Militarisation persists in Sri Lanka’s Tamil areas, says rights commission, Pg14

Key Highlights:

• The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) reported persistent militarization in the Tamil-majority Northern and Eastern Provinces, 17 years after the civil war.
• The report, titled ‘The Human Rights Situation of the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka’, detailed a "sustained pattern of land appropriation, denial of access to traditional livelihoods, and intimidation of local populations" by the military.
• The HRCSL urged the government to expedite the return of military-occupied lands and withdraw military involvement from civilian economic sectors.
• President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the National People’s Power (NPP) had promised land return to the Tamil people ahead of the November 2024 general elections.
• Despite presidential directives, the pace of land return remains slow, with concerns raised by Tamil representatives like MP Thurairasa Ravikaran of Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK).

Detailed Insights:

• Militarization in the Northern and Eastern Provinces includes military involvement in agriculture and pre-school administration, often through the Civil Security Department.
• The HRCSL emphasized that national security should not be a blanket justification for land acquisition, especially when affecting minority communities or facilitating religious encroachment.
• The report also highlighted other post-war concerns such as enforced disappearances, mass graves, state surveillance, and land contestations.
• Residents view the continued military presence as an impediment to post-war reconciliation and economic revival.
• Sri Lanka currently lacks a comprehensive national security sector reform plan to reduce military presence and restore civilian administration in the region.
• MP Thurairasa Ravikaran noted that other state agencies, including Archaeology and Wildlife departments, are also involved in land grabs.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Militarization: The process by which a society's civilian life becomes increasingly dominated by military values, institutions, or personnel.
• Post-war reconciliation: The process of restoring peaceful relations and trust between former adversaries after a conflict.
• National security sector reform: Comprehensive changes to a state's security apparatus to ensure democratic governance and accountability.
• Civil Security Department: A paramilitary force in Sri Lanka, auxiliary to the police, with roles expanded to include development and economic activities.