Peace and Conflict Timeline (PACT) » Eastern province

7 October 2008

pact team — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:59:54 +0000

Leader of the breakaway ‘Karuna faction’, Vinayagamoorthi Muralidaran, alias ‘Colonel Karuna’ is “nominated” as a Member of Parliament from the quota of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Karuna will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of H.M. Wasantha Samarasinghe of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). In response the the appointment, the JVP filed a Fundamental Rights petition, calling the appointment “immoral”.

Sources
Breakaway Tiger leader sworn into Sri Lanka parliament, Reuters, 7 October 2008; ‘Col’ Karuna nominated as MP, The Hindu, 7 October 2008; MP Karuna: ‘travesty of justice’, BBC Sinhala, 7 October 2008.

Quotations

“Tamil people can now have the faith of solving their own problems through parliamentary democracy. We should forget the bitter past experiences and work to win the trust of the Tamils,” Vinayagamoorthi Muralidaran, addressing Parliament.

11 May 2008

pact team — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:55:16 +0000

President Rajapakse’s United People’s Freedom Alliance, running in a coalition with the breakaway LTTE faction known as the TMVP (formerly ‘Karuna faction’), wins control of the Eastern Provincial Council. The election commission reported that the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance coalition won 52 per cent of the vote, giving it a total of 20 seats on the province’s 37-member council.

About 60 per cent of the province’s nearly 1 million registered voters cast votes, according to the Election Commission. Independent monitors said the TMVP threatened voters during the election, opposition parliamentarians were attacked by mobs, children who appeared to be around 13 years old cast ballots and gangs of people shuttled between polling stations to vote numerous times.

Source
Sri Lanka ‘s president says election win a mandate for war against Tamil rebels, Associated Press (reported in the International Herald Tribune), 11 May 2008; Voters in eastern Sri Lanka worry about future, Associated Press (reported in the Guardian), 10 May 2008.

Quotations

“I note that the people of the east have given a clear mandate for peace through the defeat of terrorism, the strengthening of democracy and the development of the country.” President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

“I can’t say it was a free and fair election because it was not really.” Kingsley Rodrigo, head of the independent People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections.

“This is a totally distorted mandate that they got. This is obtained by fraud.” Rauff Hakeem, leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), which ran in with the UNP.

Related news items
The war dividend, The Economist, 15 May 2008
Bombing on eve of Sri Lanka polls, BBC, 9 May 2008;
Sri Lanka rescinds move to bar foreign media for elections, ABC News, 8 May 2008: “The Sri Lankan government said Thursday it was barring foreign journalists from covering weekend elections in the Eastern Province, but backed off hours later following a wave of protests by journalists and rights groups.”

1 April 2008

pact team — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 05:19:50 +0000

Sri Lankan rights group University Teachers for Human Rights (UTHR) finds state security forces responsible for the murders of 17 Action Contre La Faim (ACF) aid workers.

In its 29-page report released today, it names a local Muslim home guard and two constables as the killers of most of the group, which took place around 4.30 pm on 4 August 2006. The report details the killings, the role of senior police officials in the murders, and criticises the government’s failure in properly investigating the crime.

Sources
Report details Sri Lanka aid massacre, blames forces, Reuters, 1 April 2008; Sri Lanka defends lengthy inquiry into the massacre of 17 charity workers, The Independent, 3 April 2008.

Quotations

“The evidence shows state security forces, including police, killed the 17 aid workers and that senior police officers covered it up…The killing of civilians during time of conflict is a war crime. The perpetrators and their superiors should be brought to justice.” Rajan Hoole, University Teachers for Human Rights.

“It does more than name the names of those responsible for the brutal ACF killings. It shows the government investigations into the massacre were little more than a bad joke played out on the victims’ families and the international community.” James Ross, Senior Legal Adviser, Human Rights Watch.

“We want the truth to come out. We can’t dictate the course of justice, we can only encourage the process by facilitating its work.” Rohitha Bogollagama, Foreign Minister.

