DISAPPEARANCES AT MARAVANPULAVU
by Maravanpulavu K. Sachithananthan
(formerly UN/FAO consultant)
1. Introduction
The visit to Sri Lanka of the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID), during 8-18 November 2015 is a landmark visit, raising high hopes in the minds of Tamils towards peace, harmony, rehabilitation, and reconciliation.
I am presenting the happenings of Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances in an area around my village, Maravanpulavu. These happenings form a dot in the ocean of large-scale Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances of Tamils since the planned pogrom of 1958.
The descriptive records I present, the remedial measures I ask for, the follow-up action I seek from the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) reflect the views of those near relatives of the missing persons in and around Maravanpulavu.
1250 acres of paddy land, 1500 acres of residential area housing around 400 families, (total 6.5 sq km) bordered along the south by a shallow lagoon, spotted by temples dedicated to Nagam (cobra), Sakthi (power), Siva (knowledge), Pillaiyaar (protection), Murugan (the grandeur of youth) and a host of nature-gods, Maravanpulavu has been a farming cum fishing village habituated by Tamils spanning through many centuries, having been the direct descendants of the Naga tribe, the sons of this Tamil soil.
The village name Maravanpulavu, a Tamil root word conceptualizes it as a reservoir of valour. 400 years of colonial rule had taken away the spirit of the mind, strength of the body so much so the occupants have been transformed into a docile, humble, introverted community bent on praying, educating, handcrafting, and indulging in fine arts outside their traditional vacations of seasonal farming and shallow water fishing.
Post-1948, life witnessed the resurgence of the spirit to be marred by attempted political governorships by the neighbouring community, the Sinhalese. The first overt sign of resistance from Maravanpulavu was spearheaded by a saint-cum farmer Sabapathy Sinnayah (Kavadi Sinnaiah) who took part in the peaceful non-violent protest organized by the Federal Party at the Galle Face Green, Colombo on 5th June 1956 towards resisting the imposition of the Sinhalese language down the throats of the Tamil-speaking population of Sri Lanka. He returned to Maravanpulavu with bruises on his head and wounds on his body. Sinhalese hoodlums let loose by those in power, were on the rampage at the Galle Face Green, attacking the non-violent protestors. Bruises and wounds on Sabapathy Sinnayah were the consequences.
When a non-violent campaign was launched in front of the Secretariat in Jaffna in March 1961, Maravanpulavu sent a contingent of volunteers to participate. I was a student then and worked in the post office run by the protestors for a day on April 16th, 1961.
The Navy established bases off Jaffna during the late fifties. The Army started moving in during the early sixties. By the early seventies, Maravanpulavu and other parts of the Northern province came under the firm grip of the Army, Navy, and the Police.
2. My situation - the first phase
Personally, I was under surveillance since October 1973. I was in the team of academics and research scholars led by Professor S. Vithiananthan which organized the Fourth International Tamil Research Conference at Jaffna. The government was against holding the conference in the heartland of the Tamils. The government suspected that the conference may whip up Tamil nationalistic sentiments. In spite of the opposition from the government, the conference was held in Jaffna. On January 10th, 1974, nine persons lost their lives due to police action at the conference site. Since I was part of the organizing team, since I was in my youthful days, I was threatened several times by the police. I was taken for screening. Police knew well that I was an academic, having had a stint with UN/FAO as a consultant in 1971. It was a near miss, a narrow escape and I survived.
During the July 1977 racial riots, my house at Kiriloppone, Colombo was targeted for destruction by Sinhalese mobs escaping which I took my family to the nearby school to join hundreds of internally displaced Tamils. Some were airlifted to Jaffna. Many were shipped from Colombo to Jaffna. Several special trains were arranged to transport those displaced to safer havens in traditionally Tamil areas. Neither I, nor my family went back to Colombo to settle down thereafter.
