SLA arrests 16 Tamil civilians in Chavakachcheri

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 August 2006, 09:20 GMT]
Sixteen Tamil civilians were arrested by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) when they were conducting a cordon and search operation in Chavakachcheri town and its suburbs Allarai, Periyamawadi, Kappachchi Mavadi and Kovilkuddiruppu Thursday afternoon from 12.30 p.m. till 4.30 p.m. About five thousand civilians were taken to Chavakachcheri Hindu College and were produced before a masked man who identified these sixteen civilians. They were detained in the Varani SLA camp. Relations of the arrested civilians immediately lodged complaints with the Jaffna regional office of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), civilians sources said.

However Jaffna HRCSL office said that it received complaints on behalf of only four arrested persons namely, Jegatheeswaran Jeseevan, 19, student of Chavakachcheri Hindu College, Thirunavukarasu Gayathiri, 24, Ponnambalam Rajapooshanan, 25, a student of Open University and Arumugam Thusheevan, 25, a three wheel driver. HRCSL sources further said it expects complaints from other relatives, sources said.

Meanwhile 26 year old Tamil youth Sugunaraja Nimalan was shot dead Thursday afternoon around 1.30 p.m. at Kottai Rasa Veethi junction by unidentified gunmen while a group of SLA soldiers were conducting search operation about one hundred-meter away from the site of the crime.