The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) is a civilian mission which has been set up in accordance with the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) of 2002 between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The mission's mandate is to enquire into violations of the terms and conditions of the CFA in order to assist the Parties in the pursuit of a negotiated solution to the conflict.

 

Due to the current level of conflict the SLMM focuses on major incidents and trends related to restoration of normalcy and military operations. The weekly monitoring report contains incidents that have been brought to the SLMM’s attention during the week and does not represent all incidents occurring.

 

 

SUMMARY

The high level of military activity witnessed the last few months continued in the Northern Region (NR). The heaviest confrontations took place in the areas of Mantai West, near Adampan, in Mannar District, and in and around Muhamalai on the Jaffna Peninsula. In Jaffna a high number of people surrendered themselves through the Human Rights Commission (HRC), and abductions and killings were still taking place.

 

In the Eastern Region (ER) the week was marked by the continued trend of abductions. The most prominent cases involved three persons connected to Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Members of Parliament (MP) on 11 December. The SLMM has received information that the victims were released on 15 December, the day after the budget vote in Parliament. These incidents are very similar to an incident that took place on 18 November, in relation to the second reading of the budget, where the son-in-law of another TNA MP was abducted (cf. SLMM Weekly Monitoring Report 11 – 18 November 2007).

 

 

NORTHERN REGION

 

Military Operations:

Clashes and shelling continued along both the northern and southern Forward Defence Localities (FDL) throughout the period of reporting. Among the incidents reported to the SLMM were the following:

 

Vavuniya and Mannar

On 11 December there were heavy clashes in the FDL areas around Mantai West, between Vavuniya and Mannar. On 14 December there were clashes in Mannar district, and on 15 and 16 December there were clashes in both Vavuniya and Mannar districts. On 12 December there was shelling in the area of Pallaimoddai, 20 km northwest of Vavuniya, and on 13, 15 and 16 December there was shelling from Pompaimadu, 10 km northwest of Vavuniya.

 

On 13 December a police constable was killed in a Claymore blast at the 18 km mark on the Vavuniya – Mannar road. It was reported to the SLMM that the Claymore had targeted a group of five police men on morning mine clearance duty.

 

Jaffna

The SLMM heard shelling throughout the week from locations around Jaffna town. There were clashes along the northern FDL around Muhamalai on 10, 11, 12, and 15 December.

 

Vanni

There were clashes in Manul Aru, 25 km south of Mullaithivu, on 10 December, Kokkuthudavai, also about 25 km south of Mullathivu, on 14 December, and Janakapura, 35 km northeast of Vavuniya, on 16 December. In addition, the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) targeted areas around Alampil, 15 km south of Mullaithivu, on 12 December.

 

According to reports received from the Parties, five Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were confirmed killed and 18 injured in the NR this week, while four LTTE cadres were confirmed killed.

 

The SLMM received information on one SLA soldier being killed and two wounded in a Claymore blast, and one SLA soldier being wounded by a gun shot in the NR prior to the period of reporting.

 

Restoration of Normalcy:

 

Vavuniya and Mannar

In Vavuniya and Mannar civilians continued to be affected by the ongoing conflict.

 

Two disappearances that occurred previous to the period of reporting were reported to the SLMM this week. The SLMM received information that a boy (16) was abducted after attending a sporting event in Vavuniya town on 1 December. A civilian male (37) was reported missing in Vavuniya town on 17 August.

 

The SLMM received one complaint regarding harassment in Vavuniya this week. The SLMM received two complaints regarding the arrest of two civilians occurring previous to the period of reporting.

 

The SLMM in Vavuniya received information that the three Tamil men who were previously reported missing after leaving the airport in Negombo had returned to their homes after five days (cf. SLMM Weekly Monitoring Report 3 – 9 December).

 

Jaffna

In Jaffna killings of civilians and abductions continued to take place. During the week it was reported that two civilians were killed by unidentified perpetrators, two people were reported missing and twelve people surrendered through the HRC.

