Northern Occupation: Foreign Ministry’s Sleight Of Hand & Lies To The World
Kasurina Boat Service by Navy
Prof. S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole
The Navy at Casuarina Beach
We in the North fear troops. It is just not Tamils. We have seen viral videos of the IGP assaulting a staff member and the Navy Commander a reporter. In a democracy, troops must be kept out of civilians lives. However, not in our democracy. In 1970, I was assaulted for no reason by a group of policemen. In the early 1980s troops on their way to buy cigarettes in three trucks swung a bicycle chain at me and other passers-by. Soon, our guardian troops were murdering us.
Last Saturday, I went to my favorite beach, Casuarina Beach, in Karainagar. During vacations, we used to bicycle the 13 miles from town regularly to go to there. The beach was there just for us. This time it was crowded with many people. It was under the care of the Navy. There were several mangy stray dogs that seemed to be looked after by the Navy. The Navy spoke to us in Sinhalese. Casuarina Beach has been commercialized with entrance fees for our car and for each passenger. Thank God there was no fee for my two dogs and cat.
Boat rides were on offer by “Kasurina Boat Service” spilling oil into the water and spewing carbon monoxide. We were told we could not bathe the dogs because it was unhealthy for other bathers. But their mangy dogs were taking their dips in the sea and dirtying the beach, the same beach where our children played building sand castles and burying our dogs. It was all by the Piratheysiya Sabai. I spoke to the Vice Chairman and asked why use the Navy that should be confined to barracks in a democracy, especially when there are so many unemployed people in the locality. His reply was revealing: “Tamil people will not obey Tamils but will obey Sinhalese.”
Numbers Game: Sinhalese Troops in the North
The Karainagar Piratheysiya Sabai’s position on the preference for Sinhalese troops in the North is rather unique. As the UNHRC reminds Sri Lanka on our obligations under Resolution 30/1, the government is in a dither. The office of Missing Persons was established only recently but the delay that accompanied its establishment is telling on the government’s commitment to recognizing Tamils as people with the same rights as the rest of the citizenry here.
The other shortcoming concerns demilitarizing Tamil areas. Poor progress has been made. However, under Foreign Minister Tilak Marapona the same damning information is being presented and it takes the form of spinning. The intention is to say “We made significant progress. Give us time again to complete the good work we are doing.” Sheer bluff!
Enjoying the Beach after Banning from the Sea
The Real Numbers
Jaffna District today has 93 naval bases occupying 2946 acres (exceeding 12 sq. km), 54 army bases and 1 air force base occupying 1000 acres. These together with the 30 police stations rule us with an iron hand. However what they are doing is not clear except for bullying people at Casuarina Beach and stopping motorists to make money. Our fishermen have to pass the naval bases into the deeper seas for their fishing.
