‘Nazi-style registration of civilians in Jaffna’

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 February 2011, 12:08 GMT]
The occupying SL military in Jaffna is directly engaged in registration of individuals and families in the Jaffna peninsula in recent times. Everyday, covering area by area, the SL military is distributing forms to collect information and is insisting of family photographs along with children to be given to them. The activity of the SL military, reminding the Nazi practice before the Holocaust, creates terror in the minds of the people in Jaffna, said a human rights activist in Jaffna. Meanwhile, undeclared curfew is imposed in Jaffna by the SL military and police, who have brought the street movement of people almost to an end after 6:00 p.m. by harassing them through numerous checkpoints after dusk.

Earlier, the registration was limited to the resettled people from Vanni. However, citing the recent killings and robberies, the military has started registering all the residents.

The registration is being intensively carried out in the islets, Thenmaraadchi and in the remote villages throughout the other areas in the first stage.

Informed sources said the terror-campaign in Jaffna was let loose first through killings, abductions and the smokescreen of robberies. Later, the militarisation of policing came into effect and now the 'Nazi-style' registration. All are aimed at a permanent Sinhla military rule of Eezham Tamils for a long time to come, the sources said.

The local media has been 'instructed' to carry news that all the 'robbery' cases had been resolved and gangs are identified and arrested. But, enquiries with relevant police sources show that no such things took place.

The militarisation campaign is being carried out on one hand, by the SL Colonial Commander in Jaffna Maj. Gen. Mahinda Hathurusinghe, said to be backed by SL Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, and on the other hand by elements aligned with SL Colonial governor Maj. Gen. Chandrasri, said to be backed by SL Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa. But, both the factions are keen in the common aim of militarisation for the subjugation of Tamils, the sources further said.

Meanwhile, TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran, on Sunday morning has raised the question whether the registration of civilians in Jaffna is taking place under instructions from Colombo or by the SL military command occupying Jaffna.

In the end of 1990s also, the occupying SL army had asked the people of Jaffna to display their family photographs at the entrance of their houses. It was implemented until the beginning of the peace process. Tamils living and visiting Colombo were asked to register with the police. But now, when the Colombo government and its international friends claim the end of the war, why this Nazi-style registration by the occupying army demanding the people to register themselves in their own land, wonder the residents in Jaffna.

Chronology: