Govt. inaction in Nedunthivu condemned

[TamilNet, Sunday, 12 January 2003, 19:46 GMT]
The Jaffna District People's Forum (JDPF) Sunday issued a statement expressing deep concern over the inaction of the Sri Lanka government, parliamentarians and welfare associations to provide peaceful life and relief to the people of Nedunthivu village as their picketing against the presence of para military Eelam People Democratic Party ( EPDP) entered fiftieth day Sunday, sources said.

The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) refuses permission for persons who are not permanent residents of Nedunthivu to enter the village and visit their relatives. Recently outstation teachers who work in the Nedunthivu government school were refused permission by the SLN at Kurikadduwan jetty when they went to report for duty after vacation, sources said.

Even journalists are also not allowed by the security forces to enter Nedunthivu to obtain first hand information of the situation there and to meet the people, local media sources said.

"Since the picketing launched by the people of Nedunthivu demanding the removal of para military members of the EPDP from their village, the SLN and Police stationed in the islet have stepped up harassment on the residents of the village in several ways," said the statement of the JDPF.

JDPF has made a plea to the authorities to free the people of Nedunthivu from the clutches of the para military EPDP who are staying in the office buildings of the Assistant Government Agent and local authority of the area since they entered the village with the escort of Sri Lanka Navy and Police fifty five days ago.

With the presence of the paramilitary EPDP members who have a past history of inflicting untold sufferings on Nedunthivu residents during the Peoples Alliance regime, the people of islet are presently living without peace of mind, said the JDPF statement.