Human Rights Commission to issue report on HSZ

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 May 2004, 15:27 GMT]
"The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) is to release a report shortly in regard to the alleged violation of human rights of internally displaced families due to the continuous maintenance of High Security Zones in the Jaffna peninsula by the Sri Lanka Army", said Mr. Senaka Dissanayake, HRCSL co-ordinator in the Project for the Humanitarian Assistance to IDPs and Returnees addressing a seminar in Jaffna Thursday.

This seminar was held in Jaffna Navalar Cultural Hall on " The functions of HRCSL and the fundamental rights of journalists".

Hundreds of thousands of IDPs have been languishing in refugee camps, welfare centres and elsewhere with their relatives in the northeast province even after the ceasefire came into operation two years ago, civil right groups said.

"We have received large number of complaints alleging human rights violation by the government security forces by not allowing the IDPs to resettle in their lands and houses which are located in the HSZ. We have been conducting inquiries into such complaints made by IDPs. We have been preparing a report based on the complaints by IDPs. We would release that report publicly with copies to the Sri Lankan government and media," said Mr. Senaka Dissanayake.

HRCSL Jaffna regional co-ordinator Mr.Ruwan Chandrasekara and an official Ms V.Velini also participated in the seminar.