Sources consulted by the Research Directorate often refer to identity cards issued by the army to residents of Jaffna as "special identity cards" (Save the Children UK 8 May 2000; The Sri Lanka Monitor Aug. 1999; TamilNet 22 Aug. 1998).

On 18 January 1996, The Daily News reported that 2,000 special identity cards had already been distributed to civilians returning to the Jaffna area. The cards were reportedly being issued by the Department of the Civil Administration Secretariat through "mobile units" or at "cluster centres" located in "places easily accessible to residents in the area" (ibid.). By October 1996, 52,000 special identity cards had been issued to Jaffna residents, with an additional 23,000 to be distributed prior to the end of November 1996 (The Sunday Times 17 Nov. 1996).

No information on whether special identity cards were only issued in Jaffna in batches in 1996 and 1998 could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, according to a March 1997 report by The Sri Lanka Monitor, the Department of Persons had "prepared over 140,000 special identity cards for Jaffna residents, to assist the Army." Other reports refer to the issuance of special identity cards by the Sri Lankan army in Jaffna in 1998 and 1999 (TamilNet 22 Aug. 1998; Global IDP Database May 2000; The Sri Lanka Monitor Aug. 1999), with 378,500 of 525,000 Jaffna residents being issued such cards by August 1999 (ibid.).

Very little information on either application procedures involved in obtaining special identity cards or their physical appearance could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, according to TamilNet, the Sri Lankan army began to issue special identity cards in August 1998 to residents of the Vadamaradchi region of Jaffna which included a photograph of the bearer, along with his or her "height, prominent physical features and other details" (22 Aug. 1998). Applications for such cards were reportedly channelled through "the Grama Sevakas, who [would] submit a form completed by the residents to the local SLA [Sri Lanka army] camp ... The SLA [would] record the information and release the special ID card" (ibid.).

No information on whether special identity cards issued prior to 1999 are replaceable could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, in an 8 May 2000 report, Save the Children UK claimed that "new Special Identity Cards issued by the army in Jaffna in summer 1999 ... are almost impossible to replace when lost."

No information on whether an individual who returned to the region of Jaffna in 1997 could have obtained an army identity card could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Daily News [Colombo]. 18 January 1996. A. S. Fernando. "Special Unit for Issue of SIDs in Jaffna." http://www.lanka.net/lakehouse/ [Accessed 15 May 2001]

Global IDP Database. May 2000. "New Requirement of Identity Cards for People in Jaffna." http://www.db.idpproject.org/ [Accessed 15 May 2001]

Save the Children UK. 8 May 2000. "War Brought us here: Protecting Children Displaced Within Their Own Countries by Conflict." http://www.db.idpproject.org/ [Accessed 15 May 2001]

The Sri Lanka Monitor [London]. August 1999. No. 139. "New Demand." http://www.gn.apc.org/brcslproject/slmonitor/August99/new.html [Accessed 15 May 2001]

_____. March 1997. No. 110. "Disappearing Jaffna." http://www.gn.apc.org/brcslproject/slmonitor/march97/dis.html [Accessed 15 May 2001]

The Sunday Times [Colombo]. 17 November 1996. "Special IDs Issued." http://www.lacnet.org/suntimes/961117/news3.html [Accessed 15 May 2001]

TamilNet. 22 August 1998. "Special ID Cards in Vadamaradchi." http://www.tamilnet.com [Accessed 15 May 2001]

IRB databases.

LEXIS-NEXIS.

National Peace Council of Sri Lanka.

Unsuccessful attempts to contact two oral sources.

Internet sites including:

Daily News [Colombo]. 2000-2001.

Jesuit Refugee Service.

Sri Lanka Army.

Sri Lanka Monitor [London]. Apr. 1996-Feb. 2001.

TamilNet.

US Committee for Refugees.