by Melani Manel Perera

Since 1990 the area of high security forces thousands of people in the Jaffna peninsula to live like displaced persons. Douglas Devananda, Tamil leader and former minister in Rajapaksa’s government, celebrates his victory in April 8 elections and ensures that the president wants the same freedom for the Tamils as enjoyed by the population of the south.

Colombo (AsiaNews) - "Now that there is no longer the threat of the Tamil Tigers (LTTE), the High Security Zone (HSZ) in Jaffna will be gradually removed”. This was announced yesterday Douglas Devananda, leader of' Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) during his election victory address in the district of Jaffna. Devananda said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa wants the same freedom enjoyed by the population of South for the Tamils of the northern provinces.

Since 1990 thousands of people in Myladdy, Palala, Madagal, Sunnagan, Masyappidy, Velvetithurai and Kuranagar, areas that fall within the high security zone, have been living like IDPs. The zone was created by the Government in order to stop attacks by rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE). During the conflict the issue of the Hsz dominated political debate in the region. For years, people’s groups and human rights activists have been asking the government to remove the Hsz from the peninsula and allow people to return to their homelands, rich in fish farms and traditional crops. To date, the population have not been able to return to their homes despite the end of the war in May 2009 and the repeated appeals of the international community.

Anthony Jeusadan, an activist of the National Fisheries Solidarity (nafs), an association that has been engaged in defending the Tamil refugees for years, says: "If the declaration of the former Minister Devananda is honest, the people of Jaffna can successfully restart their lives."

• sri
• lanka
• jaffna
• refugees
• tamil
• population
• government
• security
• zone
• freedom
• war