The following information was provided during an 18 November 1996 information session at the DIRB in Ottawa by a Sri Lankan journalist who regularly writes on the military and political situation in Sri Lanka. The journalist stated that anyone coming from the outside needs a special pass to stay in Vavuniya, even if only for 24 hours. These passes are increasingly difficult to obtain because security is tight. In the past three months the LTTE has carried out a number of small attacks in the area, so the security forces are on guard. Passes are issued by the government at army points; these passes are checked at the rail station in Vavuniya, and there are random baggage checks as well. Trains between Colombo and Vavuniya are sometimes stopped en route and randomly checked. There are also random checks at the Colombo station, where there is heavy security. The surrounding neighbourhood in Colombo is also subject to many security checks. Also, according to the journalist, it is now very difficult to get a pass to go to Vavuniya; the process involves a long screening, with detailed questioning. It can take several days to get the pass, even with bribes, which often enter into play.

For further information on security issues in the Vavuniya area, please see the attached reports.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB 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.

Sri Lankan Journalist. 18 November 1996. Information session at the DIRB, Ottawa.

Agence France Presse (AFP). 2 January 1996. "Tamils Denounce Detention at Sri Lanka Refugee Camps."

_____. 4 December 1995. Quatrina Hosain. "Tamil Refugees Suffer Hardships, Face Uncertain Future."

Inter Press Service (IPS). 10 January 1996. Rita Sebastian. "Sri Lanka: War Refugees Wait in Camps for Security Clearance."

Movement for Inter Racial Justice and Equality (MIRJE) Update. November 1995. "Vavuniya—19th, 20th November 1995," pp. 1-5.

Reuters. 26 July 1996. BC Cycle. Jawed Naqvi. "Sri Lanka Detains 2,000 Tamils in Blasts Probe." (NEXIS)

_____. Jawed Naqvi. "Sri Lanka Troops Close Swiftly on Rebel Town." (NEXIS)

SLBC Radio [Colombo, in English]. 21 August 1996. "Defence Ministry Alleges Tamil Tiger Propaganda Campaign to Start Refugee Exodus." (BBC Summary 23 Aug. 1996/NEXIS)

Tamil Times [Sutton, UK]. 15 August 1996. Lakshman Gunasekara. "On the Edge in Vavuniya," pp. 16-18.