14th July 1979 was another fateful day for me at Jaffna. By then I had taken up a job with Jaffna University as a Lecturer. When I came home after my work at the university, I was warned by my neighbours that the police had come in search of me. My family was in a state of fear and anxiety. We went into hiding. We first went to Irupalai, where my uncle lived, and later moved to Neervely where the cousins of my wife lived. I was not alone in the list during this search operation. They had a long list. On the night of 13th July, the government security men had taken six young men, 27-year-old Visvajothi Erattinam allies Inbam and 29-year-old Selvaratnam allies Selvam, R. Balendra (all three from Anaikottai), Indrarajah (from Nallur), Rajeswaran, and Parameswaran (from Chavakchcheri) in two vehicles without number plates. Of the six, Visvajothi Erattinam and Selvaratnam were killed and their bodies were thrown at the Pannai Causeway. R. Balendra, Rajeswaran, and Parameswaran disappeared without any trace. Balendra’s name still heads the long list of the disappeared persons from the Northern Province. It was a narrow escape for me. I left Maravanpulavu in late July, thereafter to Europe to be at the War Resistors’ International conference in Denmark. Except for occasional sneaking to visit my parents in Jaffna, I did not return to Sri Lanka for the next thirty years to settle down.
3. The beginning
The first disappearance that brought misery to Maravanpulavu was on Black Friday, 29th July 1983, when three of its prolific sons were kidnapped by a hounding Sinhalese mob at Kiriloppone, Colombo. Their fate remains unknown to this day. Mr. Shanmugarajah, an income tax assessor working with the Colombo government along with his teenage son Niruththan and his first cousin Mr. Manivasakan, an engineer, working with the Colombo Port Authority were the victims. These three noble sons of Maravanpulavu disappeared as part of the planned pogrom leased on the Tamils by the Sinhalese.
4. The worst
The next batch of disappearances at the five adjoining villages including Maravanpulavu began on 1st July 1990. I am listing below 31 missing persons from the villages Thanankalppu, Maravanpulavu, Kaithady-Navatkuli, Kovilakandy, Thachchanthoppu, Navatkuli and Kaithadi north.
01 July 1990 Thevakumar
01 July 1996 Amalanathan
01 July 1996 Ambikaipalan
01 July 1996 Annalingam
01 July 1996 Benedict
01 July 1996 Jeeva
01 July 1996 Jeyalalitha
01 July 1996 Jeyarajah
01 July 1996 Jeyaratnam
01 July 1996 Jeyaseelan
01 July 1996 Kannathasan
01 July 1996 Ketheswaran
01 July 1996 Kirupaharan
01 July 1996 Perinpanathan
01 July 1996 Pushparajah
01 July 1996 Ramesh
01 July 1996 Ravindran
01 July 1996 Selvakumar
01 July 1996 Sivakumar
01 July 1996 Sivarasa
01 July 1996 Suthakaran
01 July 1996 Suventhirarajah
01 July 1996 Thangathurai
01 July 1996 Tharumalingam
01 July 1996 Thaveswaran
01 July 1996 Thiruvarudchelvan
01 July 1996 Tilakaratnam
04 August 1996 Kodeeswaran
03 October 1996 Ilankainayakam
19 April 2008 Karthipan
26 May 2008 Kugathas
01 October 2008 Nagasothy
This list is part of the 469 missing persons recorded so far in the Thenmaradchy administrative Division (inside which the above-said villages are located) of the Jaffna District. Also, I am attaching 16 records of the versions by the near and dear of those missing.
5. My situation - the second phase
I came to Maravanpulavu in October 2010 to begin afresh my life in my house. Maravanpulavu had been a high-security zone during the period 12th December 1999 to August 2009.
When I came in October 2010, my house had only the cement walls and cracked flooring inside a lushly bush infested by poisonous snakes. Wooden windows, doors, furniture, roofing timber, asbestos sheets, wirings, piping, fencing, all had disappeared. The cement walls had bullet/shell marks.
As I was preparing to rehabilitate myself, on 23rd October I had a phone call from the Civil Affairs Office of the army located at Nunavil, north of Maravanpulavu. The officer speaking in corrupt Tamil asked me to report to his office. He told me that he knew my past. He knew what I was doing in India. He said he had solid pieces of evidence of my terrorist activities. I replied to him that I will be there, the next day, 24th October at 0800 hours.
I hurriedly packed my bags and made a beeline to the Katunayake (Colombo) airport. I took the midnight flight to Chennai, India. I was in Chennai on 24th October at 0500 hours early morning. I was on the run. I was again marooned. I tried several times to reach Maravanpulavu during 2011 and 2012. I was advised by my friends in Colombo to desist from reaching my home. I was told that the NIB and the TID will however reach me.
I took the risk and came to Maravanpulavu in August 2012. Thereafter it has been my base. Of course, I had the army intelligence visiting me often. Somewhere during early 2013, I was told by the visiting intelligence officer (by that time we had become friends), that I had to face an inquiry by the TID. I told him that I will face it. So far it has not happened.
