SL Police creates tension between Tamils, Muslims in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 September 2011, 00:36 GMT]
Civil society sources in Batticaloa allege that the Sinhala policemen of the SL police have been interfering in the civil administration creating dissension between Tamils and Muslims in Batticaloa district. The civil sources cite an incident where the SL Police has allowed the garbage collected in the Muslim dominated Kaaththaankudi Urban Council area to be dumped in a Tamil village Poonochchimunai located in Ma'nmunai North DS division. Local community leaders blame Colombo for using Sinhala policemen to resolve disputes that should be dissolved by the Government Agent and Divisional Secretaries in the district.

The interference of the Police in civil disputes and making ruling affecting one community would certainly lead to dissension between communities, civil sources in the district said.

Earlier, Kaaththaankudi Urban Council disposed its garbage collected in its administrative limit in Tamil dominated Aaraippattu (Aaraippattai / Aaraiyampathi). It was later stopped due to opposition made by the residents.

Following a picketing led by the chairman of the Kaaththaankudi UC, the Batticaloa Police Superintendent has instructed the Kaaththaankudi UC to dump the garbage in Poonochchimunai.