Military convoys hinder civilian use of public roads in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 April 2008, 01:29 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA), have been blocking the public from using key roads in Jaffna while transporting troops and weapons to the Northern Front Defence Lines (FDLs), causing severe hardships for the public who are kept waiting for several hours until the convoys pass through, sources in Jaffna said. Requests by civil society organizations to SLA authorities in Jaffna to reduce hardships to the public remain unattended, sources added.



The SLA, preparing for large scale offensive operations against Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LLTE), has been moving troops, equipments and weapons to FDL positions in the last few weeks, Jaffna residents said.

Jaffna-Point Pedro road and the coastal road going through Tho’ndaimaanaa’ru, Valveddiththu’rai through Point Pedro to Vadamaraadchi east are frequently blocked for the public when SLA convoys use them several times during the day.

Pedestrians, vehicles including passengers are kept waiting, routinely for more than three hours while the SLA convoys appropriate these roads exclusively for their use.

Kandy road, KKS road and Palaali road in Jaffna are also regularly blocked when SLA convoys use them.

Government officials and other workers returning home after work are kept on the road and return home very late in the evenings. The delays have frustrated the residents who are attending to urgent matters, and business travellers.

Though civil society organizations in Jaffna peninsula have brought this matter to the notice of the SLA authorities in Jaffna, SLA has refused to take any effective steps to resolve the matter, sources said.