HRC investigates disappearances

[TamilNet, Thursday, 29 June 2000, 05:45 GMT]
Four young men have been reported missing according to complaints made by their relatives with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Vavuniya. The Chairman of the Human Rights Commission in Vavuniya, Mr. Sreetharan said they were trying to trace the whereabouts of the missing persons.

Details of the missing are:

1.Muthukrishnan Sooriyakanthan, 29, of Unit-2 of Poonthodam Welfare Centre. He went to cut fire-wood in Pambaimadhu on the 24th of June and had not returned till now.

2.Munisamy Puvaneswaran, 19, of Unit-9 Poonthodam Welfare Centre. He was arrested on the 24th of June from the Poonthodam Welfare Centre.

3.Thambaiah Vijeyakumar, 24, of Vepankulam. He was arrested from a 'mini-cinema' at Poonthodam on the 22nd of June.

4.Arumukam Mahenthiran, 38. He was arrested from his house at Santhasolai.

Meanwhile, the HRC in Vavuniya is also investigating the case of two men who were admitted to the hospital with serious injuries, by Sri Lankan Army (SLA) soldiers, last week. One of them died few days after admission while the other was transported to Colombo for further medical care.

Mr. Sreetharan said preliminary investigations revealed that the men were admitted to hospital on orders by a police officer who was in charge of the transit camp at Goodshed road in Vavuniya.