UPDATE (Sri Lanka): A further list of victims of extrajudicial killings and disappearances reported for November in Sri Lanka

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regrets to inform you that further list of extrajudicial killings and disappearances for the month of November 2007 have been reported in Sri Lanka. Due to the continuing failure to prosecute the alleged perpetrators and the absence of proper mechanisms for the affected family members to seek redress, these are still ongoing. Please send letters to the government authorities urging them to take genuine action to stop them and provide full assistance to the family members.

We have previously reported in recent months several lists of persons who have been victims of these continuing killings and disappearances; UP-157-2007, UP-151-2007, UA-318-2007, UP-123-2007, UP-117-2007, UP-061-2007 and UA-113-2007.

Please also see the statements concerning the continuing incidents of forced abductions and forced disappearances: AS-245-2007, AS-216-2007, AS-214-2007, AS-082-2007, AS-027-2007 and AS-025-2007.

Apart from the cases that the AHRC has earlier reported, it is also reported that several family members have surrendered to the Jaffna branch of Human Rights Commission for the fear of threats to their life.

The AHRC is of the view that the strategies adopted by all parties to the conflict reveal the stark reality of unabated disappearances and extra-judicial killings in the country, which has lead to the denial of the right to life, security and speedy justice. Given this rate of destruction of livelihoods, property, peace, development, denial of rights and displacement of civilians the AHRC urgently demands that the parties involved in the conflict positively consider the offer made by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to allow the establishment of a field office that can contribute to the creation of a democratic space for a constructive dialogue, thus paving the way for justice.

THE LIST OF VICTIMS OF EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS:

Name (gender) and address of the victim/age/date of incident/district/brief detail of the case

1. Sanmuganathan Paheeranathan (M) – Jaffna / 28 / Naranthanai, Jaffna / 28 October 2007 / Jaffna / employee of Danish Demining group residing at Naranthanai was kidnapped on October 28 and shot dead. His body was found by noon the following day and sent to the Jaffna Teaching hospital on October 30.

2. Thangarajah Sujeevan (M) – Jaffna / 26 / Stanly Road, Jaffna / 16 November 2007 / Jaffna / A body was handed over to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital at about 10pm on the night of 16 November. There were bullet wounds on the body but it was unclear where he was shot.

3. Velupillai Sabathipillai (M) – Chavakachcheri / Thenmaradchy / 21 November 2007 / He, a father of 3 children from Varany in Thenmaradchy, was shot dead by unknown armed men who had come on a motorcycle. It has been reported that he had been taken for questioning the previous day by the security forces and was sent home. He was shot dead when he was passing Iyattalai after work. He was a Technical Officer in Chavakadchcheri.

4. Palaniyandy Selvarasa (M) – Jaffna / 32 / Urumpirai / 24 November 2007 / He, an employee of a trade centre, was bringing water to the establishment and was shot dead at 7am on the 24 November in Urumpirai.

5. Thurairajah Jeyarasa (M) – Jaffna / 42 / Ananthan Vadaly Road, Ariyalai / 24 November 2007 / Jaffna / labourer / He was shot dead by unknown persons when he was going to the cow-shed to spend the night after dinner.

6. Kantavanam Ketheesan (M) – / 26 / Jaffana / 24 November 2007 / Jaffana / Private Security person on duty at the University branch of the People’s Bank was shot dead by unknown persons when he was on duty.

7. Jeyakumar Kesavan (M) – Jaffna / 25 / Adiyapatham Road, Nallur / 25 November 2007 / Jaffna / He was shot dead by unknown armed men while he was traveling on a motorcycle from Kopay towards Jaffna at around 3:30pm.

8. Sinniah Mahalingam (M) – Jaffna / 53 / Kondavil / on November 2007 / Jaffna / He was called out from his house by an unknown armed group which arrived by motorcycle at about 4:30pm, then they shot him dead and escaped.

9. Kanthiah Koneswaran (M) – Jaffna / 37 / Navaly North / Jaffna / November 2007 / father / was shot dead by unknown persons while he was at his trading centre alone at about 11:15am.

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THE LIST OF VICTIMS OF DISAPPEARANCES:

Name (gender) and address of the victim/age/date of incident/district/brief detail of the case

1. Thanapalasingam Jenaskumar (M) – Jaffna / Columbuthurai / 28 October 2007 / was kidnapped by an unknown person at 7.30 p.m. on the 28th October.

2. Sivaguru Panchalingam (M) – Jaffna / 66 / Kuppilan North Erlalai / 31 October 2007 / Jaffna / was kidnapped by men in a white van on the 31 October. He was living alone while his wife and children live abroad.  Two persons arrived on a motorcycle on the morning of the 31st and called him out of the house and were chatting to him when suddenly a white van appeared and dumped him in the van and sped away.  It is understood that he had recently returned to Sri Lanka from Switzerland.

3. Thiyagarasa Prasanna (M) – Jaffna /Jaffna / November 2007 / displaced from Chavakadchcheri and living in Jaffna has been reported missing after he left for Kodikamam.

4. Rasathurai Thileepkumar (M) – Perumal / 30 / Kokkuvil west / 3 November 2007 / Jaffna / He missing from the 3 October, as he did not return home after leaving to worship at Perumal Temple.

5. Mahalingam Mathiseelan (M) – Jaffna / Erlalai East / 4 November 2007 / Jaffna/ father of three children of Erlalai East has been reported missing from 4 October.

6. Shereen Sithranjan (F) – 36 / 4 November / Unknown location/ He was reported missing after he went out as usual for work on his motorcycle.

7. Nadarajah Nithiyarajah (M) – Jaffna / 36 / Thumpalai, Point Pedro / Jaffna / 17 November 2007 / an electrician and father of one child from Thumpalai, Point Pedro /  He was reported missing from the 17 November as he did not return after work that day.

8. Vadivelu Nimalarajah (M) – Jaffna / 31 / Kachcheri-Nallur Road, Nallur / Jaffna / 17 November 2007 / He has been reported missing from 17 November as he did not reach home after leaving his workplace in the evening.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the concerned authorities below, asking them to thoroughly and impartially investigate each of these cases. The victims’ families and relatives must also be actively involved and properly informed in this process. The authorities must also ensure that appropriate assistance and remedies are afforded to them accordingly. The AHRC is writing a separate letter to UN Working Group on Disappearances and Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings calling for their intervention in this case.

To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER