WARNING: STORY CONTAINS UNEDITED PHOTO FROM MASSACRE SITE

Baby of four months, 4-year-old child, among 9 killed by SL Navy in Jaffna islet

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 May 2006, 16:10 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) troopers from Mandaithivu Sri Lanka Navy camp surrounded a civilian house in Allaipiddy in Mandaithivu islet, west of Jaffna, around 8:30 p.m. Saturday and opened fire killing 8 civilians, including a four months baby and a four year old son, and their parents on the spot. Three persons with serious wounds were rushed to Jaffna hospital after Jaffna district magistrate ordered the Police to provide security to an ambulance from Jaffna hospital, medical sources said. One of the wounded succumbed to his wounds at Jaffna hospital. 13 civilians were killed in Jaffna islets on Saturday alone.

Palachamy Ketheeswaran, 25, his wife, Ketheeswaran Anex Ester, 23, four-years old Ketheeswaran Thanushkanth and the baby at four months, Ketheeswaran Yathursan, were the victims of a family in the massacre.



Abraham Robinson, 28, father of three, Sellathurai Amalathas, 28, father of one, Kanesh Navaratnam, 50, father of four, and Joseph Anthonymuttu, 64, father of five, were the other victims killed on the spot.

Sinnathurai Sivanesan, 46, succumbed to his wounds at Jaffa Hospital.

The wounded persons were identified as S. Mohanambikai, 46, a female, and T. Sellathurai, 61.

Sri Lanka Navy sources in Mandaithivu claimed Saturday night that they were attacked with grenades and opened fire at the attackers. Only four have died according to the SLN.

This claim was later denied by the SLN sources in Colombo.

However, civilian sources said, 8 persons, including the baby and the four years old child were massacred by the Sri Lanka Navy troopers. The was no grenade attack, according to them.

Relatives said that SLN troopers had harassed the joint-famility and demanded their 2 story building, for military use, a few weeks ago. The request was politely turned down by the family.

Allaipiddy is located on the causeway from Jaffna towards islets of Velani and Kayts through Pannai bridge. After Mandaitivu, past the abandoned alluminum factory, lies the large Sri Lanka Navy garrison, 500 meters from Allaipiddy.