Mylanthanai massacre accused remanded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 October 2002, 18:00 GMT]
The inquiry into the Mylanthanai massacre case commenced before a Sinhala speaking Jury in the Colombo High Court Wednesday. In this case twenty-one Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers have been indicted by the Attorney General on several counts including the murder of thirty-five Tamil civilians. The High Court Judge Mr.S.Sriskandarajah ordered all the accused present in court be kept in remand till the trial is concluded.

The massacre took place on the night of August 9, 1992 at Mylanthanai village in the Batticaloa following the deaths of Major General Densil Hobbekaduwa and several other top army and navy officials in a landmine attack in Jaffna district. On that night a group of SLA soldiers entered the village and massacred the villagers including women and children. Of the twenty-one accused soldiers one is reported to have died and the other is said to be missing. The rest appeared in court.

President Counsel Mr.Daya Perera is appearing for the accused. Attorneys retained by the Centre for Human Rights and Development Messrs K.S.Ratnavelu and S.Shanmugalingam are watching the interests of the victims.

The inquiry is proceeding.

About thirty witnesses including thirteen women from Batticaloa arrived Monday in Colombo to give evidence in the case. They have been provided with food and lodging by the Centre for Human Rights and Development.

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