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Life in Jaffna: The seen and the unseen, the told and the untold
Sunday, 13 April 2008 - 1:13 PM SL Time
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When we visited Jaffna town last week, it appeared to be buzzing with life. People were attending to their New Year shopping while Tamil music blared in the background--probably from the shops that were being decorated for the festivities. Buses were plying and young girls were cycling to temple even as dusk fell.
These are scenes that were rarely seen in the recent past. However, people still live in fear, although the government claims that troops have successfully eliminated rebels operating in the town area, ushering a sense of freedom for the people.
A shopkeeper, who spoke on grounds of anonymity, said he and his family lived in constant fear in spite of the air of normality. Things are normal compared to what it was. But some paramilitary groups still demand money from us. We have no choice but to give into their demands or else we would be abducted or killed. A few months ago a man who had not paid to a certain group, went missing the next day. We don t complain to the authorities since they do little about it anyway.
Although Jaffna peninsula was liberated during the December 1995 Operation Riviresa (Sun Rays), LTTE cells continued to operate in the region. It is argued that the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement gave the LTTE the opportunity to capitalize on the situation, by forcibly recruiting people, conscripting child soldiers, attacking government troops and organizing agitation campaigns that crippled the region.
In the past few months the government has been claiming that troops had successfully eliminated many LTTE cells. But the ground situation tells another story. We were escorted amidst tight security in convoys of BTR armoured personnel carriers, even to the Jaffna town, which has been proclaimed safe by the government.
In spite of government propaganda, Jaffna Security Forces commander Major General G.A Chandrasiri conceded that there were about 1000 to 1500 LTTE cadres still within the peninsula. We have managed to bring the situation under control. People in Jaffna have started rebuilding their lives. We are in the process of clearing the region of the LTTE that has caused hardship to the people. We kill about 10-15 LTTE cadres, daily. Normality has returned to the region, he said.
But still the people have many woes, especially the consumers. While some traders say they are losing out on business others say they are even making profits. A merchant Arun Jayakumar said the prices of goods in Jaffna has sky rocketed due to the closure of the A-9 road and the high cost of sea transport.
People can no longer afford not to work even for one day. They have hardly any money, so they buy just a few essential items, he complained. While the price of a kilo of rice at Rs. 90 and a coconut at Rs. 50 were similar to the going prices in the South now, sugar was an exorbitant Rs. 140, followed closely by dhal at Rs. 130 and flour at Rs. 120.
With fuel rationed, black market sales were thriving openly in the market. A bottle of kerosene oil sold at Rs. 200, while petrol was sold at Rs. 300. We have no choice but to sell essential items at high prices. We have to fight against the shortage of supplies, a black market vendor said.
Mohamed Raufi who is from Kathankudi, Batticaloa says he has started doing business in Jaffna as it was profitable. In spite of the A 9 being closed I make a good profit. I buy material from Colombo and bring it here by ship. Sometimes of course I don t make any money at all, he said.
However, S. Kandaiyah, a clothes shop owner said he was losing out on business. He said he is compelled to sell his goods at a high price because transport costs were high. However he lamented people were not buying clothes.
I have three schooling children and a mother who is sick. I don t know how I will survive the next few weeks if I don t get customers. People just don t buy clothes or material anymore. If this trend continues I will have to close my shop, he said.
On visiting a fishing village, Gurunagar, we noticed there were no fishermen although boats had been moored. A senior military official explaining the situation said this was because fishermen avoided the scorching afternoon sun. He also added that fishing was done on a low key because the LTTE was firing artillery and mortar into the village from a locality identified as Kalmunai point (K-point). However, residents said it was the heavy security restrictions on fishermen that had virtually crippled the industry.
The health sector in the peninsula is also facing a crisis with there being more than 1300,vacancies for nearly 86 hospitals and dispensaries.
