Worsening Law and Order situation in Jaffna - report

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 February 1999, 07:51 GMT]
The Jaffna District Consortium of Human Agencies in its latest situation report, has stated that the law and order in the Jaffna peninsula have deteriorated to a great extent and the law enforcement authorities are not concerned of the present deplorable status in law and order.

The situation report signed by the President Professor V.K.Ganeshalingam and the Secretary Mr.A.Sivasubramaniam of the Jaffna District Consortium of Human Agencies, released on 15th January, 1999, has been sent to the Consortium of Human Agencies in Colombo.

Excerpts from the report are given below:-

Law and order

Criminal and anti-social elements are operating during day time as well as curfew time. Burglary, thefts, sale of illicit liquor and kasippu are being carried out without fear. There is general contention that restrictions and limitations of income-generation activities and the resultant unemployment and underemployment are the main causes for this anti-social activities.

Population

The population in the Jaffna peninsula, according to the statistics available with the Jaffna Secretariat at the end of November, 1998 is 497,347.

Demining

The authorities are taking a lethargic attitude in commencing the demining programme in the peninsula. The demining programme is yet to take off the ground. Though the media reported that a UNDP team would visit Jaffna to commence demining programme in Jaffna, there is no sign of it yet.

Health

The shortage of medical, para medical personnel and drugs still prevail in the peninsula despite repeated complaints to the health authorities in this regard. There is a severe shortage of drugs in the Jaffna Teaching Hospital and other peripheral hospitals.

Refugees in Welfare Centres

5560 persons of 1453 families are still in the welfare centres as they are not in a position to return to their own places due to non-availability of their houses, either due to complete destruction or the houses fall within the security zones. These people are housed in temporary sheds erected in 1996. The sheds are dilapidated. These persons depend on the free rations given by the state and they do not have any avenue of earning an income. The children in these welfare centres have no educational facilities.