19 March, 2024

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Plight Of Civilians Living Under An Army Of Occupation [Alien Hostile Military]

By Kumarathasan Rasingam

Kumarathasan Rasingam

Contrary to promises made in Geneva that in the name of peace and reconciliation the Sri Lanka government would dismantle High Security Zones, close army cantonments and return lands seized from the people, the Northern and the Eastern Provinces, considered the Tamil homeland, continue to be occupied zones even nine + years after the end of the war. 

There are 14 Divisions station in the Northern Province:-

Jaffna District: SFHQ-Jaffna- 51, 52 & 55 Divisions

Vavuniya District:- SFHQ-W – 56, 61, 21, 54 & 62 Divisions

Kilinochichi District: SFHQ – KLN – 57. 66 & 68 Divisons

Mullaitivu District:- SFHQ – MLT –  59, 64 & 68 Divisons.

The total population of the Northern Province is 1,058,762

14 Divisions of Army =  14 X 15,000 =  210,000

[Source from Wikipedia – List of Sri Lanka Army formation]

The ratio of Army to civilian = for every 5 civilian 01 military

Civilian to Army ratio = 05 : 01

Tamil civilians live under a militarized and securitized system in which surveillance and intimidation continue in everyday life.  The horrifying reality is that the military has no plans to leave but is there to stay, making the Tamils traditional and historical homeland a virtual military camp. 

The Tamils in the majority Sinhala military forces occupied areas in the North and East live in a Nazi style concentration camp.

Military camps thrive well in the resettled areas, causing fear and trauma for many people are still living in a war related post trauma. They have natural fear about the hostile alien military.

Despite numerous promises made to the United Nations and the International Community the Sri Lankan Government not reduced military presence in the North and East and it continues to occupy private property. The Government is unwilling or unable to overcome the political and administrative obstacles that stymie progress on the Reparation Office, Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Special Court to investigate war crimes, crimes against humanity etc. 

Protests by the affected Tamils whose lands are occupied by the military are continuing their daily protest for well over 500 days demanding answers. 

The continued military presence in Tamils homeland is viewed as hampering the post-conflict ethnic reconciliation. [The military is entirely Buddhist Sinhalese and the people in the Northern Province are Hindu/Christian Tamils.

The North and East of Sri Lanka are not under the Sri Lankan Government but under the Sri Lankan [Sinhalese] military [99% Sinhalese]. It is a military state where the military can do what they want with no accountability.

The Armed Forces have gone into non-military commercial activities. They are engaged in large scale property development, construction projects and business ventures such as travel agencies, holiday resorts, restaurants and innumerable cafes in the North and East. 

Tamils suffer from a lack of economic and educational opportunities and economic underdevelopment in Tamil majority areas.
According to the International Crisis Group, “Tamil concerns have been constantly marginalized,” and ethnically biased state institutions and politicized court system provide ‘little or no redress for or legal protection against the range injustices faced by Tamils.” [International Crisis Group 2012.3]

The Sri Lankan Government is good at talking, they will go on talking and the UN, HNHRC and the International community and Tamils would be fooled again and again as in the past. 

Sri Lankan Government is determined to protect the security forces even if they are war criminals.

People for Equality and Relief [PEARL] have recently published a timely report based on field research that was conducted in January 2016. According to the report “Sri Lanka’s Military is still heavily involved in civilian affairs. Unsurprisingly sustained militarization continues have extensive negative effects on the Tamil community, this includes ongoing reports of sexual violence and fewer livelihood options for Tamils, among other problems. 

Waiting to return home is the continued plight of internally displaced people [IDPS] on post-war Sri Lanka.

Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights His ExcellencyZeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein told at the IDP Camp in Sri Lanka 2016 

YOU MUST BE TIRED WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE LIKE ME YEAR AFTER AND YOU TELL YOUR STORIES AND NOTHING SEEEMS TO HAPPEN’ 

Domestic mechanisms do not work in the context of war crimes. The former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein in his report had said, “The sheer number of allegations, their gravity, recurrence and the similarities in their modus operandi as well as the consistent pattern of conduct points towards ‘system crimes’ and that it was the Sri Lankan state that was the perpetrator of the international crimes.”

