'SLA destroyed houses in HSZ during ceasefire'

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 September 2003, 18:50 GMT]
Peoples' Organizations in Thenmaradchchi division in Jaffna district Monday accused the Sri Lanka Army of destroying their houses and other buildings in the villages of Maravanpulo and Kovilankandy, located in the high security zones, after the ceasefire between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam came into operation, sources said.

The accusations were made by a group of civil leaders who were allowed by the SLA on Saturday to visit their lands for the second time in the high security zones. They said the houses that remained in the HSZ at the time of their first visit had been destroyed and the army soldiers had removed valuable roof materials, concrete bricks and other articles, sources said.

Civil group leaders further said that antiques and historical statues from several Hindu temples in the HSZ were also removed. All these acts had been committed after the ceasefire agreement came into operation, sources said.

A group of displaced people visited Maravanpulo and Kovilakandy in February this year, accompanied by the Hindu Cultural Affairs Minister, Mr. T.Maheswaran, and they noticed several houses were intact during their visit, sources said.