6. Causative
Involuntary disappearances due to 1. The government instigated Racial riots, 2. Suppression of insurgencies, 3. Genocidal intentions of the government had become a familiar ritual for the Tamils in Ceylon (later Sri Lanka) since the 1958 pogrom (please read Emergency ‘58 by Tarzie Vithachci). Tamils were missing from their homes because they were born as Tamils, because of the intolerance of the Sinhalese towards Tamils.
Endurance is not merely a word for the Tamils. It is their way of life after 1958. To endure repeated onslaughts towards the destruction of everything they valued has become their way of life. Amidst this government-orchestrated denial and destruction, Tamils continue to carry on waiting for redressal. They are waiting for the resurgence of justice. The visit of the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) has regenerated their hope.
7. Redressal through justice - accountability
1. Immediate relatives of the missing persons from Maravanpualavu want to hear directly from Dumintha Kepitiwalana, the officer in charge of the Navatkuli army camp, and his assistant Sunil (1996) of the fate of their loved ones. They want to meet him not for retribution but for enquiring. Both will know the officer to whom their loved ones were handed over. This information will help them to trace the missing ones to the next point and to the next. Records will be there.
2. Officer in charge Mr. Alwis of the army base at Chavakachcheri (2008) knew very well the detention of Nagasothy. Parents of Nagasothy want to see the records to trace the fate of their beloved son, missing for the past 7 years.
3. Those at the army camp at Batticlaoa (1990), those at the army camp at Ekkala (2008), and those at the Kotahena police station (2008) have records of the respective missing persons.
It is their earnest wish that UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) provides help to them in reaching these army and police officials for accountability.
8. Redressal through justice - compensatory
1. It is now 26 years since Thevakumar went missing; 20 years since the 26 persons went missing. 7 years since the other three went missing. They were able-bodied men and women.
2. They were wage earners. They were breadwinners.
3. They took care of their kith and kin in times of medical needs, family functions, emergencies, and recreation. They are not there.
4. Vijaya was in the 8th month of her pregnancy. Many mothers were nursing their first babies. Their husbands were not there.
5. A social framework that shuns remarriage, a moral background of remaining staunchly loyal to the spouse has left these young women to be biological, social, emotional, and economic barrens for the rest of their lives.
6. Time, money, and efforts in their attempt to search their loved ones (each relative is in possession of many documents) going to army camps, police stations, ICRC, Amnesty International, Red Cross, Courts, Inquiry commissions, even meeting President Chandrika has eaten up their meager resources.
7. Medical expenses related to the sickness and diseases caused by the emotional impact on the body made it worse for each one of the relatives.
8. Legal transfer of property on lease or sale could not happen as the person was only missing not dead. Desavalamai, the traditional law, has so many checks and balances that legal transfers require the consent of the spouse.
9. Having gone through all these most have become destitute. Had the spouse or the beloved one been living, the annual income would have been around a minimum of Rs. 200,000.
10. Their presence would have reduced all the expenses listed above and the comfort would be valued at another Rs. 200,000 per year.
11. The search and wait to go through the web of bureaucracy, legal institutions, NGOs, and the military has cost the relatives around Rs. 100,000 a year.
So much so, each relative of the missing has lost Rs. 500,000 (US$ 4,000) per year. The immediate relatives of the missing are urging the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) to recommend an award of interim relief of Rs. 500,000 (US$ 4,000) for each year of absence of the victim and continue to pay the same amount until a logical and legal end of the situation is reached.
9. Redressal through justice – reconciliatory
An in-depth analysis of the underlying factors that continue to bring planned, determined, and aggressive legislative, judicial, and executive onslaughts by the Sinhalese on the Tamils in required. A sustainable and politically stable arrangement, not excluding the right of each linguistic group to determine its future has to be worked out. It is the wish of those relatives of the missing that the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) addresses these questions adequately to make suitable recommendations towards near-lasting reconciliation, that will avoid further loss of lives and the further missing of persons.
10. Acknowledgment
The relatives of the missing persons of the villages Thanankalppu, Maravanpulavu, Kaithady-Navatkuli, Kovilakandy, Thachchanthoppu, Navatkuli, and Kaithadi north profusely thank the delegation from the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID), comprising of Mr. Ariel Dulitzky, Mr. Tae-Ung Baik, and Mr. Bernard Duhaime for their patient hearing at Kilinochchi on 12th November 2015 at 1630 hours.