“The country has learnt to be comfortable with grave crimes going unpunished one after another, with the certainty that even graver ones would follow. The answer to the question why Sri Lanka is steeped in recurrent gross crimes, especially against the minorities, that go unchecked is not far to seek. For years, the state has gone on denying, obfuscating, abusing detractors, intimidating or killing witnesses and making matters progressively worse.” Unfinished Business of the Five Students and ACF Cases – A Time to call the Bluff, Special Report No.30, University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna) Sri Lanka, 1st April 2008.

11 March 2008

pact team — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 20:58:53 +0000

The Thamil Makkal Vidudal Puligal (TMVP) party wins 72 of 101 seats on nine local councils, the first elections in Eastern Sri Lanka for 14 years. For the municipal council of Batticaloa, the TMVP – contesting the elections under the banner of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) – secured 11 of its 19 seats after obtaining 53.77 percent of the 26,331 valid votes.

Sources
Breakaway rebel group wins elections in eastern Sri Lanka, Hindustan Times, 11 March 2008; Former Tigers win Sri Lanka poll, Al Jazeera, 11 March 2008; Armed, state-backed ex-rebels win Sri Lanka poll, Reuters, 11 March 2008

Quotations

“I believe that the representatives of the people chosen in this peaceful election are the harbingers of success in the historic march to strengthen and widen democracy in our country.” President Rajapakse.

“In Batticaloa, not only TMVP, [but] many other armed groups are also there. Some of the Muslims also have arms. They have been keeping the arms with them. So I am not going to say this election is a free and fair one. ” Kingsley Rodrigo, chairman of the People’s Alliance for Free and Fair Elections.

“Supreme Commander Pillaiyan has spent most of his life wearing the jungle camouflage uniform of the Tamil Tigers. He joined the guerrillas at age 16, angry at the hardships faced by Sri Lanka’s Tamil minority and the rough way they were treated by the country’s armed forces. But four years ago, disillusioned with the Tamil Tigers’ longtime leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, he was among thousands of guerrillas who defected to the government side. He now wears a beige safari suit and black loafers and serves as Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province, although he still answers to his nom de guerre, Pillaiyan,” Inside Sri Lanka: Your cash going to arms, say ex-rebels, 22 September 2008.

4 March 2008

pact team — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:20:58 +0000

The Supreme Court dismisses a petition seeking postponement of elections to the local bodies in Batticaloa. The petition brought by a number of civil rights organisations, argued that a free and fair election would be prevented given the presence of armed groups in the district. The decision paves the way for local bodies’ election to be held in the district on 10 March – after a gap of 14 years.

The Supreme Court directed the Inspector General of Police and the Defence Secretary to ensure a free and fair election, asking them to disarm all unlawful armed groups.

Source
Local bodies poll in Batticoloa after 14 years as plea is dismissed, The Hindu, 5 March 2008

24 January 2008

pact team — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The All Party Representative Committee (APRC) unveils its power sharing proposals after 63 sessions carried out over 18 months. The basis for the power-sharing proposals would be 1987 constitutional amendment – the 13th Amendment – on creating a system of provincial councils. The APRC was established by President Rajapaksa in 2006 to forge a consensus among all parties on a political solution to the ethnic conflict. However, the opposition parties, the United National Party (UNP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) withdrew from the Commitee, whereas the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was never invited to participate.

As regards the Provincial Council elections, the APRC report noted:

“The APRC is of the view that conditions in the Eastern Provinces are conducive for holding elections to the provincial council and that elections should be held immediately. Conditions in the Northern Province are far from being peaceful. A free and fair election in the North will not be possible in the near future. Hence an alternative arrangement is required in the Northern Province to enable the people of that Province to enjoy the fruits of devolution… As it is not possible to hold elections in the North, the President could make appropriate order to establish an Interim Council for the Northern Province in terms of the Constitution.”

