SLA Commander declines to comment on Jaffna GA’s announcement

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 September 2010, 05:30 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander Major Gen. Mahinda Kathurusinghe declined to endorse Jaffna Government Ms. Imelda Sukumar’s announcement that uprooted families from Valikaamam North SLA High Security Zone (HSZ) will be soon allowed resettlement in a recent meeting at Jaffna Veerasingham Hall, representatives of welfare organizations for uprooted families from Valikaamam North said. The GA is acting as if she is the spokesperson of Sri Lanka Defence Ministry, they accused. SLA Jaffna continues to deny permission for resettlement as Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa is unyielding in his decision not to permit resettlement in Valikaamam North HSZ, they said.

Ms. Imelda Sukumar had failed to give any information or further details of the announced resettlement when the welfare organizations had contacted her.

Meanwhile, Major. Gen. Kathurusinghe had declined to comment on Ms. Imelda Sukumar’s announcement when approached by the welfare organizations.

Meanwhile, following announcements made during the last Presidential and General elections by Sri Lanka ministers SLA had permitted the uprooted families to see their properties caught in Valikaamam North SLA HSZs.

SLA, however, had later denied them entry after the elections were over.

The committee appointed by Colombo Supreme Court in July 2008 to explore resettlement in Vallikaamam North had completely ceased to function after some months.

Colombo Supreme Court had appointed the above committee after inquiring into the Fundamental Rights Violation petition filed by the uprooted families seeking permission to resettle in their villages in Valikaamam north and to engage in their livelihoods.

On the whole, resettlement of uprooted families evacuated by SLA from their properties in Valikaamam North seems vey uncertain, the representatives of the welfare organizations said.