Omanthai checkpoint removed

by Ranil Wijayapala

North bound visitor on the A-9 road can enjoy hassle free travel with the dismantling of the Omanthai checkpoint, set up decades ago to register vehicles and people travelling to and from the North. Military Spokesman, Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweera, said the checkpoint was made dysfunctional with effect from yesterday (29), considering the peaceful environment that prevails in the country and taking into account hardships people have to face when registering at the checkpoint.

“Considering the current peaceful situation, we are of the view there is no requirement to register the people going to or returning from the North. People who travel to the North by train are not registered at any checkpoint and therefore, there is no requirement to register the people travelling by road,” he added.

The Military Spokesman said, a new security system similar to what is operational in the South will be adopted to maintain security in the North in the immediate future. “There won’t be any disparity between the North and the South when maintaining security systems hereafter,” he stressed.

The Omanthai checkpoint remained as an iconic boundary between the North and South during the past two decades of internal conflict. Both the Security Forces and the LTTE maintained checkpoints to body- check civilians and register them as well as vehicular movements across this checkpoint, prior to the ending of the conflict in May 2009.

Security Forces maintained the Omanthai checkpoint to register people and vehicle movements, post war, for security purposes.