SL Military surveillance forces Mannaar Citizens‘ Committee to relocate office

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 June 2016, 20:43 GMT]
The occupying military intelligence operatives of genocidal Sri Lanka have been monitoring those visiting and engaging with the Citizens’ Committee in Mannaar to an intolerable level during the past two years. The surveillance operatives were taking photographs and some times videos of those visiting the Citizens‘ Committee, which was situated within the Public Library premises, behind the main building. The Sinhala military operatives have been harassing the visitors and employees at the Public Library asking details of those visiting the Citizens’ Committee office, informed rights activists in Mannaar told TamilNet on Monday.

The Citizens’ Committee is continuing its services to the people without any hindrance, the officials of Citizens‘ Committee said. They declined to comment on the exact reason for relocating the office.

As the people visiting the Citizens’ Committee office were exposed to surveillance by the SL military operatives, the committee, which has been assisting and voicing for the individual and collective rights of the people, has shifted its office to Convent Road a few days ago, the informed sources further said.

Surveillance activities of the SL military intelligence had sharply increased in the recent months, the sources said.

Within the last two years, the SL military in Mannaar had almost transformed the reading room of Mannaar Public Library into a surveillance sentry point, manning it regularly with intelligence operatives.

The visitors were photographed through the window of the reading room. In order to document the identities of the visitors being photographed, the employees and visitors to the library had to reveal details about the visiting people. This had become a regular harassment.

The ‘open surveillance’ was also aiming to restrict the victims from approaching the committee to obtain assistance.

The Citizens’ Committee has been assisting the families of missing and forcibly disappeared persons and facilitates contacts with legal sources as well as assisting the people to voice for their rights.