HRC concludes Batti visit

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 December 2003, 11:08 GMT]
The head of Sri Lanka’s national human rights commission (HRC) Dr. Radhika Kumaraswamy, told journalists in Batticaloa Tuesday that the process of restoring normalcy in the district is still hindered. She said the Sri Lankan armed forces continue to occupy public buildings in the district and that complaints to the Police are recorded in Sinhala. Dr. Kumaraswamy said that the HRC has received complaints in the district against the Sri Lankan armed forces and the Liberation Tigers.

She said that the HRC has not arrived any conclusions regarding the complaints as these are all in the form of allegations.

The HRC delegation that visited Batticaloa Monday-Tuesday comprised Dr. Kumaraswamy, Dr. Deepika Udugama, Mr. M. Selvakumaran, Ms. C. Senanayaka and Dr. A. Jainudeen. It met local journalists at the HRC's office in Batticaloa town Tuesday noon.

Dr. Kumaraswamy said that representatives of the Sri Lankan armed forces in Batticaloa whom the HRC delegation met during the visit had said that they would consider keeping the main trunk road of the district open until 8 p.m.

The main artery of the Batticaloa district is closed by the Sri Lankan armed forces at Myilambaveli, Kommathurai, Morokkottaanchenai, Valaichenai and Vaakeneri at 6 p.m.

Vehicles have to take dilapidated detours that have been further wrecked by heavy monsoon showers recently.

Members of the HRC delegation said they have received complaints regarding problems faced by displaced persons in resettling and the health, education and rehabilitation difficulties that resettled people are encountering in the district.

The HRC will prepare a report based the findings of the delegation, according to Dr. Kumaraswamy. It would be released in January 2004, she said.