It was for this reason that hybrid courts and tribunals, as in Cambodia, East Timor, Kosovo and Sierra Leone, were suggested
[Source: The Straight Times – March 17, 2017

 If the Government was serious about addressing Tamil oppression, it would have ended the military occupation of the Tamil areas and repealed the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Instead, Government is seeking to get the 30/1 Resolution amended to wriggle out of inclusion of foreign judges failing which it will seek an extension of two years to do nothing in the hope the problem will disappear. 

It is to be noted that the President of Sri Lanka has vowed several times to protect the Security Forces even if they committed war crimes, crimes against humanity.President very recently at a meeting in Nivitigala, has again vowed to vindicate Security Forces at the United Nations General Assembly where he is scheduled to speak on September 24, 2018 [Daily News of Sept. 09, 2018], and even requesting UN to drop and abandon the allegations of war crimes etc. and grant a blanket  general amnesty for the Security Forces  so as to ensure their guaranteed  culture  and policy of impunity.

Member of Parliament Hon. S.B. Dissanayake, a Cabinet member of the previous Rajapaksa administration said that “the media, too, were aware of some of those executed after they had surrendered (with White Flag after UN negotiated the surrender) though they remained silent. “Both you and we don’t talk about those who had been executed,” the National List MP said. 

THE LEGACY OF WAR CONTINUES TO IMPOSE HARDHSIPS, PARTICULARLY ON CONFLICT AFFECTED WOMEN.

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Latest comments

  • 6
    8

    I used to be stationed in Valigamam (Weligama), Jaffna during the war. Loveliest and most romantic times of my life was had there.

    • 5
      3

      Is that relevant here?

    • 5
      4

      It is Velikammam (which means the village out side in classical or old Tamil. Not Valigamam some sort of Sinhalese bastardisation.To make this place sound Sinhalese. Veli means outside and Kammam means the place of agriculture, hence a village. Opposite to this is Ahamkammam , meaning the village in the out side , Akam or Aham means inside in Old Tamil and Kammam again means village or the place of agriculture. It is the Sinahlese and not the Tamils who have plagiarised these ancient Tamil words, as even now, 35-40% of modern Sinhalese vocabulary is derived from Tamil or Elu the local indigenous Tamil dialect. In the south of the country you get Weligamma ( Velikammam) and like what it means is , this village in on the outside and then you get Ahangamma( Ahamkammam) and like it means in Tamil this village is on the inside. People with little knowledge listen to the twisted nonsense peached by Sinhalese racists and think it is the truth. Of course many place names in the Tamil north and east will sound similar to Sinhalese. not because Sinhalese these places were once Sinhalese but because Sinhalese vocabulary contains around 40% Tamil/Elu derived words. Loveliest and romantic times at Velikammam? Why were having some same sex relationship with a fellow Sinhalese army officer. No Tamil would have ever wanted to any sort of lovely or romantic relationship with members of the occupying Sinhalese armed forces. Ordinary Sinhalese yes but not with your kind. We hate you lot and still do.

      • 6
        5

        Mister,

        I know about Jaffna more than you. And I have walked around every nook and corner of the peninsula. Chundikuli, Vembadi, Uduvil you name it we’ve been there.

        • 3
          3

          Just because you were walking every corner of the peninsula holding hands with your same sex Sinhalese lover does not mean that you know the history of these places and how the names originated. Tramps and beggars also travel around the whole country , this mans they are very knowledgeable?

          • 1
            0

            Retarded Late. Reginald Shamal Perehera was not walking but he was running to every corner of Jaffna to save his life from the LTTE. Bloody coward!

        • 1
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          Retarded bugger: I know about Jaffna more than you. And I have walked around every nook and corner of the peninsula. Chundikuli, Vembadi, Uduvil you name it we’ve been there.

