Little documentary evidence that the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) in the Jaffna Peninsula used Tamils as human shields against LTTE attacks in 1999 could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

In April 1999 TamilNet reported that Jaffna-based human rights activists were alleging that the SLA and/or the Special Task Force (STF) was using civilians in "forced labour for security related tasks [in the Batticaloa and Ampara districts] and to use them as human shields on the southeastern coast of the peninsula" and in the eastern province (24 Apr. 1999). This same article states that human rights activists in Jaffna reported that the SLA at Nagar Kovil had begun travelling among civilians when moving into uncleared [LTTE-controlled] areas, that soldiers were riding on motorbikes driven by civilians when passing through army checkpoints into uncleared areas, and that "fully armed soldiers" had boarded a crowded civilian van travelling to Amban on 22 April 1999 (ibid.). Corroboration of the reports detailed in this article could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. For brief information on the Internet site "TamilNet," please consult LKA28923.E of 12 March 1998.

Past reports also allege that the SLA and other government forces in other parts of the country have used Tamil civilians as human shields against LTTE attacks. Examples of such alleged incidents follow:

Two late 1997 TamilNet articles allege that the SLA and the STF had either partially or fully occupied several schools in Vadamaradchi, as well as in the eastern province , so that any attack by the LTTE would result in the deaths of the students (28 Oct. 1997; 10 Nov. 1997).

The March 1999 launching of Operation Rana Gosa II into Mannar District led to the SLA moving into Madhu town and into the areas surrounding Madhu Church, which housed between 20 and 30,000 IDPs in relief centres (AFP 22 Mar. 1999; The Daily Star 16 Apr. 1999; Dawn 25 Mar. 1999; Sri Lanka Monitor Mar. 1999). The Catholic Bishop of Mannar appealed to military commanders to maintain the areas surrounding the Church as a demilitarized zone (ibid.; Dawn 25 Mar. 1999; The Daily Star 16 Apr. 1999), as a military presence on the church grounds could make the church vulnerable to LTTE attacks (ibid.; The Tribune 30 Mar. 1999; Tamil Times 15 Apr. 1999, 8). The Bishop wrote to President Chandrika, stating that having the SLA stay in the sacred church grounds full-armed and with their war machinery, "using the innocent refugees as its human shields is ... humanly untenable" (ibid.). However, the SLA set up camp in the church precincts (The Daily Star 16 Apr. 1999) and the Madhu's school premises (Dawn 25 Mar. 1999; TamilNet 23 Mar. 1999), began building bunkers around Madhu town (The Tribune 30 Mar. 1999; Sri Lanka Monitor Mar. 1999), and prevented civilians from moving out of their villages and camp areas "until further notice" (TamilNet 23 Mar. 1999). In November 1999 the Madhu Church was bombed-sources are unclear whether it was bombed by the LTTE or the SLA-and 38 civilians killed (AFP 24 Nov. 1999). The LTTE denied responsibility for the church bombing and accused the SLA of using civilians as human shields (ibid.). President Chandrika Kumaratunga ordered SLA troops to withdraw from the church two days later (ibid.).

Corroborating and/or additional information could not be found among the sources consulted.

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.

Agence France Presse (AFP). 24 November 1999. "Long-range Fighting Grips Sri Lanka." (NEXIS)

_____. 22 March 1999. "Sri Lanka Troops Capture Key Pilgrim Town From Rebel Control." (NEXIS)

The Daily Star [Dhaka]. 16 April 1999. D.B.S. Jeyaraj "Strategic Changes in the Wanni." [Accessed 16 Apr. 1999]

Dawn [Karachi]. 25 March 1999. Ranjitha Balasubramanyam. "Lankan Army Trying to Regain Key Area Before Elections." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 25 Mar. 1999]

Sri Lanka Monitor [London]. November 1999. "Refugees Die in Madhu." http://www.gn.apc.org/brcslproject/slmonitor/November99/refu.html [Accessed 12 Jan. 2000]

_____. March 1999. "Battle Cry in the Vanni." http://www.gn.apc.org/brcslproject/ slmonitor/March99/batt.html [Accessed 15 Oct. 1999]

TamilNet. 24 April 1999. "SLA Accused of Using Forced Labour." http://www.tamilnet.de [Accessed 12 Jan. 2000]

_____. 23 March 1999. "Operation Rana Gosa II Takes Madu." http://www.tamilnet.com/reports/99/03/2301.html [Accessed 27 Oct. 1999]

_____. 10 November 1997. "STF Using Tamil Children as Human Shields." http://www.tamilnet.de [Accessed 12 Jan. 2000]

_____. 28 October 1997. "SLA Denies Local Tamils Access to Water." http://www.tamilnet.de [Accessed 12 Jan. 2000]

Tamil Times [Surrey]. 15 April 1999. Vol. 18, No. 4. "Bishop Calls for Removal of Troops From Church."

The Tribune [Chandigarh]. 30 March 1999. "Bishop Objects to Army's Presence Near Church." http://www.tribuneindia.com [Accessed 30 Mar. 1999]

Danish Immigration Service and Danish Refugee Council. July 1999. Report on Fact-Finding Mission to Sri Lanka, 14 November to 5 December 1998. (WWW)

Human Rights Watch World Report 2000. December 1999.
Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Home Office, UK. September 1999. 4th version.

Sri Lanka Country Assessment.

INFORM/MIRJE Sri Lanka Information Monitor [Colombo]. Monthly. Situation Report. January 1999-November 1999.

IRB Databases.

LEXIS/NEXIS.

Sri Lanka Monitor [London]. Monthly. January 1999-October 1999.

Sri Lanka News Update [Colombo]. Daily. 7 January 1999-29 April 1999, 18 October 1999-5 January 2000 [Compiled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
UNHCR, Geneva. March 1997.

Background Papers on Refugees and Asylum Seekers from Sri Lanka.

World News Connection (WNC)

Internet sources.

Unsuccessful attempts to contact INFORM and MIRJE in Colombo.