Victims demand immediate action against Colombo's squad in Ampaa'rai

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 February 2015, 11:02 GMT]
The families of forcefully disappeared Tamil victims in Ampaa'rai district have demanded immediate arrest and action against Karuna Group paramilitary operative, K. Pushpakumar alias Iniyabarathy, who was the Ampaa'rai district coordinator of Mahinda Rajapaksa's UPFA and a member of the Eastern Provincial Council. After the entire Ampaa'rai district was brought under the control of the occupying Sri Lankan military in 2007, more than 200 Tamil youth have been reported missing in the district after arrest or abduction by Sri Lanka military operated squads. Iniyabarathy has been the key paramilitary operative operating a squad for the genocidal SL military in the district. Iniyabarathy is blamed for the assassination of veteran Tamil journalist Aiyathurai Nadesan in May 2004. Incumbent SL president Maithiripala Sirisena was also having a hand in the paramilitary operations in the East.



Sri Lankan Military Intelligence officer Abeyaratna was operating the Iniyabarathy squad, which comprised of Karuna Group operatives, ENDLF operatives and a few Muslim operatives. The squad was also causing dissention between Tamils and Muslims in the district.

Two paramilitary operatives who surrendered to the LTTE in December 2005 had revealed that Iniyabarathy was in constant contact with Maithripala Sirisena, Douglas Devananda and A L M Athaullah. The surrendered paramilitary cadres, believed to be LTTE moles who infiltrated the Iniyabarathy squad, also claimed that they had shot and killed Iniyabarathy along with two others. However, Iniyabarathy survived the attempt on his life.



On Wendesday, around 70 people from Aalaiyadi-vempu and Thiruk-koayil gathered in front of the Divisional Secreatriat at Thirukkoayil and demanded immediate arrest of Iniyabarathy.

The protesters demanded excavation of the premises where Iniyabarathy was having a camp for his paramilitary squad. Several slain victims have been allegedly slain and dumped inside the camp premises, the protesters said. They also demanded immediate seizure of Iniyabarathy's hideout (safe house), situated near the central market at Thampiluvil.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Provincial Councillor T. Kalaiyarasan, who took part in the protest, said at least 4,800 Tamil youth had been reported missing between 1990 and 2008. Most of the abductions during that period have taken place in the DS divisions of Aalaiyadi-vempu, Thiruk-koayil, Kaarai-theevu, Naavithan-ve'li, Akkaraip-pattu, Chammaanthu'rai, Poththuvil and Kalmunai.

Former TNA parliamentarian from Ampaa'rai, Chandrakanthan Chandranehru, also took part in the protest on Wednesday.



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