SLA consolidates its grip on Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 March 2010, 06:33 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander Lt. Gen. Jegath Jeyasooriya officially opened the SLA Civil Administration Head Office Tuesday and inaugurated its Website in a public building on Jaffna Hospital road, taken over by SLA for this purpose, sources in Jaffna said. In the past SLA civil administration offices had been used by the government to control and subjugate the people of the peninsula militarily, the sources added. These offices were alleged to have been involved in the disappearances of the young men and women who had gone to these offices as well as the killings of them on the roads and elsewhere, the sources further said.

It is learnt that the SLA Intelligence Unit had set up the website inaugurated in this event Tuesday.

In the past the SLA civil administration offices in the peninsula were used to impose various restrictions on the people including ‘pass clearances’ to travel out of the peninsula, to engage in fishing and other livelihoods, to travel along certain roads, to hold public meetings and other events, residents in Jaffna said.

Jaffna SLA Commander, Major. Gen. Mahintha Kathurasinghe, Jaffna Government Agent, Jaffna Mayor and Jaffna Bishop took part in this event along with representatives of various organizations.

SLA soldiers and police were deployed heavily during the event in Jaffna town.

The opening of this office in the peninsula while the government claims that the war with Liberation Tigers is over has created suspicion and fear among the people of the peninsula, the sources said.

It is alleged that the SLA intends to continue to keep the residents of the peninsula in its total grip.