Families near a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp in Puthur, Jaffna are fearful of returning home after weekend violence in which troops fired on villagers protesting the attempted rape of a local woman by a soldier, killing one person.
Demonstrations continued this week as a day of mourning was observed for protestors injured during the protest demanding the removal of the SLA camp. Simmering anger at the Army’s violent reaction to the protests is mixed with fear of further violence against residents by soldiers.
The trouble began last Friday, after over a hundred, mostly female, protesters gathered outside the SLA camp in Puthur to protest the attempted rape by at least one soldier of a local woman and to demand the attackers be brought to justice.
As tensions rose, soldiers opened fire discharging at least 250 rounds. The Army insists it fired into the air, but several people were wounded, one fatally.
At least six people were severely beaten by soldiers and, along with those wounded by gunfire, were delayed from receiving medical treatment.
The Army blocked ambulances from reaching the area for over four hours. Nirojan Tharmarajah, a 20 year old, was pronounced dead when he finally arrived in hospital, succumbing to heavy internal bleeding.
Some reports said four of the demonstrators were wounded while running away from the camp, after soldiers began shooting indiscriminately into the crowd. Details regarding three other injured are unknown since the Army has refused to let them be taken from the site.
Residents reported soldiers using batons to beat up protestors as they fled from tear gas fired at them.
The SLA initially denied having opened fire, but later military spokesman Brig. Nalin Witharanage said they were forced to fire in self-defense after suspected Tamil Tigers among the protesters threw six hand grenades into their camp, of which three exploded and injured one soldier.
However, residents of the area denied any involvement by the Tamil Tigers, describing the tense climate in Jaffna due to recent killings by Army-backed paramilitaries.
They said their protest was triggered by the attempted rape, but residents also said the tension is reflective of underlying hostility against the continuing Army occupation of the northern peninsula.
Demonstrations continued on Monday after a day of mourning was observed outside the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission (SLMM), the international observers overseeing the ceasefire between the Liberation Tigers and Sri Lankan security forces.
The demonstrators, again predominantly women, called for the dismantlement of the Army base in Annamar Kovil and demanded the troops vacate the area and allow the residents to lead lives free from harassment.
Hundreds of locals attended Sunday’s mourning service to pay respect to Tharmarajah, including several Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians. The following day, protestors marched to the SLMM in Nallur and called attention to their fear of escalating Army violence upon returning to their homes.
The incident which sparked the protests occurred Thursday night when three SLA soldiers in civilian clothing entered the house of four Tamil women while they were sleeping and reportedly attempted to rape a 16-year old girl.
Upon hearing her screams, neighbors rushed in and disturbed the soldiers, who then fled to the SLA camp according to residents.
Civilians in the area gathered around the SLA camp in Puthur to demand the soldiers are brought to justice. The situation escalated as protestors began throwing stones and the Army opened fire. According to the security forces, the protestors set fire to tires and torched an Army vehicle, prompting soldiers to use their weapons to regain control.
‘I dropped to the ground, placed my hands together and pleaded, ‘don’t shoot!’ But they still shot at me and one bullet struck my fingers,’ Sabapathy Nagalingam, one of the injured protesters, said.
Residents meanwhile complained although the SLMM was informed of the escalating tension and the planned demonstration at 9 am Friday morning, SLMM members only arrived after 12 noon. Protestors claim that if the SLMM had responded without delay, the death and injuries could have been averted.
However, the SLMM stated the violence occurred while they were present at the scene, and protestors’ allegations were misleading.
A day of mourning was called by the Tamil National Resurgence Convention as a sign of respect to the youth who was killed. Black flags were displayed while patriotic and somber music was played throughout the peninsular.
The situation remains tense in Jaffna. The region has grown increasingly troubled in the past weeks, with escalating levels of violence and high levels of crime that many say are being deliberately ignored by the security forces.
Sri Lankan military and the police ‘have not taken any constructive efforts to curb the incidence of violence and killings in Jaffna’ Mr. Rohitha Priyadarsana, Jaffna Coordinator for the National Human Rights Commission stated recently.
‘Many civilians are forced to live in hiding because of imminent threats to their life and the failure of the security forces to take meaningful steps to curb this trend of violence.’
Latent anxieties of sexual violence against women by security forces are based on a history of attacks which have been a persistent feature of Sri Lanka’s conflict. There are an estimated 40,000 troops in the peninsula, which has a population of half a million.
