Identity cards confiscated

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
150 civilians were arrested last evening around 4 p.m. in Thuraineelavanai, 30 kilometers south of Batticaloa, by the Special Task Force (STF). All were taken to the STF camp in Karaitheevu in the Amparai district, about 14 kilometers further south of Thuraineelavanai.

The STF held back their national identity cards and sent them back after questioning them for hours.

Of these, hundred civilians have been asked to come and sign up at the STF camp in Karaitheevu every Saturday.

The civilians lament that they cannot go all the way to Karaitheevu to sign up as they cannot get through the several check points on the way without producing their national identity cards.

They also say that they cannot attend to any official business, including withdrawing money from their bank accounts, as they do not have the national identity cards.

Many of those who were arrested yesterday were asked to work in the Karaitheevu STF camp during their detention.

Meanwhile, the Kaluwanchikudy STF personnel severely beat up civilians in Kaluwanchikudy town and Paddiruppu junction around 2.30 p.m. today.

Civilians who happened to pass through were severely beaten up by two groups of STF personnel.

It was not clear to anyone what the provocation was, said the TamilNet correspondent who was in the area today.

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