11. Few Statements by the immediate kith and kin of the missing persons
1
Missing person: Thevakumar ேதவமார
Name of father: Philip George பிப் ேஜார்
Name of mother: Erampamoorthy Chandra ஏரம்ப�ர்தசந்திர
Date of birth: 21 June 1969
Occurrence in brief:
Missing from1 July 1990:
Missing at Batticaloa (Eastern Province) in the village called Oorany located 3 km from the town. Thevakumar was visiting his paternal aunt Lourdemany at Oorany.
He left his home at Aiyanarkoilady, Navatkuli where he was living with his parents, Philip George, Chandra George, his younger brother Jesuthasan, younger sisters, Jeyaseeli and Sharmila a month ago.
Philip George received a letter from ICRC Batticaloa stating that Thevakumar had been detained by the army during the Karuvappankerny rounding up operations.
Sabanayagam and Lourdemary had complained to the ICRC about the disappearance of Thevakumar.
Parents could not travel out of the Jaffna peninsula because of the war-like situation. They reached Oorany during February 1991, explored all avenues with the help of Sabanayagam to locate their son.
They formally complained to the Batticaloa police. Sabanayagam informed George that he had visited the army camp at Batticaloa town and saw Thevakumar on 3rd July 1990 inside the camp. He was wearing a sarong. They were not allowed to meet. George and Chandra had taken all steps necessary to bring this matter to the army, government, and humanitarian organizations.
All documents related to the family have been lost due to the war, internal displacement, detention at Unit 6 of the Arunachalam Rehabilitation Centre.
George passed away during the shelling of Vattuvaikkaal by the army on 15th May 2009. Chandra and their daughter Sharmila were severely injured during the shelling.
Documents
All relevant documents were lost during displacement at Kilinochchi (2009 May)
Letter from the Presidential Commission to investigate into complaints regarding missing persons dated 01st January 2014
Interim Relief to be provided to
Wife Chandra George Phone 0765342515
Son Jesuthasan
Daughter Jeyaseeli
Daughter Sharmila
All of Aiyanarkoilady, Navatkili, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
2
Missing person: Annalingam அன்னங்
Name of father: Sinnavan Ramanathan சின்னவஇராமநாதன
Name of mother: Alvappillai Ratnapoopathy ஆள்வாப்பிள இரத்தின�பத
Date of birth: 21st January 1969
Identity Card 690213206V
Birth Certificate number 3589
Occurrence in brief:
Missing from 19 July 1996:
Missing at Maravanpulavu:
At about 0830 hours in the morning, Annalingam, (a fisherman and a toddy tapper) was baby-keeping his 7-month-old third son. His older son and daughter were playing with the tiny tot, while his wife Jeyakala was cooking breakfast. Neighbours were talking about a round-up in the area by the army. Jeyakala heard that men from eastern Maravanpulavu were taken away in the morning by the army.
The army came to the house of Annalingam through the front gate as well from the backyard fencing. Intruding army men instructed all in the family to march towards A32 highway, to a place called the Banyan tree (Aaladi). Jeyakala protested saying that a nursing babe-in-arms was in the family and they cannot move out all of a sudden. Army instructed Annalingam to hand over the baby to Jeyakala and move. Prisanthini, the daughter went to hug her father and wouldn’t leave him. Both went together to Aaladi.
Jeyakala could not withstand the ordeal. Leaving the kitchen with half-cooked food, Jeyakala went with her husband carrying the baby, followed by her son. Neighbours, most of them relatives of Annalingam were also instructed to march.
Annalingam, Jeyakala, and the two children walked for about 1.5 km through the paddy fields to reach Aaladi at about 1100 hours. It was hot sun. All were asked to sit in the open paddy fields. There was a crowd of more than 300 persons.
Men from the army and navy were there with 2 to 3 long trucks. There were police personnel, both men and women, from the Kopay police station. Grama Sevaka Officer J/298 of Maravanpulavu was among the crowd having been part of the roundup.
Army asked them to gender-segregate. Pirasanthini was hugging her father Annalingam until forced to join Jeyakala.
Females were asked to line up for screening. Women moved in a row towards the west. Few young women in the row were taken into custody. Jeyalalitha daughter of Poopalasingham was one of them. Jeyakala saw Jayalalitha being isolated for detention.