 

On 14 December a civilian male (43), employed by the Sri Lanka Red Cross, was abducted in Jaffna town when ten unidentified armed men forced themselves into his house. On 16 December two civilian males were found killed in Kaithadi, Chavakachcheri. One of the victims was the previously reported missing employee of the Sri Lanka Red Cross.

 

The SLMM received reports of four killings that took place prior to the period of reporting. On 17 November one civilian male (36) from Navali was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen. On 28 November and 3 December two civilian males (38, 32) were killed in Vaddukkodai, Mallakam. On 5 December a civilian male (27) was killed in Uduvil, Mallakam.

 

Two disappearances were reported to the SLMM the past week. One civilian male from Oddumamam, 3 km from Jaffna town went missing on 10 December. One civilian male (38) from Point Pedro went missing 12 December when he was visiting relatives in Nallur, Kopay.

 

During the week 12 people surrendered through the HRC in Jaffna. On 11 December six civilian males (20, 25, 33, 38, 35, 24) from Manipay, Meesalai, Uthayakumar, Guranagar, Kodikamam and one female (25) with one child from Chavakachcheri surrendered. On 13 December one civilian male (30) from Atchuvely, west of Point Pedro, 18 km from Jaffna town surrendered. The same day one civilian male from Navanathurai, 4.5 km from Jaffna town, surrendered through the HRC, after being reported missing nearly five months ago. On 14 December three civilian males (30, 37, 25) from Jaffna town, Chavakachcheri and Kopay surrendered.

 

Previous to the period of reporting one civilian male surrendered through the HRC.

 

Vanni

Two male civilians were injured in the operation conducted by the SLAF on 12 December. The incident interrupted the ongoing GCE O-Level exams for about 300 pupils attending Alampil Roman Catholic Mahavidhyalayam and Kumulamunai Mahavidhyalayam in the Mullaithivu area.

 

 

EASTERN REGION

 

Military Operations:

No military activities were reported to the SLMM this week.

 

Restoration of Normalcy:

On 12 December the police found two bodies in Kawathamunai, about three km northwest of Valaichchenai.

 

The SLMM received reports on 11 people being abducted in the ER this week. On 11 December three persons connected to TNA MPs were abducted by unknown persons in Batticaloa District. The victims were the 54 year old brother of one MP, a 73 year old female secretary of another, and the 28 year old son-in-law of one MP’s sister. The victims were subsequently released.

 

On 11 December two men (19, 20) and one boy (17) were abducted, reportedly by the TamilEela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), in Thirukoil, about 25 km southeast of Ampara. The SLMM received information that they were given guns and forced to patrol the area on motorbikes. The same day another man (18) was abducted in Thandiady, about 60 km south of Ampara. It was reported that the perpetrator was the TMVP, and the man was forced to do armed street patrolling. Also on 11 December a man (45) was abducted from his house in Kanniya, about 10 km northwest of Trincomalee, by eight armed men in civilian clothing. The perpetrators were driving a small lorry. Finally on 11 December a man (30) was abducted from his home in Batticaloa by armed men.

 

On 14 December a man (18) living in an IDP (Internally Displaced Person) camp in Mavadivembu, about 20 km north of Batticaloa, was abducted. The following day another man (22) was abducted in the same place, by unknown men who came in a white van.

 

The SLMM received reports on three people being abducted previous to the period of reporting. The TMVP was the reported perpetrator in all three cases.

 

Furthermore, the SLMM learned that three people abducted in the week previous to the period of reporting had been released.

 

The SLMM learned that after the arrest of Mr. Karuna in London, the confrontation between the Pillaiyan and Karuna factions of the TMVP has increased in the East.

 

The demonstration in Batticaloa on 10 December, said to be organized by the TMVP as a protest against the LTTE and TNA, gathered according to information received by the SLMM   about 4000 people. The demonstration was reportedly organized by the Welfare Society of Displaced people and addressed politicians to attend to living conditions for IDPs.

 

 

ADMINISTRATION

The SLMM received one new Monitor, who will be assigned to the SLMM Head Quarters in Colombo.