Human rights report blames both sides
SRI LANKAN human rights agency UTHR - the University Teachers for
Human Rights (Jaffna) - says in an October report on the Vanni war zone that
the Army and the LTTE have imposed hardship on the population for their
military ends. UTHR alleges that Army allies Tamil militant groups PLOTE and
TELO are targeting humanitarian workers and committing extra-judicial
killings in Vavuniya. UTHR says PLOTE and the police counter-subversive
unit (CSU) run torture centres in Vavuniya town.
People flee the Vanni say UTHR to escape the military and the LTTE=92s
recruitment of children. The Tigers have set up centres in villages and
recruitment methods involve psychological coercion and abduction. New
LTTE rules prevent recruits leaving fighting units.
Freedom of movement in the Vanni is controlled by both parties. The
LTTE-issued pass to leave the Vanni is usually not issued to youths. The=
LTTE
relaxed the pass system in July but Army restrictions remain.
The UTHR report highlights the difficulties people, especially youth, face=
in
travelling south across the frontline to Vavuniya. Only 25 people were=
allowed
to cross daily at Nochchimoddai checkpoint and over 3,000 had to return to
Tiger-controlled Omanthai.
Youths are interrogated at the checkpoint by military intelligence, CSU and=
the
National Intelligence Bureau (NIB). They are sometimes abused and beaten
during interrogation and the screening process can take up to three days.=
After
clearance at Nochchimoddai, travellers must proceed to the Vepankulam
refugee camp where they are held until relatives in Colombo take=
responsibility
for them.
After Army restrictions were relaxed at Nochchimoddai on 23 October, over
14,000 people entered Vavuniya. Several schools are being used for
accommodation after welfare centres became overcrowded. Hundreds of
people were released after screening but reports say the process is=
extremely
slow. No one has been allowed to travel to Colombo or other southern areas.
Vavuniya lawyers demonstrated on 28 October against the detention of
government officers and others who arrived in the town on legitimate
business.
Observers say that the removal of restrictions on civilians travelling south=
is in
preparation for a new Army offensive to take control of the 45-mile road
between Kilinochchi and Vavuniya.
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