Claim of normalcy in Jaffna questionable: VoT

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Voice of Tigers radio service said today in a comment which usually follows its night news bulletin that the Sri Lankan government's claim that there is normalcy in the Jaffna peninsula has now become questionable in the light of the recent Amnesty International report on "disappearances" in Jaffna.

Following are excerpts from the comment:

"The government is trying again, doggedly, to pretend that there is normalcy in Jaffna, by holding the local government elections there."

"Giving electricity or making people see movies will not bring back normalcy."

"41 persons who were arrested this year are missing. How did this happen? Such things should not happen if like is normal."

"There are already many politicians in Jaffna who cast non-existent votes for themselves. The Chandrika regime is holding the local government elections in Jaffna while the families of the disappeared are shedding tears."

"Those who contest the elections in support of the Chandrika regime - which has not given the Tamils a solution - will be betraying the Tamil people once again."