          TFN: were you looking for some girls to romance with loser?

      • 2
        2

        Dear RSS,
        .
        Don’t bother with Shamal Perera. the monster may have done some of these things that he hints at. Our pathetic President wants to shield them.
        .
        But not all Sinhalese are so bad. I have no time or spirit to say more.

        • 2
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          Sinhala_Man, absolutely majority of Sinhalese are decent people. I was there last year and loved chatting with them. Amazingly friendly and helpful. I just love your food too.

    • 3
      6

      Retarded Loony Shameless Perera

      Have you ever visited Battaramulla (Paththar Moolai – Goldsmith Corner) Diyatha Uyana?

      • 0
        0

        NV: By the way, ‘loony shameless’? Loony has no idea what shame is. Loonys are retarded. Of course the shameless are not loonys.

    • 1
      1

      I am from ERUOPE: We know british, Russian and American troops are still in Germany. Even after 70 or more years of WW2.
      So what talks about the millatory occupation in SRILANKEN nothern soils ?
      WIth the time only they should be removed from those areas.
      That is for their own security such army occupation should be there.
      I believe, we dont even give space to discuss on this.
      We just need to keep the army in the north, but if there are incident where army men behave no well – doing harm to those livelyhoods, there, we should not be backwarded to stand against them.
      We are all srilankens, we dont want wars to destroy our people again. Our people means all of us in srilanka.

    • 7
      3

      Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera,

      How many Tamil women did you rape in Valigamam?

      • 1
        1

        Keynes,

        Stop thinking with your sick mind.

        We built great relationships with the locals. You saw that video of an Army brigadier leaving Jaffna and all the locals flocked to him during his farewell?

        That’s the kind of relationships we built.

        • 3
          0

          Retard Reginald,

          K.T. Rajasingham, a staunch supporter of Mahinda Rajapaksa, has written an article titled “Gotabaya’s Alugosuwa of Jaffna paralysed with recurring blackouts” on his website Asian Tribune on the 20th of August 2018. So much for your boast about building relationships with the locals. The emotional farewell that Col. Rathnapriya Bandu received in June 2018 is an exception. Earlier this year, we saw a situation where the armed forces were seen beating the Muslims in Digana. There was one chap who was even ridiculing a Muslim whose house had just been burnt down.

    • 2
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      Retarded late Perehera bugger, during wartime you were having romance? Bloody joker if you had fought the war with valor you could ended this war in 5 years.

    • 1
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      Retarded Loony Shameless Perera

      “I used to be stationed in Valigamam (Weligama), Jaffna during the war.”

      Was that when you deserted your command(?) hiding behind VP’s bum? Are you one of the 80,000 odd cowards who deserted army?

  • 4
    5

    “the Northern and the Eastern Provinces, considered the Tamil homeland ….”
    Every time the Tamil racists refer to NE as Tàmil homeland it strengthens my argument that Tamils living outside NE should be relocated into the Homeland. This is the ONLY solution to this nauseating, hypocratic Tamil demand. Yes Sinhalese must demand that all Tamils ( Tamil s peaking people) should be moved into NE. And when time comes they will. Master planners of Homeland should take this factor into account in order to avoid potential Rohingya like situations.

    Soma

  • 4
    5

    Tamils migrated from Tamilnadu are happy to live under the occupied Sinhala army than the High Caste North Indian Running Tamilnadu. During every Festival for God whether it is Nallur or Kachchathivu, Tamils migrate to North and say we awere living here and we are happy to live under army because Tamilnadu politicians as well as high caste Tamils were killing us there.

    • 3
      1

      You deserve a special place in hell for your foul-smelling lies!

  • 5
    7

    Planned de-mobilisation ought to have commenced long ago. This is not the way in which one can bring about reconcilliation after a war.
    .
    I’m finding it difficult to explain my common sense views after every article. This is where I shall focus, until we get cut off by this ten day rule.
    .
    Thanks, Mr Kumarathasan Rasingam for your article, although I must acknowledge that I haven’t read it carefully.

