STF threatens war, tells village to make coffins

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 May 2002, 17:40 GMT]
Residents of Veeramunai, 52 kilometres southwest of Batticaloa, said Monday that the Special Task Force has threatened to kill people in the village whom it accused of taking part in the general shut down and protest against the elite commandos in the southeast coast of the island last week. "The STF commandos told us families in the village should make two coffins each. They said we would need the coffins after a month," a local community leader said. The STF threat has spread apprehensions here that war may break out again after a month, he added.

Commandos from the STF camp in Karaithivu, 48 kilometres south of Batticaloa came to Veeramunai Sunday, armed with a list of names of 30 persons in the village, he said. The commandos had identified each person's home.

They had then summoned some people in the area and threatened them that the village would have to face death after a month and that each family have get two coffins readied for the eventuality.

"The STF's visit has created panic among the Tamils in Veeramunai. Our village has suffered terribly in the past. Sri Lankan security forces and Muslim homeguards massacred many innocent men, women and children here since the war began. We are scared," a resident who wished to remain anonymous said.

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