Allow free movement to civilians seeking safety, TNA appeals to Rajapakse

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 August 2006, 20:04 GMT]
Pointing out that the imposition of curfew in Jaffna Peninsula resulting in denial of legitimate right of civilians to move to safer areas is a severe violation of fundamental human rights, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) members appealed to Sri Lanka's President Rajapakse to "issue directions that no restriction whatever be imposed on civilians moving to safer and more secure places in order to ensure their personal safety and security," in a letter issued in Colombo Saturday, TNA sources said.

Full text of the letter follows:

12 August 2006

H. E. President Mahinda Rajapakse,
The Presidential Secretariat,
Dear Mr. President,

Restriction in the movement of the Tamil civilian population in the Northeast

In the recent past the Sri Lankan armed forces and the LTTE have militarily confronted each other in several places. This has endangered the personal safety and security of the civilian population in these areas who have been compelled to flee in search of personal safety and security to safer and more secure places. This has happened in the recent past to the Muslim and Tamil civilian population in the Trincomalee District.

Since yesterday a confrontation has commenced between the Sri Lankan armed forces and the LTTE in the North particularly within the Jaffna peninsula. The Tamil civilian population for their own safety and security would desire to move to safer and more secure places. The army authorities within Jaffna are preventing the Tamil people from doing so. Since last evening a curfew has been imposed in the Jaffna peninsula, which is continuing. The armed forces are thereby denying the Tamil people their legitimate right to move to safer and more secure places in the interest of their personal safety and security. This is a severe violation of their fundamental human rights. Women and children will be the worst victims.

We have every reason to fear that in the event of the confrontation becoming more intense civilian casualties would be inevitable and such casualties would be very high in number. We would therefore urge you to issue directions that no restriction whatever be imposed on civilians moving to safer and more secure places in order to ensure their personal safety and security.

Yours sincerely,

MAVAI S. SENATHIRAJAH M.P.
SURESH PREMACHANDRAN M.P.
G. G. PONNAMBALAM M.P.
N. RAVIRAJ M.P.
S. PATHMINI M.P.
S. KAJENDREN M.P.
K. SIVANESAN M.P.
M. K. SIVAJILINGAM M.P.

 

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