-From Asif Fuard in Jaffna
Asif Fuard was a member of a media team taken on a conducted tour of Jaffna by the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS)
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kankun
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 13 Apr 2008 06:20:05 GMT Report for Abuse
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People can no longer afford not to work even for one day. They have hardly any money, so they buy just a few essential items, he complained. While the price of a kilo of rice at Rs. 90 and a coconut at Rs. 50 were similar to the going prices in the South now, sugar was an exorbitant Rs. 140, followed closely by dhal at Rs. 130 and flour at Rs. 120
That is the sad truth.. There is lots of people who can't afford good living in SL :( |
EEELamaya
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 13 Apr 2008 06:20:13 GMT Report for Abuse
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Major General G.A Chandrasiri conceded that there were about 1000 to 1500 LTTE cadres still within the peninsula.
Wow, that is a lot!
1500 Tigers keeping 50,000 SLA at bay!
So, 15 Tigers = 500 SLA
3 Tigers = 100 SLA
Edited By - EEELamaya - 13 Apr 2008 06:21:57 GMT |
Freelancer
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13 Apr 2008 06:34:44 GMT Report for Abuse
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That is the sad truth.. There is lots of people who can't afford good living in SL :(
I am not an agriculture major, but if government guides people to utilize land and sea resources properly, SL can feed their population without any imports.
-FL |
CHAMI
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13 Apr 2008 06:39:25 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Well, we have quite wonder how many child soldiers among 1000 - 1500 LTTE cadres. May be 990 child soldiers and abductees and 10 including prabakaran. |
jacob99
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 13 Apr 2008 06:50:12 GMT Report for Abuse
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tour of Jaffna by the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS)
Truthhttp://au.youtube.com/watch?v=YwmjYWT0rRU
listen to
Civil society activist Ruki Fernando
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=l2Nr7C0g-6Y
sinhala version
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=S1OowGmJGDo
Edited By - jacob99 - 13 Apr 2008 06:59:58 GMT |
Gaja
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13 Apr 2008 06:51:28 GMT Report for Abuse
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Asif Fuard was a member of a media team taken on a conducted tour of Jaffna by the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS)
In a conducted tour there is separation and therefore one has to 'calculate' and award status - which is too much for people to do. It is when one has the 'experience' that there is life - and the writer/reporter feels like the Jaffna person does.
A9 closure is a big issue for majority citizens of North. In terms of policy - it feels as if we do not have control over the entries into and exist from our land. The Defence Ministry requirements have made this worse. It speaks ill of a government which requires us to produce legal documents to enter our home.
In terms of economy - the closure has hit traders most.
In terms of peace - it has made the armed forces in North more nervous than before - because along with the citizens - they are also separated from their mainland folks.
Gaja Lakshmi Paramasivam - Australian Jaffna Tamil
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Gaja
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13 Apr 2008 06:54:40 GMT Report for Abuse
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Although Jaffna peninsula was liberated during the December 1995 Operation Riviresa (Sun Rays)
How can an alien force liberate from within? Until the armed forces win the hearts and minds of Tamils - they cannot liberate Tamils from any evil forces - including from within the government.
We have liberated ourselves from alien rule. It will take time for others to recognize this.
Gaja Lakshmi Paramasivam - Australian Jaffna Tamil |
EEELamaya
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13 Apr 2008 06:58:56 GMT Report for Abuse
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Erandaka:
Well, we have quite wonder how many child soldiers among 1000 - 1500 LTTE cadres. May be 990 child soldiers and abductees and 10 including prabakaran.
With new data, from CHAMI, I am revising the numbers now.
10 Real Tigers are keeping 50,000 SLA at bay.
So, 10 Real Tigers = 50,000 SLA
Thus, 1 Real Tiger = 5,000 SLA
No way for SLA to capture Vanni... just forget it..SLA must go back to villages and eat Kiribath and Kewun with families and be happy!
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Regi
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13 Apr 2008 07:22:47 GMT Report for Abuse
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Conducted tour of Jaffna
This what you get when you visit to an open prison.
SLA talking about LTTE presence and killing 10-15 per day with out realizing that they all Tamils and born and bread in parts of Jaffna. Relatives and sibilings of those killed are still around and they do waiting for their time of revenge.
SLA never ever welcomed by Jaffna or that matter any part of north east. They still enemies and will be the case for ever.
Edited By - Regi - 13 Apr 2008 07:24:28 GMT |
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