Annalingan was in the men’s row proceeding towards north for screening. While being screened Annalingam was isolated and pushed into a waiting army truck along with men of his age group. Jeyakala, Vasanthakumar, and Pirasanthini saw Annalingam being pushed to be loaded into a truck.
Jeyakala and the children rushed towards the truck. Army, navy, and police personnel used mild force to chase away all persons rushing towards the truck, for a distance of about 500 m. south. The crowd retreated before making another abortive attempt to go near the truck. Army men became harsher and threatened the surging crowd.
At about 1500 hours the army convoy with detained persons in the trucks headed towards the west. The crowd ran behind the truck. The crowd could not keep pace.
Jeyakala with her 3 kids walked back 1.5 km to her home. She fed the children. Jeyakala with babe-in-arms rode on a pillion in the bicycle pedaled by Sinnavan, father of Jeyakala following the convoy at a protectable distance to Navatkuli.
Jeyakala reached the mound on A32 highway across which she was prevented from proceeding. Jeyakala cried. Many women in the crowd howled. Jeyakala shouted that her husband Annalingam was an innocent man attending to the family, working for a meager income. Jeyakala told the army that she had a babe-in-arms. Army men did not care. They baton-charged Jeyakala while her baby cried.
Jeyakala would not give up. Her loved one, her caretaker, her breadwinner, her protector, her life partner was within a stone-throw distance.
Since the army announced a curfew, Jeyakala came back home with the babe-in-arms on the pillion of her cycling father Sinnavan. Pirasanthini had a restless night. Thoughts about her father haunted her. She loved him most.
So Jeyakala took Pirasanthini and the babe-in-arms at the wee hours of the morning, the next day the 20th to Navatkuli. Jeyakala took with her a photograph of Annalingam. The army had blocked the road. Jeyakala sat with others on the road. Army men told the crowd that the detainees would be released after inquiry.
Thirst choking, hunger burning, sun scorching, road gravel pricking, Jeyakala, and the children ungrudgingly sat awaiting the release. With no light at the end of the tunnel, depleted, deprived, grieved with the feeling of prolonged separation haunting, Jeyakala returned home around 1500 hours.
On Sunday the 21st, the ordeal for Jeyakala remained the same. She was there in the wee hours of the morning with her two kids. She feigned that she was sick, her children were sick, and managed to obtain a pass to cross the blockade and go towards Navatkuli junction.
Walking westwards, climbing down the mound, she looked at the partially damaged building on her right. Pirasanthini screamed. She shouted “Appa”. She had identified her father standing blindfolded and handcuffed in the verandah. Jeyakala saw her husband. She shouted. She hailed. Army men came and chased her.
There were many men handcuffed and blindfolded along with Annalingam. Jeyakala and the children strayed around the area and returned along the same route. The eyes of Jeyakala and Pirasanthini were wide open, fixed to their left. They were searching for their beloved Annalingam. Alas! None were in the building.
However, the crowd continued to wait on the road. They waited till dusk and later returned to their homes empty-handed. On Monday Jeyakala with babe-in-arms went to the office of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) to formalize the record of missing Annalingam.
Documents
Marriage certificate of Annalingam and Jeyakala married on 5th February 1990
Report on the enforced or involuntary disappearance of a person (undated)
Letter to the Government Agent, Jaffna 24th July 1996
Letter to Inspector of Police, Kopay dated 14th September 1996
Letter to HE President of Sri Lanka dated 14th November 1996
Letter from Major General Janaka Perera HQ 51st Division dated 30th November 1996
Letter from the Senior Supdt. Of Police, Jaffna dated 5th January 1997
Letter from Ministry of Defense dated 9th January 1997
Letter from the Additional Government Agent dated 13th January 1997
Letter from Chavakachcheri Palm Development Cooperative Society Ltd. Dated 19th January 1997
Letter from the Additional Government Agent dated 10th April 1997
Letter from Ministry of Defense dated 9th May 1997
Letter by Jeyakala to the Ministry of Defense dated 31st May 1997
Letter from Ministry of Defense dated 28th June 1997
Letter from the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) dated 4th August 1997
Letter from Ann Rev Cclier dated 4th August 1997
Letter from the Government Agent dated 10th December 1997
Letter from Divisional Secretary Thenmaradchy dated 24th December 1997
Letter from Divisional Secretary Thenmaradchy dated 10th November 1998
Registration with Northern Province Guardian Association for persons arrested and disappeared (undated)
Registration with Jaffna District association for arrested and disappeared persons (undated)
