During Sri Lankan President Ranil Wikramasinghe's visit to Jaffna on Sunday (15th) to celebrate one of the main Tamil festivals of Thai Pongal, Jaffna and Batticaloa University students are organizing a huge protest calling him to reduce the military presence from Tamil areas, to pre-1983 level when the military built up started in Tamil areas.
There is huge military presence in Tamil areas even after the war ended thirteen years ago. According to Several international organizations, including US Based Think-Tank Auckland Institute, the military to civilian ratio is for every six civilians there is one soldier stationed in Tamil areas, which is considered one of the highest in the world. In one district the ratio is for every two civilians there is one soldier. https://www.tamilguardian.com/sites/default/files/Image/pictures/2020/International/Endless_War.pdf
These are the same troops who committed mass atrocities against the Tamil people and are stationed among their own victims. According to UN internal review report, around seventy thousand Tamils were killed in the final six months of the war that ended in May 2009. Hundreds of Tamil women and girls were sexually assaulted and raped by the Sri Lankan forces. Thousands disappeared, including Babies and Children. Despite several UN Human Rights Council Resolutions calling for accountability, not a single political or military leader was brought to Justice. https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/737299?ln=en
* The protest will begin from Jaffna University and march toward the place where Sri Lankan President is participating in the festival.
* There are fears that military intelligence and armed soldiers will try to block and disperse the protest march.
