Archive for the ‘Jaffna’

Identity in Jaffna and Jewish Badge in Germany

Tamil residents in Jaffna are reportedly being forced to carry a special document of identification issued by security forces, in addition to the national identity card provided by the Emigration and Immigration Department. In other words, these Tamils have been ignominiously reduced, in the eyes of government authorities, to the status of non-nationals of their own country. Not only that, in order to get this security clearance, as reported in a weekend newspaper, one is obliged to disclose his/her political affiliations too. About 20 years ago, the visa application form of the USA in their Paris diplomatic mission contained a rather impolite question like this: “Have you ever been a member of a political party affiliated with Marxism?” It is possible that the USA has a right to pore over all outsiders wishing to enter their territory, though it may be queried as to its political correctness in a world where one’s right to hold any political opinion is inalienably…

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Jaffna: Tears, blood and terror

Few weeks before I went to Jaffna, Jehan Perera of the National Peace Council had visited Jaffna and captured the powerful testimony of one airline passenger saying “the only thing we can do is cry”. After my own visit to Jaffna, I wonder whether all I, other people in the rest of the country and the world can do is cry with people of Jaffna. Or whether some even care to cry. I remember that Jehan finished his article saying that people in Jaffna don’t want to be shut off or be forgotten. But my impression was that the government seemed to be intent on just that – shutting off people in Jaffna from rest of Sri Lanka and the world. I had spent fair amount of my youth traveling to various countries, including “hot spots”, taking hundreds of flights – and been through some arduous visa and immigration procedures. But no procedure was as frustrating as this. I spent…

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Buying Onions From India & China

Jaffna onion cultivators are unable to market their produce, but it is sad that Sri Lanka imports onions from India and China. In Colombo onions are selling for Rs110 per kg. But in Jaffna onions sell at Rs30.00 per kg. One month ago Jaffna onion cultivators sold their produce at Rs7.00 per kg by going house to house on bicycles and land master small tractors. A news item in the Daily Mirror 17th November said Sri Lanka importers will buy 30,000 tons of onions from India to augment supplies in the domestic market. Agents are waiting at Tutricon and Chennai ports in India to buy the bulbs on the hope of a lifting of restrictions and will import 30,000 tons of onion by Decmber, the Essential Service Commodities Importers Association Spokesman said. Sri Lanka had recently imported 20,000 tons of onion from China. If Colombo traders could purchase onions from Jaffna, Jaffna onion cultivators could earn their investment and be…

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Sri Lanka – Killing for Peace

Channel 4′s recent programme on Sri Lanka broadcast recently in England. As noted here, … the team making a documentary for Channel 4 was ordered to leave Sri Lanka’s embattled Jaffna peninsula on the orders of the country’s military [even though] reporter Sandra Jordan, camerawoman Siobhan Sinnerton and producer Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai had received permission from defence authorities in Colombo before flying into Jaffna. It was not clear why the Channel 4 crew were made to leave, but the private Daily Mirror newspaper quoted a military official as saying they were sent back for their own safety. “Around 100,000 British tourists holiday in Sri Lanka every year, but thanks to a clampdown on the international media, few realise that away from its famous beaches, a new chapter in the country’s 30-year civil war has opened, in which innocent civilians are paying a bloody price.”

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Was the Death of Thamil Chelvam a Feast or a Funeral to the South?

Last week Thamil Chelvam’s death was celebrated in the South by lighting firecrackers. About one and a half decade ago, the SLFP supporters in the South did the same on the tragic death of President Premadasa. Then, the assassins of President Premadasa were from the same stock of the person assassinated now. Yet, the common perception of the South at that time amounted to a sort of implicit gratitude towards the perpetrators of the crime, for they did, in the Southern psyche, an invaluable favor in eliminating an alleged despot, on behalf of the South. In that sense, the LTTE was considered a savior in disguise. Today, when that savior was assassinated by an armed force under the command of another person sitting on the same chair as Mr. Premadasa occupied in the past, same partisans in the South celebrated as before with much fanfare. In relation to these two assassinations, how that former Messiah became a traitor to be…

