Mannar Keeri village residents face displacement

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 January 2006, 11:10 GMT]
More than 350 Tamil families living in Keeri village along Mannar-Thalvupadu road are facing displacement any time following intimidation by state armed forces and as the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) soldiers are extending the front defense line of SLN's Sunny Village main camp located on the border of Keeri village, civil sources said.

SLN soldiers are constructing new sentry points along the border of the Keeri village, leveling the area with bulldozers. Security forces are cutting down several palmyrah and coconut trees for the construction of new sentry points, sources said.

Several affected families have made representations to relevant authorities that that they are being intimidated and assaulted without age difference by soldiers who enter their houses even in night hours, sources said.

Most of the families are spending their nights with relatives in Thalvupadu village and return to Keeri village in daytime, sources said.

Several persons engaged in toddy topping, fishing and manual labour work have not reported for work for the last few days due to fear and are deprived of their daily earnings, civil sources said.