Cries From The Palmyra Grove

Further cries of the Jaffna Fishermen

(August 09, Jaffna, Sri Lanka Guardian) The fishermen have to obtain their passes daily from the navy personnel at the point where they set out into the sea. One day recently 10 of them went about 5 minutes later than the others and were assaulted rudely by the navy personnel. The next day too 8 men went late and they too got assaulted.

(Place not divulged for fear of reprisals.) They are allowed to fish only within a limited area. One day two boats were drawn by the current some distance outside the limit. (Out board motors are not allowed.) A helicopter as usual came inspecting and reported about those two to the ground personnel. That day, the last two fishermen to reach the shore were assaulted mercilessly. (The two who strayed out realized their 'mistake' and had come ashore earlier than the last few.) On representation by the fishermen, the Northern commander of the Navy agreed to allow sails for use on the rafts in June 2007. However it was approved by the local commander only in December 2007.

Country divided (Separation) already?

The people in the Jaffna Peninsula have to get a pass to go to South Sri Lanka. It is issued only if the application is supported by letter of acceptance and justification of the trip of the applicant by a contact

person in South Sri Lanka just as in the case of those applying for visas to go abroad. Even when the applicant is armed with such a letter, the pass is issued only if the authorities think that the applicant's trip is necessary. Foreign visas are easier to obtain when compared with the time, number of trips to camps and other offices and other attendant difficulties and costs encountered in getting them here.

People's protection

There is not even a semblance of the people being provided with the normal or even the minimal protection given by any democratic State to its citizens. People are victims of gang robbery, are kidnapped on roads and even from the sanctuary of their homes, killed and are made to disappear at random irrespective of age, sex, profession or other status. No one is sure that he himself/she herself will not be the next victim. Most fear to have any jewellery or cash and other valuables at home since they fear themselves being harmed or even killed by the robbers. This nightmare is now again on the increase.

Curtailment of communication

Telecommunication is drastically curtailed. Most often coverage is cut off for the mobile phones. Even when available, it is very difficult to get a call through due some electronical manoeuvring at the exchange. Thousands of CDMA sets were issued (on payment) by the SLT after obtaining security clearance from the head quarters of the security establishment for the North. Now there are reports in the press that new applications for security clearance have to be made and clearance obtained again before the sets can be reactivated again.
- Sri Lanka Guardian