SLA denies involvement in Jaffna death notice

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 May 2007, 00:04 GMT]
Legal Advisor to Human Rights Commission (HRC), Mudiyapu Remediayas, raised issues concerning the worsening situation following the abduction of four high school students in Jaffna and the anonymous death notices to Jaffna University students, staff and principals of schools, with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander of Jaffna, Major. Gen. Chandrasiri Tuesday around 2:30 p.m in a meeting held in Palaali Military High Security Zone. The Commander, while rejecting any SLA involvement in the issuing of death notice, told Mr. Remedias that he is in contact with the Vice-chancellor, Jaffna Government Agent and other authorities regarding the issue.

In the meeting lasting 1 hour, difficulties faced by peninsula residents in obtaining tickets for air and sea travel out of Jaffna peninsula and the urgent need to improve educational climate were explained to the Jaffna Commander, Remedias said.

SLA Commander promised to take steps to ease the situation concerning travel out of the peninsula, he added.

Fear and unrest spread across the student community in Jaffna following the abduction of four high school students by armed men on 4 May.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Jaffna parliamentarians and Jaffna Technical College (JTC) students made a public appeal 7 May, calling for the immediate release of the four high school students.

Jaffna students allege that notices listed with the name of Principals of leading schools in Jaffna town and some students, branding them as members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were distributed by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers.

Students at Jaffna Campus called for a week-long boycott of lectures after armed intruders left "death notices" inside the campus Sunday night.

The notice listed details of staff and students in the death list, and gave "Final Warning" to those who are involved in "terrorist activities" abetting and aiding the Liberation Tigers. The notice was signed by 'Tamil Alliance to Save Sri Lanka'.