After two decades:

Judicial system to be revived in Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu

by Ananth Palakidnar

The judicial system will be re-established on March 1 after two decades in the districts of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu where the LTTE administered its own ‘Kangaroo’ Court with its judges and police force since 1987.

High Court Judge Jaffna R. T. Vicknaraja told the Sunday Observer that re-establishing the judicial system in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts was remarkable as far as paving the way for law and order in those war ravaged regions. According to HC Judge Vicknaraja the judicial system in the Northern region collapsed in 1987 with the LTTE establishing its Court houses and police.

However, when the Jaffna peninsula was regained following the `Operation Rivirasa’ military offensive against the LTTE in 1995, the judicial system in the peninsula was revived with the Courts functioning.

But the districts of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu remained under the grip of the LTTE until the regions were liberated in May 2009. The LTTE had its own police force under S. Nadesan who had served in the Sri Lanka police prior to his nexus with the LTTE.

The LTTE `Kangaroo Court’ system was headed by an ex-EROS senior member called K. Pararajasingam. The LTTE’s Court houses in various parts in the North and the East remained under the outfit’s control. Executions by firing squads and imprisonments in undisclosed areas deep in the jungles were carried out by the LTTE Court houses.

The judicial system of Sri Lanka will be re-established in the district of Kilinochchi on March 1 and later in Mullaitivu.

Vicknaraja said that the Judicial Service Commission has appointed S. Sivakumar as the new District Judge of Kilinochchi. The Court house in Kilinochchi will begin in a makeshift building until a new Court complex is built.

Measures have also been taken by the Ministry of Justice to rebuild new Court houses in Kayts, Mallakam, Point Pedro and Chavakachcheri.

A high level team comprising engineers and officials of the Ministry of Justice headed by Senior Assistant Secretary W. A. Senarathna visited Jaffna on Friday to conduct a feasibility study on reconstructing the Court houses in the peninsula.

The Asian Development Bank and USAID will provide the financial assistance in rebuilding the Court houses in the peninsula.

The Jaffna Court house with its Dutch architecture was in a dilapidated state when clashes broke out during the peak period of LTTE activities in the North.The foundation stone for a new Court complex in Jaffna was laid in 2004 and the entire structure was completed in 2006, he said.

Work on the new Court houses for Mallakam, Kayts, Point Pedro and Chavakachcheri will commence shortly. New official residences for judges will also be built along with the new Court houses, Vicknaraja said.