The director of the Commission for Justice and Peace of the Catholic Diocese of Jaffna, Father Managalarajah, has written to the Holy See’s representative in Colombo, explaining that development alone has not helped to settle the “basic unresolved issues of the people in the North and East.”

In the letter Mangalarajah describes human rights violations and lack of accountability for the ‘killing of thousands of innocent civilians’ in the final stages of the war, and also details threats and intimidation faced by Tamils wishing to register disappearances or give witness statements.

Also detailed is the situation of ‘forced take-over of civilians’ lands’ in which the letter states that although some land has been returned to their owners, “with much publicity”, 90-95% of “forcefully occupied” land remains to be handed over.

The letter also expresses concern over coercive population control, the plight of political prisoners and lack of safety for women and girls in the Northeast. Further details were given on state sponsored Sinhalese settlements in the Northeast as well as the proliferation of Buddhist statues and shrines, some in the places of ancient Saivite temples.

Mentioning the stifling of media in the Northeast, reports of election violence during and before the Northern Provincial Council elections were also detailed.

Managalarajah concluded saying “the people have overwhelmingly shown that external development is not a substitute [for] justice, peace and reconciliation.”

See Father Managalarajah’s full letter here. (PDF)