Supreme Court asks MOD to submit report on Jaffna HSZ

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 May 2004, 03:18 GMT]
The Supreme Court (SC) Monday directed the Secretary of the Ministry of Defense (MoD) to submit a report on the question of maintaining high security zones (HSZs) in the Jaffna district. A three-member bench of the Court made the order on Fundamental Rights violation applications filed by five Tamil farmers and Mr. Mavai Senathirajah, Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian, in the Jaffna district, legal sources said.

The Rights applications filed by Mr. Senathirajah and others were taken up for inquiry in the Supreme Court beforeChief Justice Mr.Sarath N.Silva, Justices Asoka de Silva and Nihal Jayasinghe Monday.

The petitioners cited several officials as respondents including the Secretary of Ministry of Defense and the Commander of Sri Lanka Army (SLA), legal sources said.

According to the petitioners they have been permanent residents of the area which are now occupied by the SLA and marked as high security zones. They have been prevented by the security forces to occupy their lands and houses even after the ceasefire agreement came into operation about two years ago. This is a violation of the petitioners fundamental rights, legal sources said

The Supreme Court fixed the inquiry for June 26th directing the Secretary of the Ministry of Defense to furnish a report on the HSZ in Jaffna district on the next date, legal sources said.