Hunger strike over missing youth

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 November 1999, 19:13 GMT]
The Missing Persons Guardian Association (MPGA) will launch a hunger strike as scheduled on December 5, if a favourable reply is not received from the Sri Lankan President on or before Saturday with regards to their appeal.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the association held today at Jaffna Central College.

Meanwhile, the parents and guardians of the 355 missing persons who received regret letters from the Secretary of the Ministry of Defence that their children could not be traced, have sent a memorandum to the President that according to reliable sources, some of these missing persons are detained in welfare camps at Kalutura and Boosa.

They have brought to the notice of the President that of the 355 missing persons the bodies of two were exhumed in Chemmani and identified to be that of Mahendran Babu of Nallur and Satheeskumar of Meesalai.

The guardians of these youths have also received letters from the Defence Ministry that they could not be traced.

This clearly indicates the callous regard paid to this issue, which has resulted in adding insult to injury, the memorandum states.

"We want a definite answer regarding our missing children. Is it to be construed that this evasive reply is an election strategy?" MPGA asked of the President.