Rajapakse wants protests postponed, Tamil doctor abducted in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 September 2006, 01:49 GMT]
A protest shut-down, scheduled to be held Tuesday against the recent abductions of Tamil civilians and businessmen in Colombo, organised by representatives from seven political parties, was called off Monday following Rajapakse government's "requests", during the weekend, urging the organisors to postpone the shut-down, informed political circles in Colomb said. Meanwhile, a Tamil medical doctor and owner of three medical businesses in Colombo, was allegedly abducted in his car in Maradana in Colombo Monday.

Medical Doctor, Murugesu Kunalan, 52, who owns a Clinic at Vivekanda Hill area and two pharmacies, one in Chetty Street and another in Jinthupity in Colombo, was reportedly abducted around 3:30 p.m. Monday in his car in Maradana. His family has lodged a complaint with the Police.

Saturday morning, representatives from seven political parties and alliances, Western Province People's Front (WPPF), United National Party (UNP), Tamil National Alliance (TNA), United Socialist Party (USP), New Leftist Front (NLF), Upcountry People's Front (UPF) and the Democratic Leftist Front (DLF) had joined hands to protest against abductions and extra judicial killings that were taking place in Colombo. The meeting took place at Hotel Nippon at 11:30 a.m.



The leader of the WPPF and parliamentarian Mano Ganesan, Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian N. Raviraj, Dr. Vikramabahu Karunaratne, the leader of the NLF, Sritunga Jayasuriya from United Socialist Party, Vasudeva Nanayakara from DLF, the UNP Tamil parliamentarian T. Maheswaran and the UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake, Rathakrishnan, a Deptuy Minister from the Upcountry People's Front were present at the press conference as organisors of the shut-down protest scheduled on Tuesday.

"Around 400 Tamils have been abducted in 2 months," said TNA MP Raviraj. Many traders who were abducted have been released on ransom, he said addressing the audience.

Vikramabahu Karunaratne, addressing the audience, charged that the Rajapakse Government must be held responsible for the abductions.

Vasudeva Nanayakkara, in his address, said that the abductions demanding ransom targeted to damage the Tamil business community.

"The doubt arises as to whether this is a secret agenda to drive the Tamils and the Tamil Trader community away from the city of Colombo," said Mano Ganesan. "It is our duty to directly convey the feelings of the innocent Tamils targeted to the world and therefore we have joined hands with the Sinhala progressive parties which care for the interests of the Tamils and other Tamil and Muslim parties to organise a massive nonviolent protest and a whole day closure of shops in Colombo," added Mano Ganesan.

Earlier, Mano Ganesan and the fellow organisors had sent petitions to the Norwegian Embassy and the Indian High Commission in Colombo.

As the protest move was gathering momentum, Rajapakse administration wanted the shut-down protest to be postponed till the Sri Lankan President completes his trip to the USA.

Basil Rajapakse, SL President's youngest brother and a presidential advisor, called on the organisors Saturday evening. Conveying assurances from Mahinda Rajapakse, he urged the organisors to postpone the shut-down.

"We [Rajapakses] are not like Ranil Wikramasinghe," Basil Rajapakse has told at least one of the organisors. The source, which did not wished to be named, gave conflicting interpretations to Basil Rajapakse's message.

At least two parties have pulled off from the move, without consulting the fellow organisors, and informed media that the move was to be postponed following assurances from Mahinda Rajapakse.

However, the remaining organisors, who met Monday have decided to discuss the new date for the protest Tuesday.

The following is a record of 20 cases in the recent past in the City of Colombo, released by the organisors:

04 August 2006 ABDUCTED MISSING
(01) Gunasekaran Mahindan (age 24), (02) Kandasamy Sridharan (age 24) and (03) Ramakrishnan Rajkumar (age 21) who were staying at AKB Lodge, #9, Grandpass Rd, (Opposite Sulaiman Hospitals) Colombo 14 were abducted by armed persons who came in a white color van on 4 th Aug, 2006 midnight. All three are missing since then.

ABDUCTED MISSING
A leading Sugar merchant and owner of Kala Traders Fourth Cross St Colombo 11, (04) S. Sriskandarajah was abducted from his residence at Horton place Colombo 07. It is reported that Sriskandarajah family has paid ransom money over Rs.30 million to certain unidentified persons for the release of Srishkandarajah. However he is still missing.

23 August 2006 ABDUCTED
A businessman and politician belonging to Cabinet Minister Periyasami Chandrsekaran's party, (05) Kunjupillai Sivakandan (age 34) was abducted from his business premises at Messenger St Colombo 12 at 2 pm on 23 rd August, 2006 by armed persons who came in a white color van. Sivakandan is missing since then.

