Lack of legal redress in Vadamaradchi East

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 March 1999, 22:14 GMT]
Law and order problems, disputes and other minor civil and criminal cases in fourteen village divisions of Vadamaradchi east in Jaffna will be taken up by village Panchayats ('Kiramiya Nallinakka Saphai') soon said the Divisional Secretary (DS)of the Maruthankerni today.

The decision to establish the village division Panchayats was taken following regular complaints from civilians and village officials that the there was no mechanism for handling civil disputes and other problems between civilians living in those parts of Vadamaradchi east which are not under the SLA's control.

Village officials said that the situation was deteriorating due to the collapse of the localised judicial system the Liberation Tigers had established when they were in control of Jaffna.

The problem was taken up for discussion yesterday following several representations from civilians at a meeting between the Maruthankerni DS and Grama Sevakas of the 14 village divisions which are not under the direct control of the SLA and a firm decision was arrived at said a local official.

The Maruthankerni DS has informed the SLA brigade commands at Elephant Pass, Pt.Pedro and Kilaly which currently supervise Vadamaradchi east.