Sources
Full implementation of the 13th Amendment recommended, The Hindu, 24 January 2008; APRC ‘approves’ 13th amendment, BBC Sinhala, 21 January 2008
Quotations

“This certainly would not be the final proposal and will not be a universal panacea for all ills in the country. It will however be a firm and reliable foundation to build and develop a new Constitution for the Nation. It is a long-term process, requiring a step-by-step approach. We will strive to implement to the optimum, what we could, under the existing Constitution and mechanism, amending it where necessary”. Chairman of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC)

“The Government of Sri Lanka has been good enough to share with us the interim steps recommended by the All Party Representatives Conference in Sri Lanka for implementation of devolution provisions and official language provisions of the Sri Lankan Constitution. It has consistently been our view that a settlement of the issues in Sri Lanka is to be done by the Sri Lankan people themselves in a manner acceptable to all communities within the framework of a united Sri Lanka. The Government of India will continue to work with Sri Lanka and its people to bring about such a settlement of the issues in Sri Lanka. To the extent that the APRC proposals contribute to such a settlement, they are a welcome first step”. Official Spokeperson, High Commission of India, Press Release, 25 January 2008

“The 13th amendment of 1987 was a treatment for ulcer. But 20 years down the line, the ulcer has become cancer. We now need a medicine for cancer, not ulcer.” V. Anandasangaree, President Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF)

“We consider the APRC as an anachronism, not representative of the free will of the Sri Lankan people. We reject any recommendations made by such a body. [The 13th Amendment to the Constitution was thrust upon the then Government] by the Indians with their gunboats outside the Colombo Harbour”. Somawansa Amarasinghe, Leader of the JVP.

Related events

Related links
Rohan Edrisinha on the APRC Proposals and the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, groundviews, 30 January 2008

23 January 2008

pact team — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:01:00 +0000

The ruling UPFA coalition sign an agreement with the TMVP (formerly the Karuna Faction – now known as the Pillaiyan Faction) to contest the local government elections in the Eastern Province together.

Source
UPFA -TMVP sign agreement for Batti poll, Daily Mirror, 23 January 2007

Related Links
Eastern elections, groundviews, 5 February 2007

Related events
11 May 2008
11 March 2008
4 March 2008

16 July 2007

pact team — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 19:58:30 +0000

The Chief District Secretary of the Eastern province is shot dead in Trincomalee. The Government accuses the LTTE.

Source
Lanka president attacks ‘cowards’, BBC, 17 July 2007.

11 July 2007

pact team — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 20:01:06 +0000

The Sri Lankan government captures Thoppigala, in what is claimed as the last LTTE base in the Eastern Province. Army chiefs claim that the “victory” gave the government control of the area for the first time in 13 years.

Sources
East in control, Colombo to tackle LTTE in north, The Hindu, 13 July 2007; Sri Lanka says captures last rebel stronghold in east, Reuters, 11 July 2007.

Quotations

“We have liberated the East so that the people could be free from the clutches of the LTTE. We will now concentrate on developing the east and holding elections so that the eastern people also could elect their representatives for democratic institutions freely,” Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Cabinet Spokesperson.

30 May 2007

pact team — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 20:43:39 +0000

A gazette notification by the Sri Lankan government blocks the resettlement of displaced Tamils in Sampur and Muttur East in Trincomalee following the designation of the areas as a High Security Zone (HSZ).

3 February 2007

pact team — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 05:33:36 +0000

President Rajapakse visits areas that were captured from the LTTE on the eve of the 59th anniversary of independence from Britain.

20 January 2007

pact team — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 05:49:56 +0000

The Sri Lankan army takes control of Vaharai and Kathiraveli, both LTTE strongholds in Batticaloa.

Sources
At least 40 Tamil Tigers killed, as army routs rebel stronghold, military says, International Herald Tribune, 20 January 2007; The process of weakening the LTTE, The Hindu, 21 January 2007; Several thousand reported fleeing coastal strip in eastern Sri Lanka, UNHCR, 19 January 2007, Sri Lanka troops hunt rebels as refugees flood camps, Reuters, 20 January 2007.

