The Sri Lankan army continues to occupy a village in the North-East, having driven out its inhabitants in 2011, reports James Ross, Legal and Policy Director for Human Rights Watch.
One of the villagers told Mr Ross “the army started by taking our maize and other crops”. “Then they blocked our children from going to school,” she said. “They said the land belongs to them.”
Stating that the 69 families were evicted “literally overnight,” he added that the Sri Lankan police “did nothing to stop their eviction”.
Despite the villagers filing Fundamental Rights cases in the Sri Lankan Supreme Court “the army took steps to consolidate the military base, even constructing a Buddhist temple on the property”.
“Soldiers harassed one petitioner who tried to stay in her home by constantly playing loud music and Buddhist chants over loudspeakers, putting crushed glass on her path, and more,” wrote Mr Ross.
See his full piece here.
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