Vadamarachchi public urge army camps' removal from schools, temples

[TamilNet, Sunday, 31 March 2002, 11:57 GMT]
Several people's organisations have appealed to the Sri Lanka Army to vacate two Hindu temples, one church, two schools and about twenty houses in Vadamarachchi area in the Jaffna district, according to the cease-fire agreement signed by Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe and the LTTE leader, Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan last month.

The SLA has located its camps at Point Pedro Hartley College, a leading educational institution in the island, Methodist College, Kottavasal Amman Temple, Vinayagar Temple, and a Christian Church in the Vadamarachchi area since 1996.

"Students and devotees undergo various difficulties and inconvenience in attending schools and religious rites in temples as some of the buildings of these institutions have been occupied by government troops," said a memorandum sent to the 52-4 Brigade headquarters stationed at Point Pedro Hartley College.

"According to the agreement signed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe and LTTE leader V.Pirapaharan, government troops should vacate all religious and educational institutions and civilian places within a stipulated time once the cease-fire agreement came into force. However troops continue to occupy schools, temples and civilian homes", the memorandum further states.

"About twenty families in the Vadamarachchi area are now living with their relatives and friends following the take over of their houses by the Sri Lanka Army for their own use in 1996. Government troops still occupy these houses," the memorandum points out.