Three reported missing in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 May 1999, 04:57 GMT]
The Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Jaffna has reported that three persons have gone missing in the peninsula in March and April this year. According to Gowri Suntharalingam, the official in charge of the commission's office in Jaffna, the Sri Lanka Army and Police have said that they did not arrest or detain any of these persons.

The HRC officer said that there is still no indication of their whereabouts.

The three missing persons are: Vanniyasingham Karthigesu of Ampan, Kudaththanai in Vadamaradchi east reported missing since March 1, Thangavelu Sebastian of Gurunagar, Jaffna town reported missing since March 2 and Rajaratnam Sutharsan of Kopay reported missing since April 22.

Jaffna human rights commission sources said that there is no mechanism by which they can officially confirm whether such persons have been arrested and detained by the Tamil paramilitary groups operating with the Sri Lanka Army in the peninsula.