With less than a month before the next direct talks between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers, a litany of ceasefire violations ranging from paramilitary attacks and abductions to restrictions on fishermen are raising tensions.
Ten days ago, over 30 armed paramilitaries and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers attacked the LTTE’s Forward Defense Lines in the Batticaloa district before retreating to government-controlled areas.
At least nine youth were reported abducted in Batticaloa last week by Sinhala-speaking troops in military fatigue. Aged between 15 and 20, all were laborers. Five were abducted from the Tiger-controlled Murithanai, 5 km west of where two bicycling 15-year olds were abducted later in Valaichenai. Two other youth were kidnapped in Urani later Monday evening.
Batticaloa District Political Head of the LTTE, Daya Mohan, said Sri Lanka Army soldiers and paramilitary cadres took the youth to a safe house attached to a SLA 23-3 Division camp.
Another Tamil youth abducted by three armed men in Erlalai, Jaffna, was found with serious slash wounds to his body March 11. Residents saidfpr he may have been an informer to the Sri Lanka military and police, as his attackers fled when an SLA patrol approached.
A Tamil youth was shot in Kanniya, northwest of Trincomalee March 10, and international monitors of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) officials are investigating.
The day before, a young father was shot and killed on a bus traveling from Eravur to Batticaloa. Eyewitnesses say he was shot by a cadre from the paramilitary Karuna Group, attached to the Palpody camp of the government’s Special Task Force (STF). Two other civilians were injured in the shooting.
Six farm laborers were abducted in Batticaloa March 12, allegedly by paramilitary cadres in the restive East. A press release from the Tamil Tigers said, “the abductions and threats are causing fear among the Tamil people and are creating conditions for breakout of an all out war. We strongly condemn the serious violations to the Cease Fire Agreement.”
Meanwhile, tensions between the Sri Lanka’s military and Tamil fishing communities have also escalated in recent weeks.
The SLA prohibited fishermen from Kudathanai, Manatkadu regions in Vadamaradchi East from drying their catch on the shore. Most report having caught nearly 500 kg of seasonal sprats, which they will unlikely be unable to sell due to the SLA ban.
They have lodged complaints with the Jaffna Fisheries Union Consortium (JFUC), who report they will likely suffer substantial financial losses due to this unexpected ban.
The latest ban comes despite assurances from the Sri Lanka Navy that it would relax restrictions on fishing off Jaffna coasts. These statements were made during a meeting between the SLMM, SLN officers and JFUC representatives last Sunday.
Despite the February 2002 CFA obligating the lifting of all restrictions on fishing, the military continues to keep severe blocks in place, badly affecting the impoverished families along the Jaffna and other Northeastern coasts.
At one stage, the SLN partially removed the ban after continuous protests by fishermen and complaints from Tamil parliamentarians.
However, fishermen’s earlier passes from the Ministry of Fisheries will no longer suffice, and will now need new passes from the SLN. Fishermen report this process has taken over two weeks for many, describing growing agitation at these threats to their livelihood. Fisheries officials also report that the SLN is refusing to grant passes to families who relocated to Northern shores after the tsunami.
Fishermen in Mannar have also been suffering due to haphazard meetings by the District Fisheries Committee (DFC). Agriculture and fishing are the major components of Mannar’s economy.
Both the DFC and the District Agricultural Committees are supposed to meet monthly to address problems faced by Mannar farmers and fishermen, but Tamil MPs have reported a lethargy and indifference to the continuing difficulties of fishermen.
Meanwhile, the SLA ordered the closure of the fish market located near Point Pedro, Jaffna. The SLA recently built new sentry points and a mini camp near the market, and claimed the market posed a security threat to their new positions. Nearby fishing families will be greatly inconvenienced by this forced closure, fisheries officials said.
The SLN harassment of Jaffna fishermen has extended to include fishermen from South India. Five fishermen from Tamil Nadu entered Munai area last Sunday and were taken to the shore by Vadamaradchi fishermen. SLN troopers demanded the local fishermen hand over the Indian fishermen, but they refused. After escalating threats, SLN soldiers took both sets of fishermen to the 52-4 Brigade quarters for investigation.
The Indian fishermen fear being detained for months without charge, as is often the case in such cases.
Meanwhile, the SLA is reconstructing previously abandoned positions in Valikkandy, at the border between Vadamarachi North and Vadamaradchi East. The rebuilding of Valikkandy is part of the SLA’s effort to strengthen its forward defense positions in the peninsula.
Many of the SLA camps and points were dismantled after the ceasefire agreement was signed in 2002, and are being reinstated despite new Norwegian brokered talks.
The northern town of Vavuniya remains uneasy after several recent grenade attacks. Grenades exploded in one business and at the home of a business owner last Friday, but no one was injured. A grenade was thrown at the residence of another business owner last Wednesday, but there were no injuries.
