Photographs: Shalin for Tamil Guardian
Four Indian Army officers including the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Command visited Jaffna on Saturday to remember IPKF soldiers killed by the LTTE.
The IPKF are accused of perpetrating widespread atrocities while occupying the North-East including the shelling of a hospital, several massacres, enforced disappearances and sexual violence during the disastrous 'peacekeeping' campain between 1987 and 1990.
Lt. Gen. P. M. Hariz visited the tombstone to a former major general who headed an Indian Peacekeeping Force camp in Koppay, Jaffna. Lt. Gen. Hariz was a former serving officer in the IPKF occupation of the North-East.
The tomb was hurriedly restored on Friday by Sri Lankan soldiers in preparation for the Indian Army commander's visit.
The Tamil owners of the cultivation land on which the tomb was illegally erected 30 years ago had been cultivating around the gravestone since returning to Jaffna. However they were told by the Indian Consulate to halt work on the land until after the memorial event was over.
While soldiers restored the tomb on Friday, they attempted to keep the public away from the clean-up operation, closing off parts of the area and prohibiting journalists from photographing activities.
Journalists were allowed to photograph the proceedings on Saturday but were still watched closely by soldiers. An increased presence of troops was also noted in the area.
Following the memorial in Koppay the visiting Indian Army officers also visited the monument to IPKF troops in Palaly and the Jaffna Fort.