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The fear of Jaffna

By Shanthi Sachithanandam “Last night was full moon Oh you Sinhala Buddhist For whom breaking even an egg on a full moon day is Adharma How come lives of Tamil people became More trivial than mere eggs? Oh Venerable Monks Walking with shaven heads within yellow robes discoloured, splashed with blood and sprinkled with ash Don’t open your scriptures but your hearts Tell me, is this your Dharma? Is it just, To deem the lives of Tamil people more trivial than mere eggs?” – V.I.S Jeyapalan It was 1997 and the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) had captured most parts of Jaffna peninsula as a result of the ‘Riviresa’ operations. The aid organisation I was working for decided to start its work in Jaffna. As were and are the regulations, we had to seek military permission to travel to, and work, in Jaffna. I was asked to contact the Secretary of the Defence Ministry. “What is the work that you do?”…

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Disappearance

As a family we lived amidst many challenges in the past few years never wanting to leave the peninsula which will always be our home. Even though we witnessed very many battles in the Peninsula, we always felt safe living as a family. Who will want to harm anyone of us. My husband’s and my solace were the five children we have and to provide the best we could. My husband was a social worker and a very close accomplice of Fr Jim Brown. When I use to complain of the hardship we are facing to my husband, he would always say that you should be happy atleast I am around to take care of you and the children since there are so many who are being shot and disappearing without a trace in the recent past. He always mentioned that he felt very safe being with Fr Jim Brown. On the fateful day of Auf 08 2006, my husband…

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  • 24 Sep, 2007
  • 1 Comment
  • Human Rights,
    Jaffna,
    Peace and Conflict

Mentally Retarded Beggars – Jaffna Perspective

Peace and normalcy are two essential or even sole ingredients for individual and family happiness and community development. Conflicts and commotions, social upheavals and political unrest denial of equal opportunities and inequality, suppression or oppression of one community over other are some of the dangerous social evils that barricade the social, economic and cultural development of nations. Further if this situation is to persist for long, it severely affects the mental and physical activities of the entire communities. Before the out break of the current internal strife, more than two decades ago, there was comparatively peace and normalcy, leaving aside the peaceful political agitations. We have witnessed a wider window of openings for social, cultural and religion activities which promoted a healthy and happy community life. Social events, non political debates, honoring of outstanding personalities and religious leaders, temple festivals, multi religious festivals both at domestic and community levels, and various regional and community level functions provided a healthy atmosphere….

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SMS news alerts during emergencies – The experience of JNW and the tsunami warning of 13th September 2007

Chamath Ariyadasa The coverage by the media of yesterday’s earthquake near Indonesia might be of interest to some readers, and as the editor of JNW, Sri Lanka’s first SMS news agency, I thought of penning my personal opinion and raising some issues that could be discussed further. My biggest concern at the moment, as a journalist, is getting access to the initial tip off from authorities on an impending disaster and the subsequent official news messages in a timely manner so that they can be passed on to the public as fast as possible. There isn’t an email or SMS alert system in place, that I know of, that could easily meet this need. I know of the Met Dept website (http://www.meteo.slt.lk/Tswarn.html) which goes some way towards improving access to information, but I wouldn’t know when its updated. An SMS or email by the Met Dept or Disaster Management Centre would go a long way towards helping the media pass…

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Sri Lanka on tsunami alert after Indonesia quake (Updated)

12 Sep 2007 12:31:03 GMT Source: Reuters COLOMBO, Sept 12 (Reuters) – Sri Lanka issued a tsunami alert on Wednesday for its north, south and eastern districts following a major earthquake in Indonesia, the National Disaster Management Centre said. “We have issued a warning for the south, north and east after the quake,” Keerthi Ekanayake, an official at the centre told Reuters. Sri Lanka was battered by the 2004 tsunami that hit the Indian Ocean rim. – Reuters story ends – Update #1 (7.00pm): Read the alerts issued on JNW and also visit their site for updates. Update #2 (7.15pm): Reuters news alert SMS thru Dialog says “Small tsunami hit Indonesia’s Padang, Sri Lanka expects small tsunami by 7.30 – Disaster Management Centre” Update #3: (7.34pm): Reuters news alert SMS thru Dialog says “Disaster management center lifts tsunami warning, says no effect; US Geological Survey increase earthquake magnitude to 8.2″ Also see Reuters web update here.

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Questionnaire And Licenses In Jaffna

President Mahinda is checking the Jaffna peoples’ pulse. Now security forces take census in Jaffna. They collect all the informations Address, ID No, educational qualifications, designation, phone No, mobile No, Bicycle, motorbike No, everything from each family members. The last question soldiers asked each house, future election you will support to whom? Separately, sometimes security forces are doing local administration works also. Jaffna town Commander ordered all the bicycle holders should take bicycle licences before 10th of this month. If anyone ride bicycles without, the bicycles to be taken by forces. All the bicycle holders hurry to take the licences. One pradeshiya saba clerk said he issued more than 150 bicycle licence daily, some times he can’t control the crowd.

