Situation in Sri Lanka Mayam Vije Bern, February 16, 2004 MONBIJOUSTRASSE 120 POSTFACH 8154 CH -3001 BERN TEL 031 370 75 75 E-MAIL INFO@sfh -osar.ch FAX 031 370 75 00 INTERNET http://www.sfh -osar.ch PC -KONTO 30 -16741 -4 SPENDENKONTO PC 30 -1085 -7 MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL ON REFUGEES AND EXILES MITGLIED DER ZEWO Impressum AUTOR Mayam Vije SPRACHVERSIONEN englisch (Original), deutsch, französisch PREIS Fr. 20. -- inkl. 2,4 % MWSt., zuzgl. Versandkosten COPYRIGHT © 2004 Schwe izerische Flüchtlingshilfe, Bern Kopieren und Abdruck unter Quellenangabe erlaubt. Contents 1 Political situation ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 1 1.1 Ceasefire agreement ................................ ................................ ....................... 1 1.2 Ongoing political tensions ................................ ................................ ................ 1 1.3 Interim administration ................................ ................................ ...................... 2 1.4 Norwegian withdrawal ................................ ................................ ...................... 2 1.5 SLFP -JVP agreement ................................ ................................ ...................... 2 1.6 General election 2004 ................................ ................................ ..................... 3 2 Security situation ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 4 2.1 High security zones ................................ ................................ ......................... 4 2.2 Fonseka report ................................ ................................ ................................ 4 2.3 Recognition of Sea Tigers ................................ ................................ ................ 5 2.4 Indian concerns ................................ ................................ ............................... 5 2.5 Long Range Patrols ................................ ................................ ......................... 5 2.6 Religious intolerance ................................ ................................ ....................... 6 3 Law and order situation ................................ ................................ ......................... 6 3.1 Sri Lankan judiciar y ................................ ................................ ......................... 6 3.2 Law and order ................................ ................................ ................................ .7 3.3 LTTE administration ................................ ................................ ........................ 7 4 Human rights situa tion ................................ ................................ ........................... 8 4.1 Peace process decision ................................ ................................ ................... 8 4.2 Human rights institutions ................................ ................................ ................. 8 4. 3 Prevention of Terrorism Act ................................ ................................ ............. 9 4.4 Arrest and detention ................................ ................................ ........................ 9 4.5 Torture ................................ ................................ ................................ .......... 10 4.6 Disappearances ................................ ................................ ............................ 11 4.7 Attacks on civilians ................................ ................................ ........................ 11 4.8 Violations by the LTTE ................................ ................................ .................. 12 4.9 Child recruitment ................................ ................................ ........................... 12 4.10 Muslims ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 13 4.11 LTTE taxes ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 13 4.12 Freedom of movement ................................ ................................ ................... 13 5 Humanitarian situation ................................ ................................ ......................... 14 5.1 SIHRN ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 14 5.2 IDPs and refugees ................................ ................................ ......................... 14 5.3 Returnee needs ................................ ................................ ............................. 15 5.4 Landmines ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 15 5.5 Legal problems ................................ ................................ .............................. 16 6 Conclusion ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 16 Annex 1 Abbreviations Annex 2 Permit to travel along A9 road 1 Political situation 1.1 Ceasefire agreement After a 20 -year war, the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) signed a ceasefire agreement on 22 February 2002, with the active involvement of Norwegian peace diplomats, ushering hope that a lasting solution to the 50 year -old conflict was a re al possibility. A truce monitoring team called the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), led by Norway was appointed. Peace negotiations began on 16 September that year and six rounds of talks were held over six months. The Sri Lankan government lifted the ban on the Tigers and the LTTE agreed to give up its struggle for a separate Tamil state in the north -east of the island. At the peace sessions in Oslo in December 2002, both pa r- ties decided to explore a political solution founded on internal self -determin ation in areas of historical habitation of the Tamil -speaking peoples, based on a federal structure within a united Sri Lanka. Four sub -committees for peace, creation of normalcy, rehabilitation and gender affairs were formed. 1.2 Ongoing political tensions Th e LTTE withdrew from peace talks on 21 April 2003, accusing the government of failing to implement decisions of six rounds of peace talks. The Tigers particularly referred to military occupation of Tamil lands and denial of the rights of displaced people t o return home. The LTTE was also furious over their exclusion from the US -sponsored donor conference in Washington on 14 April and blamed the government of being pre -occupied with creating an ‘international safety net’ to pressurize them to accept a watere d-down political solution. The US say legal constraints had prevented an invitation to the LTTE to attend the conference. The LTTE remain a banned terrorist organisation in the US, Britain, Canada and India. A bipartisan approach to peace efforts by the ru ling United National Front (UNF), led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe and the opposition People’s Alliance (PA) headed by Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunge, is vital to the peace process. A two -thirds majority is needed in Parliament for th e adoption of a new constitution incorporating agre e- ments on a federal arrangement and none of the parties can muster such majority without co -operation. But all efforts for consensus have failed and since the PA lost the general elections in December 2001 , the relationship between the parties has become more acrim o- nious. A four -member Consensus Committee was appointed on 18 November 2003, to e x- plore ways for both sides to co -operate. But at the beginning of February 2004, there was no breakthrough. Preside nt Chandrika complained that she was not consulted on the February 2002 ceasefire agreement. She threatened to dissolve Parliament where the UNF has a majority and b e- came increasingly critical of Norway, accusing them of infringing the sovereignty of Sri Lanka and supporting the LTTE. She took over the Development Lotteries Board from go v- ernment control on 9 May 2003. The government threatened to impeach the President and attempted to curtail her powers to dissolve Parliament by introducing the 19th Amendme nt to the Constitution. But the Supreme Court struck down the Amendment on grounds that Parliament has no power to change the fundamental features of the Constitution so as to destroy its identity. Situation in Sri Lanka / February 2004 Page 1 of 18 1.3 Interim administration Following the LTTE demand for an in terim administration in the north -east, the government submitted proposals on 17 July 2003. It envisaged a Provisional Administrative Council for the north -east, with an LTTE majority and arrangements to take part in the exercise of go v- ernment powers in re spect of regional administration, excluding areas of police and sec u- rity, land and revenue. The Tigers submitted their own proposals on 31 October for an I n- terim Self -governing Authority (ISGA). The proposed ISGA, with an LTTE majority, will co n- trol admini strative and financial functions, including taxation with powers to borrow inte r- nally and externally, receive aid directly and engage in internal and external trade. The ISGA will control land in the north -east, natural resources, marine and off -shore reso urces of adjacent seas and will have power over law and order. The separate judiciary for the north -east will continue. The government said that the