The business community in Vavuniya has also reported increasing demands from people claiming to be from the Karuna group. The rising extortion threats have been raised with the SLMM.
Ten days ago, over 30 armed paramilitaries and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers attacked the LTTE’s Forward Defense Lines in the Batticaloa district before retreating to government-controlled areas.
At least nine youth were reported abducted in Batticaloa last week by Sinhala-speaking troops in military fatigue. Aged between 15 and 20, all were laborers. Five were abducted from the Tiger-controlled Murithanai, 5 km west of where two bicycling 15-year olds were abducted later in Valaichenai. Two other youth were kidnapped in Urani later Monday evening.
Batticaloa District Political Head of the LTTE, Daya Mohan, said Sri Lanka Army soldiers and paramilitary cadres took the youth to a safe house attached to a SLA 23-3 Division camp.
Another Tamil youth abducted by three armed men in Erlalai, Jaffna, was found with serious slash wounds to his body March 11. Residents saidfpr he may have been an informer to the Sri Lanka military and police, as his attackers fled when an SLA patrol approached.
A Tamil youth was shot in Kanniya, northwest of Trincomalee March 10, and international monitors of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) officials are investigating.
The day before, a young father was shot and killed on a bus traveling from Eravur to Batticaloa. Eyewitnesses say he was shot by a cadre from the paramilitary Karuna Group, attached to the Palpody camp of the government’s Special Task Force (STF). Two other civilians were injured in the shooting.
Six farm laborers were abducted in Batticaloa March 12, allegedly by paramilitary cadres in the restive East. A press release from the Tamil Tigers said, “the abductions and threats are causing fear among the Tamil people and are creating conditions for breakout of an all out war. We strongly condemn the serious violations to the Cease Fire Agreement.”
Meanwhile, tensions between the Sri Lanka’s military and Tamil fishing communities have also escalated in recent weeks.
The SLA prohibited fishermen from Kudathanai, Manatkadu regions in Vadamaradchi East from drying their catch on the shore. Most report having caught nearly 500 kg of seasonal sprats, which they will unlikely be unable to sell due to the SLA ban.
They have lodged complaints with the Jaffna Fisheries Union Consortium (JFUC), who report they will likely suffer substantial financial losses due to this unexpected ban.
The latest ban comes despite assurances from the Sri Lanka Navy that it would relax restrictions on fishing off Jaffna coasts. These statements were made during a meeting between the SLMM, SLN officers and JFUC representatives last Sunday.
Despite the February 2002 CFA obligating the lifting of all restrictions on fishing, the military continues to keep severe blocks in place, badly affecting the impoverished families along the Jaffna and other Northeastern coasts.
At one stage, the SLN partially removed the ban after continuous protests by fishermen and complaints from Tamil parliamentarians.
However, fishermen’s earlier passes from the Ministry of Fisheries will no longer suffice, and will now need new passes from the SLN. Fishermen report this process has taken over two weeks for many, describing growing agitation at these threats to their livelihood. Fisheries officials also report that the SLN is refusing to grant passes to families who relocated to Northern shores after the tsunami.
Fishermen in Mannar have also been suffering due to haphazard meetings by the District Fisheries Committee (DFC). Agriculture and fishing are the major components of Mannar’s economy.
Both the DFC and the District Agricultural Committees are supposed to meet monthly to address problems faced by Mannar farmers and fishermen, but Tamil MPs have reported a lethargy and indifference to the continuing difficulties of fishermen.
Meanwhile, the SLA ordered the closure of the fish market located near Point Pedro, Jaffna. The SLA recently built new sentry points and a mini camp near the market, and claimed the market posed a security threat to their new positions. Nearby fishing families will be greatly inconvenienced by this forced closure, fisheries officials said.
The SLN harassment of Jaffna fishermen has extended to include fishermen from South India. Five fishermen from Tamil Nadu entered Munai area last Sunday and were taken to the shore by Vadamaradchi fishermen. SLN troopers demanded the local fishermen hand over the Indian fishermen, but they refused. After escalating threats, SLN soldiers took both sets of fishermen to the 52-4 Brigade quarters for investigation.
The Indian fishermen fear being detained for months without charge, as is often the case in such cases.
Meanwhile, the SLA is reconstructing previously abandoned positions in Valikkandy, at the border between Vadamarachi North and Vadamaradchi East. The rebuilding of Valikkandy is part of the SLA’s effort to strengthen its forward defense positions in the peninsula.
Many of the SLA camps and points were dismantled after the ceasefire agreement was signed in 2002, and are being reinstated despite new Norwegian brokered talks.
The northern town of Vavuniya remains uneasy after several recent grenade attacks. Grenades exploded in one business and at the home of a business owner last Friday, but no one was injured. A grenade was thrown at the residence of another business owner last Wednesday, but there were no injuries.
The business community in Vavuniya has also reported increasing demands from people claiming to be from the Karuna group. The rising extortion threats have been raised with the SLMM.