Affidavit by Jeyakala dated 7th March 1999
Letter from Ministry of Defense dated 11th November 1999
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka dated 30th December 2002
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka dated 12th January 2003
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka dated 12th June 2003
Affidavit by Jeyakala dated 6th August 2003
Summons from Magistrate Courts, Chavakachcheri dated 6th January 2004
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka dated 26th September 2005
Letter from the Presidential Commission to investigate into complaints regarding missing persons dated 24th October 2013
Letter from the Presidential Commission to investigate into complaints regarding missing persons dated 30th January 2014
Interim Relief to be provided to
Wife Jeyakala Annalingam nee Sinnavan ID 688541930V Phone 0771334238
Son Vasanthakumar aged 25 years
Daughter Pirasanthini aged 22 years
Son Thatheeskumaran aged 20 years
All of Maravanpulavu West, Chavakachcheri, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
3
Missing person: Jeyaratnam ெஜயரத்தின
Name of father: Sinnathamby Murugan சின்னத்தமகன
Missing from 19th July 1996
Missing at Maravanpulavu
4
Missing person: Kirupaharan சிவமார
Name of father: Sellathurai Ganesalingam கதிரன சின்னத்தம
Name of mother: Arumugam Annalumy விநாயகர சிவக்ெகா�ந
Date of birth: 13 June 1978
Occurrence in brief:
Missing from 19 July 1996:
Missing at Maravanpulavu:
On Friday at about 1000 hrs Army men came to the house of Ganesalingam at Kannan Koil Lane of Kaithady Navatkuli South, through the front gate.
Father Ganesalingam, Mother Annalumy, Daughter Pushpalatha, Son Kirupaharan, Daughters Pathma, Suhnatha, Kokilam, and Vannamathy were at home. Five children were students. The sixth one was kid aged 3 years. Student members were at home after being told that the schools have been closed to facilitate the rounding up operation of the army.
Army men instructed all the 8 persons in the family, including the three-year-old to go and see the chief officer of their group. The family joined others marching and walked along the Manatkadu Road towards the east. They turned north to the Vallakulam Road and walked towards the A32 Kerativu Road, to a place called Banyan tree (Aaladi). Army men were lined up all along the road with rifle-holders spaced two feet apart. The family reached Aaladi.
Men, women, children numbering around 20 reached Aaladi to see more persons arriving to join a crowd of around 100 persons already waiting at Aaladi.
Men from the army, navy, and the police were there. Policewomen were there. All assembled were asked to sit under the scorching sun in open paddy fields.
Ganesalingam and Kirubaharan were segregated to join the men’s group.
Women members of the family led by Annaluxmy joined the women’s group. Women were lined up for screening. Annalumy and the five children were screened and sent away. They were asked to go home. But they waited for the father and the son to join them.
When the men were lined up for screening, passing through a set of masked informers, Ganesalingam and Kirupaharan joined the queue. They passed without difficulty. Suddenly an army man held Kirupaharan by his shirt, tore it, bared the body, blindfolded him, tying the hand to his back.
Ganesalingam protested spontaneously. He was held by his shirt and pushed hard to topple him into the field. Ganesalingam was asked to leave the area forthwith. Anxiety and disappointment withheld him.
He joined Annaluxmy and the four daughters to wait for the release of his only son and heir. It was 1400 hrs by then. Ganesalingam and Annaluxmy saw many youth being body-loaded into the waiting army trucks. and the army truck taking all the detainees towards the west along the A32 Kerativu Road.
Dumintha Kepitiwalana, the officer in charge of the Navatkuli army camp was there. Also his assistant Sunil was there. They could not identify others in uniform.
Annalumy and the four daughters saw Kirupaharan in the queue for the last time. Ganesalingam was with Kirupaharan when he was detained. That was the last time he saw him.
Ganesalingam and the rest of the family went home. They had no inclination to eat, drink or relax. Their only hope for the future was in custody. Kirupaharan had in his person his identity document.
So Ganesalingam rushed to the residence of Muthulingam, Principal, Navatkuli Mahavidyalayam for a certificate of identity, He obliged by reaching the school and writing out on the school letterhead, the details from the school records.
Ganesalingam took his bicycle and pedaled to reach Navatkuli at 1600 hrs. There was a mound ahead of the abandoned railway gate. The army had put up barricades and refused permission to go beyond. There was a big crowd of men women and children, sobbing, weeping, wailing, and crying helplessly waiting for their sons, daughter, husbands, wives, fathers, and mothers to be released.
