to the South will help the GOSL to gain

political mileage as it is planning to have the elections a few weeks after the Papal visit. The

GOSL will try to boost up its losing popularity with his visit to the South alone and that willbe according to the agenda of the ruling party of Sri Lanka.

ConclusionTo be a starter to solve the ethnic problem, for reconciliation to take place a lot of

spade-work has to be done.

The GOSL will have come to terms with accountability for the loss of thousands ofpeople especially the surrendered and arrested ones.

The plight of the political prisoners has to be resolved and till that their security be

assured.

The outrageous statements of the extremist organizations such as BBS, Ravana

Balaya etc. such as 'giving equal powers to Tamils amounts to agreeing for separation' have

to be checked. They condemned the statement of H.H. Pope Francis also came under fire

1.1,

when he said that Religious extremism in Sri Lanka will not help to find a just solution to the

current problem.

State sponsored settlements in the N & E will have to stop.

Unlimited acquisition of civilians' lands must come to and end and the already

acquired lands must be given back.

Law and order must be given to the police and not the army.

The number of army men in the North and East must be reduced and they should not

interfere in civil affairs.

The people must be allowed to remember the dead. The cemeteries and tombs ofeverybody have to be preserved with respect.

The outgoing [IN.Human Rights Envoy Ms. Navaneethampillai recently stated that

the wounds of the war are not yet healed. Proper reconciliation is not possible without proper

accountability and establishment of truth with regard to human rights and violations and war-

crimes on the part of both sides.

I V E l'4**sJ*lr,'ltRev. Fr. S.V.B. MangalarajahChairmanJustice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Diocese of Jaffna24.06.2014

Telephone No: 077 809 6144E-mail : mangalaraj ah@ gmail. com

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