Information on the Trincomalee district ID card, including to whom it is issued, whether it is common to not have the "Signature of the Authorized Officer," whether the Trincomalee ID card should have the same number as the National ID card (NIC) and whether it is issued in English could not be obtained from the High Commission for the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in Ottawa.

However, the following information may be of interest.

According to the attached 19 January 1997 article from the Colombo-weekly The Sunday Times, the army was in the process of issuing district ID cards to all residents above the age of 14 in "Trincomalee town and its gravets." At the time of writing, approximately 25,000 had already been issued these district ID cards, which were to be carried "in addition to" the National Identity Cards (NICs) (ibid.).

According to the attached April 1997 report from the London-based Sri Lanka Monitor, published by the Refugee Council of the UK,

Security in Trincomalee was intensified in April [1997] following several LTTE attacks. Special Army identity cards have been issued to people in Trincomalee town to prevent LTTE infiltrators. Currently identity cards are being issued to others in rural areas.

Without the special identity cards, observers believe, the large number of people awaiting military clearance in Trincomalee may have difficulties.

Neither source provided further information on the Trincomalee district identity card.

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.

Sri Lanka Monitor [London]. April 1997. No. 111. "The East's War of Shadows: Counter Attack." [Internet] [Accessed 23 Feb. 1998]

The Sunday Times [Colombo]. 19 January 1997. Vol. 31, No. 32. "Trinco Residents Get District IDs." [Internet] [Accessed 23 Feb. 1998]

Sri Lanka Monitor [London]. April 1997. No. 111. "The East's War of Shadows: Counter Attack." [Internet] [Accessed 23 Feb. 1998]

The Sunday Times [Colombo]. 19 January 1997. Vol. 31, No. 32. "Trinco Residents Get District IDs." [Internet] [Accessed 23 Feb. 1998]

Electronic sources: Internet, IRB Databases.