Vavuniyaa Court directs SLA to assist inquiries into Thavasiku'lam killings

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 November 2007, 00:04 GMT]
Vavuniya District Court Magistrate, M. Illancheliyan issued Sunday directives to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander of Vanni region and Commander of the 211st Division to assist the police in the investigation related to five youths shot and killed Saturday night at Thavasiku'lam in Vavuniyaa. The parents of the killed youths told the magistrate that there are many witnesses who saw their sons being arrested and taken by SLA troops.

The magistrate inspected the bodies in front of his residence before they were taken to the hospital by Vavuniyaa police.

When the parents had asked the police personnel at the Veapangku'lam police sentry and the Veapangku'lam SLA troopers about the whereabouts of their arrested sons, they had said that no such arrests had been made by them, the parents told the magistrate.

Later, on Saturday around 10:10 p.m a white van had been seen going along Veapangku'lam SLA camp and rapid fire guns shots were heard around 10:25 p.m, relatives of the victims testified before the magistrate.

They added that they fear for their lives now that they have disclosed the details to the magistrate.

M. Illancheliyan directed the Officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Prevention of Crime Branch in Vavuniyaa to summon the Veapangku'lam SLA OIC for an immediate inquiry and to confiscate the white van in question.

He further directed the police officer to produce Veapangku'lam SLA camp OIC as a witness Monday at the district court along with the inquiry report.

The magistrate also issued directives to SLA Vanni region Commander and the SLA Commander of 211st Division in Vavuniyaa to provide assistance to the police in the inquiry into Thavsiku'lam killings.

The Magistrate's directives were immediately dispatched to the SLA high commands, legal sources in Vavuniyaa said.

Vavuniya district Judge M. Ilancheliyan issued orders on November 30, 2004 to Sri Lanka Army Commander of Vanni region and to the 211st Division Commander to assist the Police investigations related to the shooting at the Tamil Martyr's Day celebrations in Veapangku'lam.

Use of T-56 type weapons to disperse crowds when the Emergency Regulations is not in force will be seen as ''gross misuse of power,'' the Judge had said.

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