Relatives of missing to go on hunger strike

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 November 1999, 23:16 GMT]
The parents and relatives of the hundreds Jaffna civilians who were reported 'missing' after being arrested by the SLA have decided to go on hunger strike from 5 December, human rights sources in the northern town said.

The parents and relatives of the hundreds Jaffna civilians who were reported 'missing' after being arrested by the SLA have decided to go on hunger strike from 5 December, human rights sources in the northern town said.

It was decided at a meeting organised by the Missing Persons' Guardian Association (MPGA) at the Jaffna Central College yesterday.

Hundreds of civilians who were arrested by the Sri Lanka Army soldiers after they took control of the Jaffna peninsula are still reported 'missing'.

In November last year Amnesty International stated that most of them are feared killed in the custody of the government forces.

According to the MPGA, the government authorities have so far revealed the details of only 15 of those who are reported 'missing'.

MPGA officials said they decided to protest as they did not receive a "satisfactory reply" from the president.