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Jaffna – is any one watching?

Jaffna Magistrate Srinithi Nanthasekaran was suddenly transferred to Colombo and Muttur-Trincomalee Judge Manikkam Kanesaraja was suddenly transferred to Vallaichenai.

Jaffna Magistrate Srinithi Nanthasekaran was the brave judge who dared to defy the Sri Lankan armed forces and went into Allaipiddy to recover the dead bodies from the church in August 2006. She has received threats from the Sri Lankan armed forces in Jaffna.

In a similar vein Muttur Judge Manikkam Kanesaraja has been transferred because he pursued the case of the murders of the seventeen aid workers of the INGO, ‘Action Against Hunger’.

Halo Trust employees

In the abduction-disappearance program that has become part of “normal” life in the Northeast, in particular in Jaffna, employees of the Halo-Trust de-mining organization has been specifically targeted. Since December 2005, eleven Halo-Trust employees have been abducted and disappeared.

This week the senior officials of the organization met the Jaffna Government Agent to register their concern and give the warning that Halo-Trust will be forced to halt its de-mining operations if the abduction-disappearance of its employees are not stopped.

Seeking protection in prison

Two more seek refuge at the Jaffna Human Rights Commission bringing the total number of those who have sought refuge in this manner to 53.

The abduction-disappearance program of the GoSL forces, that has become part of the “normal” life in Jaffna, has also created a response phenomenon. People who fear that they are the next target for this abduction-disappearance GoSL program, seek refuge at the human rights commission, who are then brought to the courts and placed in prison to protect them from the abduction-disappearance program.

Others

Local dailies reported that Jaffna hospital is facing shortage of saline, an essential for all types of treatments.

Sri Lankan military conducted cordon and search operation in Koomankulam in Vavuniya at 2.00pm on 12 February. The armed forced entered people’s homes and caused large scale damages to people’s property.

Pallaththoddam in Trincomalee was also subjected to similar cordon and search operations by the Sri Lankan military at 7.00am on 13 February.

Jaffna main bus-stand right in the middle of Jaffna city stops operations at 4.30pm due to the early curfew hours imposed by the Sri Lankan military, putting workers and peoples in great inconvenience.

Sri Lankan Navy fired at the Nayaru fishing village in Mullaithivu on 12 February on two separate occasions. Fishermen who were fishing at sea were forced to leave their nets and rush to the shore.

15 February 2007

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