Army Denies Its Presence Is Responsible For Insecurity Of Northern Women 

• Silence and impunity on acts of sexual violence is factually incorrect says Army
• Current deployment of military in North is of paramount importance for national security claims Army

By Camelia Nathaniel

A group of war widows in Jaffna

Family still living in temporay shelter

According to members of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and certain observers, in spite of government claims that the military presence in the North has been reduced subsequent to the end of the war, the army and security apparatus retain a heavy presence, operating increasingly in plain-clothes, which makes their presence less noticeable.

Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasuriya and Major General Udaya Perera

Sexual Violence In The Northern Province

a. Cases reported during the conflict period – 119 (125 accused), 1 January 2007 to 18 May 2009.

b. Cases reported in the post-conflict period – 256 (307 accused), 19 May 2009 to 31 May 2012.

During the conflict period (January 2007 – May 2009), seven Security Forces personnel were reported as being involved in five incidents of sexual violence in the North Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasuriya said adding that this is out of a total of 125 persons accused in 119 incidents for the entirety of the Northern Province.

“The ethnicity of the victims of these cases is 4 Sinhalese and 1 Tamil. In the post conflict period (May 2009 – May 2012) 10 Security Forces personnel were reported as being involved in 6 incidents of sexual violence in the North. This is out of a total of 307 persons accused in 256 incidents for the entire Northern Province. The ethnicity of the victims is 2 Tamil, 1 Muslim and 3 Sinhalese.

The involvement of Security Forces personnel as a percentage of the total accused stands at 5.6% during the conflict period and 3.3% in the post conflict period.

Army Denies Its Presence Is Responsible For Insecurity Of Northern Women by nelvely