  • 2
    5

    The military regime has ruthlessly suppressed human rights of civilians in the north. The police are hand in glove with them. All women fear the predatory army men who prowl at night, encounters go unreported due to subsequent shame and stigma.
    No citizen has any state organisation to report crime perpetrated by army and police, and ignorance of Sinhala in which any complaint is recorded makes it a meaningless exercise.
    The situation is like what happened in WW2 in countries under Nazi occupation like France, but 1:5 ratio of military/civilian was not there.
    Worst is the occupation of lands and homes by the army.
    Tamils living abroad get constant requests to sponsor people in the north for migration.
    It is a “Buddhist” occupation/terror regime, not only military.
    Hundreds of Buddha statues, temples are being/have been erected with no devotees attending, with occasional presence of saffron robed persons.
    All livelihoods have been usurped by southerners who are being settled assisted by even the archaeological department on prime lands and beaches near fishing grounds.
    It all is like an on-going slow genocide.

    • 0
      0

      Justice and Fiar play: 2500 years there were none of the Crosses, JEsus Or SAint Statues were in Sri lanka. How about that ?. Should those be removed.

  • 5
    2

    The message coming from ordinary folks is different from Kumarathasan Rasingam who is coming out with usual BS. Ordinary folks feel secure with Army presence than with Wellala controlled NPC. TNAs priority is not the wellbeing of ordinary Demal people who belong to low castes. They keep on talking about political solution to get power into their hands so that they can continue to suppress low caste people. Army is doing lot of work for capacity building of ordinary folks as a part of reconciliation. Wellala politicians do not like that. That is the main reason why they want Army out from the North.
    ———————————–
    “…the Northern and the Eastern Provinces, considered the Tamil homeland,…”
    There was no Tamil homeland in Sinhale. North-East was the cradle of Sinhala civilization. Where was Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa kingdoms that lasted for thousands of years? Sinhalayo had to leave because of barbaric acts of Dravidian invaders. A large majority of Demalu who live in the North are the descendants of slaves brought to this country from Hindusthan by Europeans to work in tobacco plantations. There is no difference between so called ‘Watu Demalu’ in tea plantations and ‘Yapanaya Demalu’. They are occupying land once inhabited by Sinhalayo.

  • 4
    3

    Mr. Rasingam, While the military must be down scaled in northeast, please look at the bigger picture to understand what is going on in Sri Lanka today:
    The Indian Ocean is being militarized by United States and India against China in their Cold War and are funding Sri Lanka military, particularly, Navy operations including camps in northeast Lanka.
    US plays double games while claiming to be so concerned about Human Rights. Nikki Haley called UNHRC a Cesspit, while, A US citizen under US jurisdiction , Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who can and should be tried in US for ‘war crimes’ has not been tried because he privatized the SL Navy security operation as Avant Guard Company, for his US handlers to gun run from Israeal to Ukraine among other things.
    At this time US is aiding and abetting the SL military and Navy with massive aid in its Cold war against China.
    Fact is that India Weaponized ethnic tensions since 1970s Cold War Period in Lanka and today it is weaponizing religion (Hinduism) in their Cold War with China in Lanka, and fuelling Hindutwa in northeast against Muslims. The military presence will be needed to watch this.

  • 2
    4

    Nothing surprising. Politicians and the murderous ‘ranaviruwas’ will always be above the law. Just commit a crime, show the media and the country that they are getting arrested (Fake) and get released on bail (Rs.1000) the next day.

