‘HSZ in Jaffna expanded post ceasefire'

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 July 2003, 18:37 GMT]
The high security zones in the Jaffna district have been expanded since the signing of the ceasefire agreement by the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, said the former Jaffna Municipal Commissioner, Mr.C.V.K.Sivagnanam, who is the current President of the Northern Federation of Farmers' Co-operative Societies, addressing a press briefing held at the Jaffna Humanitarian Agencies Consortium (JHAC) office Sunday.

The vice president of the JHAC, Mr.K.Senthivel, presided at the briefing. Jaffna Fisheries Co-operative official Mr.Thavaratnam also attended the briefing, sources said.

Mr. Sivagnanam further said that normalcy is yet to return in the Jaffna district even though more than a year and a half has passed since the signing of the ceasefire agreement by the GOSL and the LTTE, adding that the United National Front government does not appear to trust the LTTE.

”The Sri Lanka Army is preparing for a war,” Mr. Sivagnanam said, "without making any move to dismantle the high security zones in the Jaffna district. The LTTE believes in peace and is acting accordingly. It is in the government's hand to decide whether there should be peace or war.”

On the issue of interim administration (IA), Mr. Sivagnanam said that the Sinhala media is against granting an IA to Tamils. “It is only an interim arrangement and not a final solution to the Tamil national question. Sinhala media should not impede the Tamil peoples' effort to achieve their reasonable aspiration,” he said.