PLOTE detainees tortured - Amnesty

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 March 1999, 00:47 GMT]
Three people who had been detained by the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) had been subject to severe torture said Amnesty International in a statement. The three have now been released, but another detainee is missing, said Amnesty.

The London-based human rights watchdog said in a statement dated March 23 that Sivam Ashokumar, Arumugam Pakkiri and Christie White had been released by the PLOTE.

Sivam Ashokumar "had reportedly been chained up for 26 days and badly beaten on his chest, legs and hands with a pole and electric wire," said Amnesty. Ashokumar was released on 4 March 1999 after 39 days in detention it said.

"He had been taken to the Vairapuliyankulam PLOTE camp on 24 January 1999, and moved that evening to the Kovilkulam PLOTE camp, where he remained until his release," Amnesty said further.

Arumugam Pakkiri (alias Jeya) and Christie White, who were taken prisoner by PLOTE on 7 February 1999, were handed over to relatives on 18 February 1999 said Amnesty, adding that they had been kept for 11 days at the Kovilkulam Junction PLOTE camp.

"Arumugam Pakkiri had been severely tortured and was reportedly unable to walk at the time of his release. Christie White had reportedly been beaten," said Amnesty.

Amnesty said it has not been able to obtain any further information on the whereabouts of the fourth man who was taken into custody by PLOTE on 7 February 1999.

Amnesty has said that PLOTE and other paramilitary groups operating with the Sri Lanka Army are maintaining illegal detention and torture camps.