2ND Lead (adds details)
SLA, constant threat to security of Jaffna residents– Ilamparithy
[TamilNet, Monday, 27 March 2006, 20:49 GMT]
"Residents from 26% of land area of Jaffna peninsula remain driven out of their homes; Fishermen, trying to recover from the tsunami devastation, are unable to freely pursue their occupation; and the entire student community in Jaffna district is continuously being targetted and victimised by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers," LTTE's Political Head C. Ilamparithy told media Tuesday after meeting the new Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Mr. Ulf Henricsson at the LTTE Jaffna district political secretariat located in Pallai.
"Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps are spread all over the residential areas in Jaffna," Mr. Ilamparithy said pointing to a large map of Northern district on the wall of his office in Pallai.
Paramilitary violence in Jaffna is also increasing, he said.
He further said that there were 47 targetted killings of persons including children, women and elderly in 2005 by the Sri Lankan Armed forces and the collaborating paramilitary cadres in Jaffna.
"The meeting with the new SLMM chief, while being formal and introductory, afforded the opportunity to raise critical issues affecting Tamil people in Jaffna district and the planned political activity of the LTTE," Ilamparithy said.
The LTTE was "forced to pull out their political cadres because of the escalating violence instigated by the SLA troops in the peninsula," Ilamparithy had told Mr. Ulf Henricsson.
"Now, Colombo has laid 28 pre-conditons as further obstruction to the LTTE carrying out political work in Jaffna, reneging on the clauses of the Ceasefire Agreement endorsed in Geneva Talks," Ilamparithy said accusing Colombo of not abiding by the commitments it made in Geneva. Instead, Colombo has chosen a path towards a destructive war, he charged.
"Our National leader is very keen in restoring normal living conditions of the people in Jaffna peninsula which is the worst affected by war of all regions. Only 40% of the conditions agreed in the CFA has been implemented by the SLA while 60% remain unfulfilled. Even that 40% is now nullified by SLA violations of the CFA," said Ilamapruthy.
He had further told Mr. Ulf Henricsson that lands, from which people were expelled wholesale and now proclaimed SLA High Security Zones, comprise 25.27% of the total area of Jaffna peninsula. Besides, another 34% is now occupied by SLA in areas other than the HSZ. This makes a total of 59.27 % area under SLA occupation.
Henricsson, according to Illamparithy, assured that he is well aware of the situation and will strive to improve the prevailing atmosphere.
Mr. Henricsson, scheduled to assume duties as the head of the SLMM on the 1st of April, and currently on a familiarization visit to Sri Lanka, met with the LTTE Political Head Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan Tuesday morning in Kilinochchi, and with LTTE's Trincomalee District Political Head Mr. Elilan on Sunday.