  • 4
    2

    So much for “Yahapalanaya” solving the problems of the Native Tamil people. Three and a half years but no solution. There is no party in the south they can even remotely trust. Unfortunately, the TNA has also proven to be very ineffective. They simply don’t know how to govern, probably because they were under the LTTE shadow for such long time. One solution is to create a new party which includes a large number of former LTTE members especially the ones who were part of the administrative wing (not the military wing). They did govern the Vanni region for over 30 years. It is time they step up and enter mainstream politics with a new party. Even with the current limited power the provincial councils have, they can still make a difference. JVP entered mainstream politics, so why can’t the LTTE do it? I can’t even begin to imagine how uncomfortable the Tamils feel, especially women when surrounded by so many military personnel. But what goes around comes around. Sinhalese in the south are now feeling uncomfortable with the influx of so many Chinese and Indian workers. Not only that but with so many new construction sites, parents are uncomfortable letting their daughters out in the evening. There are so many cases where construction workers expose their private parts to young girls. There were even several rape case, ironically committed by military deserters working at these construction sites. One dirtbag was literally caught with his pants down by the police. The young lady had been raped repeatedly by the deserter with threats to her and her family if she went to the police. There are over 50,000 deserters mainly in the underworld. So, Sinhalese, understand what goes around comes around.

  • 3
    2

    Alien hostile military? Really?
    Must be nice to be pontificating from the comforts of Toronto, Canada.

  • 6
    3

    This is nonsense. This writer is nuts

    When IPKF was here it had been an army of occupation but how can the military of a country become an army of occupation in its own land.

  • 4
    2

    It will be absurd for any Government to withdraw the military from the North. Not only is anti-nationalistic rhetoric very strong from the Chief Minister but the likelihood of seeds of militancy taking root in Tamil Nadu and then being transplanted in Sri Lanka is all too real……Fool me once, shame on you, Fool me twice, shame on me!

  • 1
    2

    Can you imagine the pitiful MISERY of Millions of Palestinians under a Brutal Occupation for Seven Decades by European AshkeNAZI zionists who Continue to Steal their lands, Demolish their houses and Shoot to Kill Palestinians for protesting against the Brutal Suppression without sparing even children?

    The UN and the International community can do Nothing about ending the MISERY of the Palestinians thanks to Uncle Sam’s Unconscionable Support for the Brutal Occupiers. But, Uncle Sam has No Qualms about pressuring the Sri Lankan government on the Claims of the Tamils against the Government. What Incredible Hypocrisy by the US and also the International community.

  • 3
    4

    Please note: There will be no foreign judges in Sri Lanka. The military did not target civilians. The LTTE Terrorists killed civilians who escaped to embrace the Sri Lankan military. The military is engaged with Tamil civilians to protect them from Terrorists in hiding. The military has the right to be anywhere they are needed. Jaffna Peninsular is an integral part of the ancient Rajarata Kingdom and it is not a homeland for Tamils and never will be. Peace loving Sri Lankan Tamils too can live or in any part of Sri Lanka. There is a Tamil homeland, Tamil Nadu, across the Palk Straits which is squalid but you are free to go there if you don’t like Sri Lanka. Get used to the fact Tamil Terrorists and their political masters started the war and they were given an humiliating defeat. Let the poor and innocent law abiding Tamils live in peace and prosper alongside the Sinhalese.

    • 1
      1

      lal,
      Why are you so terrified about foreign judges?

  • 0
    1

    This author lies, I was there recently and we were driving at night, because we were lost, in fact I was hoping to see some military or police personal because there were groups of youth on scooters assembled in two places and we were worried they belonged to a gang. In fact a non Hindu Tamil person known to us had been attacked with a club at an intersection the previous week. Locals are safer with army presence, so are visitors, as one commentator above says pontificating from Toronto is meaningless, it is a totally different story on ground, read what Jehan Perea has written (although I am no fan of him).

  • 2
    1

    Yesterday (25 September 2018 ) “The Daily Mirror” reported that Admiral Sarath Weerasekera, in his speech on ‘racial discrimination’, has told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that the Tamils were discriminated by the Vellalas and not by the Sinhalese..
    To him ‘Vellalas’ are a ‘race’. Shows how literate he is but definitely is President-material.
    Couple of years or so ago, one of his ilk suggested that the 1981 Jaffna library fire was an ‘inside job’.
    .
    Tamils have to live in Open Prisons under the Victor-Occupier – The SL Armed Services.