Ganesalingam was told by a few who were released that the detainees were blindfolded and handcuffed to be kept in custody inside the building of an abandoned grinding mill across the mound. Frustrated, Ganesalingam returned home as there was an after-dusk curfew.
Ganesalingam and Annaluxmy bicycled to the Navantkuli mound on 20th Saturday morning at 0700 hours to the mill area where captives were held. After a dawn to dusk meal-less stay at the area, they went back home at about 1800 hours.
The ordeal followed on Sunday the 21st for Ganesalingam and Annaluxmy.
On Monday Ganesalingam was able to go beyond Navatkuli. By that time, detainees had been taken away from the grinding mill building.
Sinnathamby went to the office of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) to formalize by recording his missing son Kirupaharan.
Documents
Certificate from Pricipal, Nvatkuli Maha Vidyalayam, dated 17th September 1996
Letter to the Ministry of Defence dated 30th December 1996
Letter from the Presidential Secretariat dated 22nd January 1997
Extract from Chavakachcheri Police Station dated 09th October 1998
Letter from Forum for Human Dignity dated 22nd May 2001
Letter from the Inquiry Committee on Missing Persons dated 31st October 2003
Interim relief to be provided to
Father Sellathurai Ganesalingam ID 482644465V
Mother Vinayakar Sivakolunthu
Daughter Suhantha Theepan Phone 0770708733
All of Kaithady Navatkuli South, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
5
Missing person: Perinpanathan ேபாின்பநாத
Name of father: Sabapathy Sithamparappillai சபாபதி சிதம்பரப்பிள
Name of mother: Sinnathamby Nageswary சின்னத்தமநாேகஸ்வா
Date of birth: 8 May 1975
Occurrence in brief:
Missing from 19 July 1996
Missing at Maravanpulavu
On Friday at about 1100 hrs when Perinpanathan was repairing the fishing gear at the front yard along with the father Sithamparappillai. His house was encircled by the Army. The entire family of 4 persons, Sithamparappillai, Nageswary, Perinpanathan, Vasanthagowry were escorted to the A32 Kerativu Road off the Banyan tree (a place called Aalaldy), segregated into age groups and gender groups.
Perinpanathan was in the group of young men. Sithamparappillai was in the aged-men group. Nageswary was in the aged-women group. Vasanthagowry with her one-year-old son was in the young women group.
Only the group of young men was hounded, except for a few all were blindfolded and hand-tied before bodily loading into an army truck.
Sithamparappillai saw his son Perinpanathan being blindfolded, hand-tied to be body loaded into the army truck. The truck headed westwards towards Navatkuli.
Sithamparappillai and Nageswary ran behind the truck howling and crying. They were beaten up and stopped at Madaththady (off Murukaiyan Koil) where they saw more youth being loaded into the army truck. Westward heading army convoy was followed by the howling near and dear who was beaten up all along the way.
Again the truck was body loaded with young men at 1. Kovilakkandy school 2. Thachchanthoppu junction 3. Navatkuli Mahavidhyalaya where youthful females were also loaded into the army truck. All captives were unloaded into a compound of an abandoned paddy grinding mill.
Sithamparappillai and Nageswary waited until dusk to be told by the army that the captives will be released after inquiry.
Sithamparappillai and Nageswary returned to the area on Saturday when they saw the mill area with captives. After a dawn to dusk meal-less stay at the area, they went back home.
The ordeal followed on Sunday the 21st. However, the captives were not in the area. Late in the evening army started issuing passes to cross that point to go further.
On Monday Sithamparappillai went to the office of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) and Nageswary went to the Kopay Police station to formalize by recording their missing son Perinpanathan.
