Tamils say barred from commemorating war

dead, Sri Lanka denies

BY SHIHAR ANEEZ AND RANGA SIRILAL- Sun May
18, 2014
(Reuters) - Minority ethnic Tamils said on Sunday they had been banned from
commemorating the deaths of their relatives five years ago in the final battle of a 26-
year war with Sri Lana!s military" a charge denied by the army#
$hile %resident Mahinda Ra&a'asa" who is under international 'ressure to
investigate war crimes in the battle" watched a victory 'arade in the south of the island"
Tamils said they had been barred from attending (indu tem'les in the north#
)nanthi Sasitharan" wife of a rebel leader missing since his Tamil Tiger se'aratists
surrendered to the army on May *+" 2,,-" said the military used .abusive language.
when she tried to enter the tem'le in /eerimalai#
.They didn!t allow me to /eerimalai (indu tem'le to conduct my usual rituals to
remember my relatives illed in the war and my husband# This is a blatant human
rights violation# 0t e1'oses the government!s heavy military control over Tamil
civilians". she said#
2ive other residents also said they had been banned" but declined to be identified due
to 'ossible re'risals#
They said security was tightened across the northern 3affna 'eninsula" with roads
closed to 'revent any commemorative events# They said the military had ordered
Tamils not to hold any commemorations#
Military s'oesman Ruwan $anigasooriya said families had not been barred from
their rites" but some additional security had been established to maintain stability as
some 'arties were trying to create what he described as an .unwanted situation.#
.There was no 'revention of individual families commemorating their dead# 4ur
concern was mainly about any organi5ed move to 'olitically incite 'eo'le and ###
commemorating terrorists would not be allowed". he said#
$anigasooriya said the military saw some Tamil families observing religious rituals in
tem'les" including in /eerimalai#
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$hile both sides mar the end of the war every year" this fifth anniversary comes after
the main ethnic Tamil 'arty secured a landslide in a 'rovincial 'oll in Se'tember"
reindling the animosity between the sides#
The Tamil 8ational )lliance" the former 'olitical 'ro1y of the defeated Liberation
Tigers of Tamil 6elam" won :, seats in the :+-member council in the former northern
war 5one#
The T8) victory showed the defeat of the rebels in 2,,- did nothing to subdue calls
for autonomy among Tamils" who mae u' about *; 'ercent of Sri Lana!s 2, million
'eo'le#
.$hen we are suffering with the loss of lives and other 'ro'erties" how can this
government &ustify their victory<. Sasitharan" a T8) councilor" told Reuters#
More than *,,",,, 'eo'le were illed in the war and thousands" mainly from the
minority Tamil community living mostly in the north" are still missing#
The =nited 8ations in March a''roved an international 'robe into the war crimes
allegedly committed by both Sri Lanan state forces and Tamil rebels during the
conflict" saying the government had failed to investigate 'ro'erly#
) =#8# 'anel has said around ;,",,, mainly Tamil civilians died in the ferocious final
months of the conflict" but Sri Lana has dis'uted that figure# >oth sides committed
atrocities" but army shelling illed most victims" it concluded#
9es'ite concerns raised by international community about maring the victory"
Ra&a'asa went ahead with the celebrations in the town of Matara#
.$e celebrate the victory of 'eace and not the victory of war# The best way of
res'ecting the war heroes is maintaining the 'eace". Ra&a'asa told the victory day
celebration#
Tight security has been in 'lace in 3affna since March# The military illed three Tamil
militants in )'ril in the first combat since 2,,-#