02 September 2006 KILLED
A small boutique owner, (06) Nadarajah Manivannan (age 28) was shot dead near his shop, Sennan Groceries Chitra Lane Colombo 05 on 2nd September, 2006 by armed men who came in a motor cycle.

ABDUCTED AND KILLED
(07) Edward Reginold Jesudasan (age 30), an executive of Union Assurance who left work from his office at Colombo 03 on 1 st September, 2006 evening did not return home at Farm Rd, Mattakuliya, Colombo 15. His highly tortured murdered body was found near Kelaninadhi Temple (Viharaya) Ferguson Rd Colombo 14 following day morning and was identified by his mother Mary Matilda Jesudasan. Father of Edward Reginold is a retired police officer.

ABDUCTED
(08) Sivarajah Haran (age 22) was abducted from #8, Station Rd, Colombo 06 on 26 th April, 2006. Haran, originally from Jaffna had come to Colombo for the treatment of his sick mother and staying at the above address. He is missing since then.

ABDUCTED
(09) A video shop owner (09) Shanmuganathan Manivannan (28) was abducted from his shop Shan Video at #44 Kotahena St Colombo 13 by armed men.

ABDUCTED
(10) Vinasithambi Chelvanayagam, a corporal (service # IQ01009) in Sri Lanka army has gone missing since 2 nd May, 2006. Corporal Chelvanayagam worked at Army Head quarters Colombo. His wife Mrs.Parameshwary Chelvanayagam has made complaints to HRC in Colombo (#4142/06 dated 15-06-06) and Local Police in Kosgama (#342/15 dated 03-05-06). The place residence of Chelvanagams is 139, Anandagama, Akaravita, Avissawella, south of Colombo.

22 August: ABDUCTED
(11) Loganthirajah Komathy (age 36) , Finance director of Aero Lanka Pvt Ltd, a private firm which is operating flights between Colombo and Jaffna was abducted from her residence at Rathmalana, south of Colombo, on night of 22nd August, 2006 , 10pm by armed men who broke into her residence. Also employees of the same company (12) Lal Premaratne (age 28) and his wife (13) Mrs.Premaratne (age 25) are also reported missing since the same day evening. They were last seen leaving the office after work. All three are missing since then.

29 August: ABDUCTED AND RELEASED
(14) Nadarajah Guruparan (age 39), news manager of Sooriyan FM, Tamil Radio channel was abducted by armed men near his residence at Mt.Lavinia, south of Colombo, on 29th August, 2006 early morning, when he was on his way to work. Subsequently Guruparan was blind folded and taken to a place, one hour away from the location of abduction. After certain interrogation Guruparan was released at Kohuwela, south of Colombo, early morning following day. While Guruparan was abducted, his issue was taken up very much by the media forums and certain sections of diplomatic community in Colombo.

01 September: ABDUCTED AND RELEASED
(15) ThavarajahThavamani, an graduate computer engineer at MTV, a private media enterprise, was abducted on the mornings of 1 st September, 2006 at Vivekananda Rd Wellawatte, Colombo 06 when Ms.Thavamani was on her way to work. She was released by her captors on the same day night 10-30pm in Kirulapone, Colombo.

ABDUCTED
In early June, 2006 five headless bodies of men were found in an estate area at Avissawella, 25 km away from Colombo. Later upon DNA tests, two bodies were found to be two Tamil persons who had gone missing since May, 2006. The two identified are (16) Sivasamy Sukumar (age 40), a three wheeler driver, resident of Paradise place, Armour St, Colombo 12 and (17) Mahalingam Narendrakumar (age 31), a businessman, resident of Telangapatha Rd, Wattala, north of Colombo. The identities of other three bodies are not confirmed but widely presumed as of Tamils.

28 August: ABDUCTED
A Video shop owner, (18) Sellathamby Sellakumar (age 38) was abducted by armed persons came in a white color dolphin van on the night of 28th August, 2006 by 9-30 pm from his business premises at Thillaiyadi, Puttalam. Sellakumar, married with two children, is missing since.

09 September: ABDUCTED AND KILLED
(19) W.M.Suriyakumar (age 26), a businessman who owned a communication centre was abducted at Subadhidharama Rd Dehiwela, south of Colombo on the night of Saturday 9 th September, 2006 10 PM by armed persons who came in a white color van. Suriyakumar's body was found in a paddy field at Kelaniya on following day.

12 September: ABDUCTED
(20) Palaniraja, 64, a Tamil trader was abducted in Colombo on 12 September at 9.00 p.m. The incident occurred after he had just closed his jewellery store and was traveling by car accompanied by his son Saravanan, 27, and another youth Mugunthan , 22.