SL Minister slates island military
[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 September 2002, 19:26 GMT]
“The Sri Lanka army is treating the people of
Mandatheevu like slaves,” charged Mr. T. Maheswaran,
Sri Lanka’s minister for Hindu Affairs who visited the
island south of Jaffna town Wednesday. He said that
the SLA has blocked more than three hundred IDPs who
came back to resettle in the island from reclaiming
their homes and lands.
The Minister said he will take action soon to open an
LTTE office in the island. “The IDPs are crowded in a few houses and churches,”
he said. The people living in Mandatheevu are scared to speak
to anyone, according to him. “The army has instructed many of them specifically not
to speak to government officials and other visitors to
the island,” the Minister claimed. “There are only four teachers in the island’s school
and the army is also teaching the children,” Mr.
Maheswaran said.
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