430 killed in 5 months, 2000 cases of abductions in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 June 2007, 07:15 GMT]
Justice Mahanama Tilakeratne, head of the Special Commision on Disappearances, speaking to the media at BMICH Colombo Thursday, said that between September 2006 and February 2007, more than 430 Sri Lankans, mostly Tamils were killed, and 886 cases of abduction or disappearance remain unresolved, sources in Colombo said. During the same five month period, a total of 2,020 people were either abducted or disappeared. 1,134 were later found alive and reunited with their families, Mr. Tilakeratne said.



Sri Lanka Government has been criticized locally and internationally on abductions, disappearances and unsolved killings. "This is something very bad for the image of the country," he said.

Tillakaratne was named in 2006 by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse as the head of the Commission to investigate the wave of killings and disappearances. Bodies of many abductees were found executed with their hands tied behind their backs and shot through the head.

Many of the cases of disappearances are very complicated and pose challenge to local law enforcement authorities to identify those responsible, Tilakeratne added.