International human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have condemned the culture of impunity that allows Army and police officials engage is sexual assaults against civilians, particularly in conflict zones, without fear of reprisal.
Demonstrations continued this week as a day of mourning was observed for protestors injured during the protest demanding the removal of the SLA camp. Simmering anger at the Army’s violent reaction to the protests is mixed with fear of further violence against residents by soldiers.
The trouble began last Friday, after over a hundred, mostly female, protesters gathered outside the SLA camp in Puthur to protest the attempted rape by at least one soldier of a local woman and to demand the attackers be brought to justice.
As tensions rose, soldiers opened fire discharging at least 250 rounds. The Army insists it fired into the air, but several people were wounded, one fatally.
At least six people were severely beaten by soldiers and, along with those wounded by gunfire, were delayed from receiving medical treatment.
The Army blocked ambulances from reaching the area for over four hours. Nirojan Tharmarajah, a 20 year old, was pronounced dead when he finally arrived in hospital, succumbing to heavy internal bleeding.
Some reports said four of the demonstrators were wounded while running away from the camp, after soldiers began shooting indiscriminately into the crowd. Details regarding three other injured are unknown since the Army has refused to let them be taken from the site.
Residents reported soldiers using batons to beat up protestors as they fled from tear gas fired at them.
The SLA initially denied having opened fire, but later military spokesman Brig. Nalin Witharanage said they were forced to fire in self-defense after suspected Tamil Tigers among the protesters threw six hand grenades into their camp, of which three exploded and injured one soldier.
However, residents of the area denied any involvement by the Tamil Tigers, describing the tense climate in Jaffna due to recent killings by Army-backed paramilitaries.
They said their protest was triggered by the attempted rape, but residents also said the tension is reflective of underlying hostility against the continuing Army occupation of the northern peninsula.
Demonstrations continued on Monday after a day of mourning was observed outside the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission (SLMM), the international observers overseeing the ceasefire between the Liberation Tigers and Sri Lankan security forces.
The demonstrators, again predominantly women, called for the dismantlement of the Army base in Annamar Kovil and demanded the troops vacate the area and allow the residents to lead lives free from harassment.
Hundreds of locals attended Sunday’s mourning service to pay respect to Tharmarajah, including several Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians. The following day, protestors marched to the SLMM in Nallur and called attention to their fear of escalating Army violence upon returning to their homes.
The incident which sparked the protests occurred Thursday night when three SLA soldiers in civilian clothing entered the house of four Tamil women while they were sleeping and reportedly attempted to rape a 16-year old girl.
Upon hearing her screams, neighbors rushed in and disturbed the soldiers, who then fled to the SLA camp according to residents.
Civilians in the area gathered around the SLA camp in Puthur to demand the soldiers are brought to justice. The situation escalated as protestors began throwing stones and the Army opened fire. According to the security forces, the protestors set fire to tires and torched an Army vehicle, prompting soldiers to use their weapons to regain control.
‘I dropped to the ground, placed my hands together and pleaded, ‘don’t shoot!’ But they still shot at me and one bullet struck my fingers,’ Sabapathy Nagalingam, one of the injured protesters, said.
Residents meanwhile complained although the SLMM was informed of the escalating tension and the planned demonstration at 9 am Friday morning, SLMM members only arrived after 12 noon. Protestors claim that if the SLMM had responded without delay, the death and injuries could have been averted.
However, the SLMM stated the violence occurred while they were present at the scene, and protestors’ allegations were misleading.
A day of mourning was called by the Tamil National Resurgence Convention as a sign of respect to the youth who was killed. Black flags were displayed while patriotic and somber music was played throughout the peninsular.
The situation remains tense in Jaffna. The region has grown increasingly troubled in the past weeks, with escalating levels of violence and high levels of crime that many say are being deliberately ignored by the security forces.
Sri Lankan military and the police ‘have not taken any constructive efforts to curb the incidence of violence and killings in Jaffna’ Mr. Rohitha Priyadarsana, Jaffna Coordinator for the National Human Rights Commission stated recently.
‘Many civilians are forced to live in hiding because of imminent threats to their life and the failure of the security forces to take meaningful steps to curb this trend of violence.’
Latent anxieties of sexual violence against women by security forces are based on a history of attacks which have been a persistent feature of Sri Lanka’s conflict. There are an estimated 40,000 troops in the peninsula, which has a population of half a million.
International human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have condemned the culture of impunity that allows Army and police officials engage is sexual assaults against civilians, particularly in conflict zones, without fear of reprisal.