8 November 2006

pact team — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 07:21:12 +0000

At least 45 Tamil civilians are killed in Vaharai, Batticaloa by the Sri Lankan military. The Sri Lankan government defends the allegation on the basis that the LTTE was using civilians as ‘human shields’.

Sources
Lanka army kills 45 civilians, BBC News, 8 November 2006; Sri Lanka militray reported to have killed 45 civilians, The Times, 8 November 2006; Return to war, Sri Lanka Report, Human Rights Watch, August 2007.

Quotations

"It seems a school where some internally-displaced people were residing has been hit in the attack… We can confirm lots of people are dead. The numbers are unclear, but initial reports show 50 to 60 people have been killed. The injured could number several hundred." SLMM spokesperson, November 2006.

"The Tigers had been planning this situation since the beginning of this month by detaining the innocent civilians in those areas by force to be used as a human shield when the time arises." Defence Ministry statement, November 2006.

"The 12 witnesses who spoke with Human Rights Watch provided no support for the government’s claim. None of the people at or around the Kathiravelli camp that day reported any LTTE artillery fire that morning. The nearest LTTE military base was about two kilometers away, three people said. Six others explained how the LTTE had blocked them from leaving the Vaharai area along the roads, including one incident in which LTTE fighters shot and wounded a displaced person. But none of them said the LTTE had used anyone as a “human shield”, that is, purposefully using civilians to render an LTTE fighter immune from attack. Similarly, Human Rights Watch spoke with three international organizations with direct knowledge of the Vaharai area and the Kathirivelli incident, and none of them had any direct knowledge, or had heard credible reports, of the LTTE using civilians as ‘human shields’.” Human Rights Watch, August 2007.

4 September 2006

pact team — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 07:44:30 +0000

The Sri Lankan government announces that its military has taken control of strategically important Sampur.

Sources
Sri Lankan troops take key town, BBC, 4 September 2006; LTTE admits defeat in Sampoor, BBC Sinhala, 4 September 2006

Quotations

"The only resistance we encountered was mines and booby-trapped devices We are in total control." Defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella.

"Our troops have captured Sampur. This is not war, we are only responding to an attack on us." President Rajapakse, speaking at a rally of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

“Sri Lankan forces are now in control of Sampoor.” Rasiah Ilanthirayan, Tamil Tiger military spokesman.

4 August 2006

pact team — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 07:53:19 +0000

17 aid workers belonging to the French agency ‘Action Against Hunger’ (ACF) are killed in Muttur. Allegations are made against the returning Sri Lankan troops.

Sources
Action Against Hunger International Network mourns and demands full inquiry into Muttur “war crime”, ACF, 10 August 2006; Europe accuses Sri Lankan army of assassinating aid workers, The Independent, 31 August 2006; Sri Lanka: ICJ calls for justice as inquest into killing of 17 aid workers concludes, Press Release, International Commission of Jurists, 9 March 2007.

Quotations

“[We are] convinced that there cannot be any other armed groups than the security forces who could actually have been behind the act. Consequently, the killing of the 17 civilian aid workers in Muttur on 4 August 2006 is ruled as a gross violation of the CFA [ceasefire accord] by the security forces of Sri Lanka. The committed act of assassination has approved to be one of the most serious recent crimes against humanitarian aid workers worldwide and has been strongly condemned internationally. I urge the GoSL to take all necessary actions to immediately stop any kind of violence against the civilians of Sri Lanka and to do its utmost that the matter is thoroughly investigated by the Sri Lankan authorities.” SLMM statement, 30 August 2006.

“The Government also deeply regrets that the Head of SLMM who is charged with an extremely sensitive and responsible task of giving professional and objective observations after due diligent investigation, has rushed to hasty conclusions on what is clearly a most reprehensible attack on these aid workers.” Government of Sri Lanka, statement, 30 August 2006.

Related events
6 November 2006
5 July 2007
6 March 2008
1 April 2008