The Commissioners of LLRC

Information Technology (SLIIT) is managing
a data base of the Rehabilitation of Persons,
Properties and industries Authority (REPPIA) and
this information will be transferred to the National
Human Rights Commission”
In addition the IAAC states that the government
has taken immediate steps to disarm the armed
groups operating in the East. “(iv) Law
and order issues With regard to disarming of
persons carrying illegal arms, the GoSL has
taken immediate steps by giving a deadline for
the surrendering of illegal weapons, as was
successfully done in the Eastern Province,
following the clearing of the LTTE from that
area. The GoSL observes that with the return
to normalcy following a long-drawn conflict,
criminal activities such as robberies, killings
and extortions are likely to recur. These would
be dealt with by utilizing the criminal law and
process of the country. Police have been given
strict instructions in this regard.”
Although the IAAC states that the surrendering
of illegal weapons in the Eastern Province
has been successfully done media reports
illustrate that the process has been a complete
failure. Reporting on the latest effort to disarm
the Eastern armed groups LAKBIMAnEWS
reported that (29) “the army’s efforts to disarm
armed groups in the East has come a total
cropper, claim army sources. So far, the army
has collected only three weapons which had
belonged to certain groups in the East.
The eastern commander promised to disarm
armed groups in the east after the robbery
that took place at the Batticaloa branch of the
Peoples’ Bank. However almost three weeks
later, only three weapons have been found,” our
source claimed.
Meanwhile, speaking to LAKBIMAnEWS, the
commander of the Sri Lanka Army Eastern
Command Major General Boniface Perera said
that the disarmament drive has been a ‘success’
although he could not give specific details of
the number of weapons that were recovered. “It
has been a great success. We have uncovered
several weapons and arrested key members of
certain armed groups,” he said.”
In addition several journalists, student leaders
and opposition political party supporters have
been assaulted by ‘unidentified’ groups since
the LLRC interim report urged the government
to establish law and order in the area. On July,
29, 2011 the News Editor of Jaffna daily Uthayan
was assaulted less than 50 metros away from an
army sentry point. (30) TNA’s opening election
rally for the July, 23, 2011 local government
election was attacked by a large group which the
TNA allege as army personnel. (31)
THE WAIT FOR JUSTICE 25