  • 2
    0

    when compared with IPKF sri lankan army was 1000000 times better. I was there

    • 0
      0

      Dear Jeyaluxmi Summed up very well thank you.
      So when we have an Indian Embassy in Jaffna + the elected officials in NPC (specially the various ex armed groups fought for the Tamils Liberation are all trained, armed and managed by the Indian security apparatus) are the elected officials + sustained good relations between the 2 nations security apparatus has seen to the war = demilitarisation long time ago? but this did not happen and why? then we say armed forces are not providing the security to the public/taken up land that belongs to the public/facilitating other GOSL sponsored programs aginst the will of the public (not sure what they are but colonisation comes to my mind in an already limited space)/murders, rapes and drugs have thrived in a space 40 years ago was not the case then……should not India be answering some of the questions in the UN? It seems to me generations has passed we are discussing Sinhala and Tamil issues when Tamil issues are no longer the issues is infact made worse by our actions/collective actions too and the rest of the country want to move forward but we are doing some not so productive discussions in the world arena further antagonising the children of the nation jeopardising their future for ever?? Then one begs to ask the question leaving all the geo political masters and their interest out should we then have bite the pride and shaken hands with MR in 2009 could have had better results for the nation?? No critical thinking here the fault of the masses be it Tamil or Sinhalese?? Did we ever give mandate for such an event in any elections to anyone since 2009???

    • 2
      0

      Jeyaluxmi Muthuthamby

      “when compared with IPKF sri lankan army was 1000000 times better. I was there”

      What was the measuring rod or dipstick?

  • 2
    1

    <<<>>

    When 600 policemen surrendered to the LTTE, what happened to them? I guess the Army it was the right time to return the favor. Don’t blame the army. Blame your LTTE fellas. Where were you when 600 policemen which included my good friend ASP Ivan Boteju were murdered upon surrendering?

    • 1
      2

      Retarded Loony Shameless Perera

      “When 600 policemen surrendered to the LTTE, what happened to them? “

      Did they vaporised into thin air?
      Where were you?
      Were you still hiding behind your grandma from Hindian IPKF or possibly from the psychopath VP?

      Coward, check below your belly and see if you have found your b***s.

  • 0
    0

    Tamils never took wigneswaran, Sumanthiran or Vijayakala Mendis on their shoulders. but they carried one Army officer on their shoulders. So who are Tamil oppressors ?

  • 0
    0

    Kumarathnam eRasingham says 99% of the Sri lankan Army was Sinhala. Yet there were moles even among LTTE who were paid handsomely and you know sometimes LTTE had hard times. IT was All tamils. People know they caught Tamils had tortured and killed them.

  • 0
    0

    IPKF is here, it is definitely an occupation. how could it be called Sri Lanka Army is occupied when they are in North and East or other arts of the country?

    Tamil Racist thugs in the forum are joking as same as same as they talk about history of this country. Your fanciful and whimsical rhetoric not going to make any difference in minds of ordinary tamil masses, who are suffering from Vellalas and deceiving by Tamil political leaders since 1933 and therefore, they have decided to carry an Army personal on their back to show their genuine gratitude for the genuine services rendered to them than so called tamil politicians and racists thugs.

  • 0
    0

    Guess who genuflected and invited IPKF. People in N&E welcomed IPKF as redeemers but realised that they are no angels. Then who genuflected to who (guess) and pleaded, “Get then out of here. Please”? Then who very gently persuaded IPKF to leave? During this ‘gentle persuasion phase’, the SL Armed Services played volleyball. N&E paid heavily. The rest of Lanka had to suffer the indignity of a rule by an Indian Vice-Regal.
    Then Lanka again genuflected and consulted India about invading N&E. The wounded India was willing and friends and foes of India joined in.
    What Rasingam writes is an account of the happenings from then on in general and ‘right-now’ in particular.

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