SLN denies basic rights to Mandaitivu residents- Civil Group

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 May 2005, 10:11 GMT]
Resettled displaced families in Mandaithivu area, a suburb of Jaffna town have been deprived of their basic rights by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and are also subjected to severe harassment, according to complaints lodged by the civil groups to security authorities. After the ceasefire agreement came into operation about one thousand displaced people are resettled in Mandaithivu, district secretariat sources said.

Currently Mandaithivu resettled families are not allowed free movement during nights. The use of cell phones and land phones is also prohibited in Mandaithivu, civil groups said.

Sri Lanka naval personnel stationed in Mandaithivu have barred resettled people from using the coastal areas for fishing. Navy personnel at checkpoints frequently subject relatives and friends who come to meet resettled families to severe interrogation before entering the area, sources said

The entire population of Mandaithivu fled in 1990 military operation launched by the Sri Lanka Army and sought refuge elsewhere. After the ceasefire agreement came into operation internally displaced started returning to their homes in Mandaithivu, sources said.