Colombo (AsiaNews) - A rise in cases of nighttime theft, limits on freedom of movement and speech, abuses perpetrated preparation for the SAARC summit. These are the most serious problems that the population of the peninsula of Jaffna - in the north of Sri Lanka - is forced to face. The situation has been denounced in a recent report from the diocesan justice and peace commission.
Nighttime theft
Criminal gangs have resumed their raids on private homes. Groups of 20 or 30 criminals roam around the city during the nighttime hours when, at least in theory, the city is under curfew and protected by security forces. The gangs break into homes by knocking down doors and breaking windows (unless the owners open the door to prevent further damage), then put the family into one room while the rest of the gang ransacks the house. If the loot isn't thought to be sufficient, they threaten to kidnap a child in order to obtain more money.
Limits on freedom of movement
The people of Jaffna live in a sort of open-air prison. There is no chance to move freely, not even to meet family or social obligations. To allow the transit of military vehicles, drivers are forced to park their own vehicles on the sides of the streets, and wait for hours while the convoys pass. They lose more time passing the checkpoints, which are in place everywhere. Since August 11 of 2006, there has been an absolute ban on driving at night. Finally, it is almost impossible to obtain a "pass" to cross the borders of the province, because of the enormous costs and bureaucratic formalities.
Lack of communication networks
Communication is almost impossible for the average citizen: apart from telephone land lines, which are few and hardly used, there are no other means for contacting friends and relatives. The situation has been dragging on for months, and there are no solutions on the horizon. This too, the diocesan document emphasizes, is a clear violation of human rights.
SAARC summit
In preparation for the summit of south Asian countries, numerous cases of abuse, forced expropriation, and clear violations of civil rights have been registered. Many streets have been closed, entire neighborhoods have been blocked off for security reasons, and areas are off-limits even for the inhabitants if they do not possess a pass.
Last July 21, Thomas Saundaranayagam, the bishop of Jaffna, sent a letter to Sri Lanka president Mahinda Rajapaksa in which he denounces "the extreme difficulty" in which many people of his diocese live, especially in West Manthai.
