JHU, JVP file FR applications

by Wasantha Ramanayake

The Jathika Hela Urumaya and the JVP yesterday filed four Fundamental Rights Applications in the Supreme Court against the Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure.

The petitioners in the petition backed by the JHU's Ven. Ambalanthota Chandima Thera of Metthawasaya of Wellawa Ambalanthota and H. K. Don Patrick Susantha of Thiriyaya, a fisherman cited the Secretary to the Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction M. S. Jayasinghe, S. Rajan and the Attorney General as the respondents.

The Petitioners claimed that they were persons affected by tsunami on December 26. The first petitioner stated that his temple had been destroyed while the second respondent who was a fisherman who claimed that he had lost his fishing gear.

The petitioner claimed that the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE had signed the Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) to deliver relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction a developmental assistance to people in the six districts i.e. Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomale, Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu. They claimed that the P-TOMS consisted of three committees which did not have a single Sinhala representation violative of Article 12(1) of the Constitution.