Rights group call to investigate atrocities

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 02 February 1999, 23:55 GMT]
The Forum for Human Dignity in Colombo has brought to the notice of the Anti-Harassment Committee several cases of disappearances and deaths in the Jaffna peninsula and the eastern province, FHD officials told TamilNet.

The Secretary of the Forum for Human Dignity, Ms Maheswary Velautham has sent a letter today to the Secretary of the Anti-Harassment Committee requesting him to conduct investigations into the following complaints of disappearances and deaths;

01. The body of Sellathurai Puvichandran of Kattaipirai, Kalviankadu, Kopai was found today morning at 8 a.m at Kanathiddy Perumal Kovil Road, Jaffna. His hands were tied,legs tied together and his trouser zip was opened. He was strangled to death.A board to say " This is the first step for the fascist LTTE by Mahathaya group" was found with the body. The deceased was working at a garage. He went with the owner to a bank in Jaffna yesterday to deposit money. He was waiting outside the bank while the owner went in to deposit the money. When the owner came out after ten minutes, he found the deceased missing.

02. Christie Jhonson Basilraj (24 years) of 25, Mount Kamal Road,Gurunagar, Jaffna is missing from 28.01.1999. Last seen at 2 p.m. in Jaffna town on 28.01.1999.

03. Sinnathamby Thavarajah of 18,Moothavinayagar Road, Nallur went to Palaly to buy coconuts on 01.01.1999. Now he is reported missing.

04. Pararajasingham Baskaran was recently released from Kalutara prison and requested to report to Chunnakam Army camp from 18.01.1999. He was reporting regularly. On 23.01.1999 he went to Chunnakam camp as usual. Now his family members have reported that he is missing from 23.01.1999.

05. As a result of a complaint made by one Kandiah Rasathurai to the Mandoor police on 01.01.1999 about his missing boat, the Mandoor Police on 10.01.1999 arrested Eliayathamby Narayanapillai(49 years) of Mandoor 03, Wellawelly from his house and kept him in cutody for two days and released him on 12.01.1999.

On 14.01.1999 at about 4.30 p.m. the owner of the boat took Eliyathamby Narayanapillai and Poopalapillai Thiagarajah (47 years) to the Mandoor police station for further inquiry. Since then they did not return home. The relatives of these two persons went to the police to inquire as to what had happened. Upon inquiry the Mandoor Police informed their relatives that both these persons had been released. According to the people of the vicinity of the Mandoor Police, they had heard cries from the police station. It is now feared that both persons had been tortured very badly. Please hold an inquiry into this complaint and inform us the fate of these two prisoners.

" Jaffna seem to experience the past terror period once again. This will lead to very serious break down both in social life and security unless measures are taken to eradicate this type of horrifying incidents" states the Secretary of the Forum for Human Dignity in her letter to the Anti-Harassment Committee which has been appointed by the government to inquire into the complaints of disappearances, deaths and harassments.