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Special Military ID For Jaffna

Security forces are issuing a Special Military ID again in Jaffna. After 1996 when the troops captured Jaffna the forces issued a special ID for Jaffna people. After the CFA they stopped this identity card issue. Now they started again issuing the special ID. On 24th evening security forces announced in Jaffna town area by a three wheeler that those who completed 10 years, they must be take this ID.

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Permission To Travel Out Of Jaffna

All of our politicians says Sri Lanka is a one country and solve the ethnic problem within one nation but they treat Tamils like citizens from another country. One Jaffna Journalist was recently invited for the SAFMA (South Asian Free Media Movement) meeting held recently in Colombo. But Jaffna people who wish to leave Jaffna must take clearance from the Security forces MOD. He went to the Gramasevaka’s office, and the gramasevaka said come with your ration card, so that then he would recommend to take the application form. He got the application from the AGA’s office and filled everything gone to the gramasevaka’s office again to get it signed from the gramasevaka. The gramasevaka instructed that he takes 4 photo copies of his NIC and passport size photo and a form selling in the bookshops printed in Sinhala and type a letter to the brigade commander mentioning the purpose of your visit. He did everything, then the gramasevaka recommend…

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Dismissing inconvenient truths – The Divaina’s take on Groundviews

Clearly, Groundviews seems to be doing something right in highlighting the plight of IDPs and refugees in the embattled North and East of Sri Lanka through stories such as I pray God that no one in this world should face the hardships, faced by my child and me and We are nobody’s children… and others. The Divaina, a Sinhala daily published by the Upali Newspapers Group, had this to say on our recent story on IDPs in Trincomalee: “මෙයට සමගාමීව කොටින්ට පකෂපාතී ස්වෙච්ඡා සංවිධාන අලුතින් අන්තර්ජාල වෙබ් අඩවි ආරම්භ කරමින් ත්‍රිකුණාමලයේ අවතැන්වූවන් අතිශය දුෂ්කර ජීවිතයක් ගත කරන බවට ප්‍රචාරයක් විකාශනය කර ඇත. මේ අන්තර්ජාල වෙබ් අඩවිය ආරම්භ කළ තැනැත්තා කවූරුන්දැයි දැන් හෙළි වී තිබේ. ශී ලංකාවේ පූරවැසි මාධ්‍යවේදියා නමින් හඳුන්වා ගනිමින් ආරම්භ කර ඇති මේ කොටින්ට පකෂපාතී වෙබ් අඩවියෙන් පවසා ඇත්තේ හමූදාපති ඝාතන ප්‍රයත්නයෙන් පසූ යූද හමූදාව ත්‍රිකුණාමලයේ එචිලන්පත්තු ගම්මානයට මෝටාර් සහ රොකටි ප්‍රහාර එල්ල කළ බවයි. මින් පැහැදිලි වන්නේ වන්නි කොටි බේරා ගැනීමට මෙරට ස්වෙච්ඡා සංවිධාන විශාල මෙහෙයූමක් අරඹා…

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Stanley Rd Closure Affects Traders In Jaffna

Traders on Jaffna Stanley Road are badly affected by the closure of the road. The road is closed for public usage for security reasons and only pedestrians are allowed to use it. Even bicyles are not allowed by forces. Two major offices are situated on the road. One is the EPDP Jaffna office. The other is the 512 brigade (town commanders office). But otherwise, there are hardware shops, motor spare parts shops, paint shops, motor bike show rooms etc. Officials at the Chamber of Commerce in Jaffna said more than 200 shops lost their business. It is the Wall Street of Jaffna. One leading hardware owner said he had 62 employees but now just 14 people as he had to terminate jobs of the others. “I have been paid 3 lakhs BTT per month now I’m paying just Rs700 to Rs800 only,” he said. Another trader said he sold 30,000 packs of cement per month, but now he is selling…

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About Groundviews

Located at the Centre for Policy Alternatives in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Groundviews is a citizen journalism website that uses a range of genres and media to highlight critical perspectives on governance, reconciliation, human rights, the arts and literature, democracy and other issues. The site has won two international awards, including the prestigious Manthan Award South Asia in 2009. The grand jury's evaluation of the site noted, "What no media dares to report, Groundviews publicly exposes. It's a new age media for a new Sri Lanka... Free media at it's very best!"

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