740 disappearances in Jaffna peninsula in two years

[TamilNet, Friday, 04 April 2008, 05:11 GMT]
The number of persons reported missing has reached 740 during the period from December 2005 up to the present, according to complaints registered with the Human Rights Office (HRC) in Jaffna. The number of persons disappeared is more than 740 as many parents and family members of the disappeared persons do not complain at the HRC Jaffna for fear of falling victims to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries, alleged to be the abductors, sources in Jaffna said.

Residents in many cases register complaints only at their local police stations, and thus the true figure of the number of persons abducted in Jaffna peninsula is more than what is revealed in the HRC records.

More than 27 persons have been abducted in the first quarter of year 2008.

714 persons have been abducted in the period between December 2005 and December 2007.

In 2006, 50 persons have been abducted in August while 46 have gone missing in November, the record high abductions in the year.

In March 2007, 40 persons, the highest number of abducted in a month were reported to HRC Jaffna.

Most of these persons have been abducted from their homes while the number of persons failing to return home after leaving for work or on other errands is considerably high, HRC sources said.

Forced disappearances in Jaffna peninsula do continue though the number of such incidents have fallen in recent times, the sources added.