Documents
Letter from Institute of Human rights (undated)
Letter from Superintendent of Police Jaffna Division dated somewhere in 1996
Letter from Superintendent of Police Jaffna Division dated 16th November 1996
List from Guardian Association for persons arrested and disappeared (undated)
Letter from Sithamparappillai to President JVP dated 10th January 1997
Letter from Ministry of Defense dated somewhere in 1997
Letter from Ministry of Defense dated 11th January 1997
Letter from Ministry of Defense dated 9th May 1997
Letter from Additional GA, Jaffna dated 10th April 1997
Letter from Additional GA, Jaffna dated 15th April 1997
Letter from Nageswary to Ministry of Defense dated 2nd June 1997
Letter from Additional GA, Jaffna dated 11th June 1997
Letter from Amnesty International UK dated 16th June 1997
Letter from International Committee of the Red Cross dated 4th August 1997
Letter from Divisional Secretary, Chavakachcheri dated 19th June 1998
Letter from Police station, Chavakachcheri dated 12th October 1998
Affidavit of Sithamparappillai dated 8th March 1999
Letter from Ministry of Defense dated 11th November 1999
Unreadable letter in Sinhala dated 27th April 2001
Letter from Forum for Human Dignity dated 16th October 2002
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka dated 21st May 2003
Letter from the Inquiry Committee on Missing Persons dated 31st October 2003
Summons from Magistrate Courts, Chavakachcheri on a Habeas Corpus application dated 6th June 2004
Letter from Sithamparappillai to Grama Seva Officer J/297 dated 2nd June 2004
Unreadable Sinhala letter dated 26th November 2008
Missing Persons Association membership dated 16th October 2013
Letter from the Presidential Commission to investigate into complaints regarding missing persons dated 01st January 2014
Interim relief to be provided to
Father Sabapathy Sithamparappillai (ID 502025414V) Phone 0774113476
Mother Sinnathamby Nageswary
Brother Sithamparappillai Jayanthiran Phone 0778258718
All of Kaithady Navatkuli South, Kaithady, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
6
Missing person: Ramesh ரேமஸ
Name of father: Selliah Ganesh ெசல்ைலயகேணஸ
Name of mother: Kiddinar Ledchumy கிட்�ணஇலட்�ம
Date of birth: 23rd April 1971
Identity Card No. 71141758V
Birth Certificate Number: 2589
Occurrence in brief:
Missing from 19th July 1996.
Missing at Kovilakandy
At about 1100 hours in the morning, Ramesh, (a fisherman usually reaching the fishing grounds in his own country boat rowing) was sleeping. His wife Malini was cooking in addition to taking care of her only daughter Tharmila. Neighbours were talking about the round-up by the army in Maravanpulavu, the hamlet east of Kaithady, Navatkuly. Malini heard that men were being taken away by the army.
The army came to the house of Ramesh and asked all in the house to assemble at the Kovilakandy Mahaluxumy School. The army had asked others in the neighbouring houses also to reach Mahaluxumy school.
Ramesh and Malini carrying Tharmila crossed the paddy fields towards the north walking the 1 km distance and reached the school to find almost all the families of Kaithady, Navatkuli South area inside the school. There was a crowd of more than 100 persons.
Army asked them to gender-segregate. Females were asked to line up for screening. Women moved in a row towards the A32 roadside gate of the school and exited to the road. They waited for the men to be released.
Men were moving towards the gate in another row. Malini saw Ramesh in the row. That was the last time Malini and Tharmila saw Ramesh. Elderly men came out of the gate in batches. Younger men did not show up. Few younger men also came. Women were told that these younger men were not identified by the informer helping the army.
Malini and Tharmila waited along the roadside until 1500 hours weeping, howling, hungry and thirsty, overloaded with misery. When women asked about their men, army men used mild force in trying to disperse the wailing women.
Malini walked back home to feed her daughter. Malini sought the help of her relatives near her home to take her by bicycle to Navatkuli where she was told that her husband was in custody. Relatives told her that the army was not issuing passes to travel outside the village and she will be risking her life if she violated army strictures.
On Saturday 20th morning, at 0700 hours, Malini took Tharmila on the bicycle of her father-in-law, Chelliah Ganesh to Navatkuli in search of her husband Ramesh. There was a large gathering of about 200 persons of the near and dear of those in custody, all from the villages of Thanankalappu, Maravanpulavu, Kaithady, Thachchanthoppu, and Navatkuli. A32 road at that point was blocked by the army. The crowd could not proceed further.
Army repeatedly informed the anxious crowd that the process of inquiry is going on and that all will be released after the inquiry. Malini, Tharmila, and Ganesh waited for many hours before returning home without any news of their beloved Ramesh.
Malini took Tharmila on the bicycle of her father-in-law, Chelliah Ganesh to Navatkuli again on Sunday, the 21st. Weeping and crying, Malini waited for many hours before returning home without any news about Ramesh.
On Monday the 22nd, Malini took Tharmila to the office of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) to formalize by recording that her husband Ramesh was missing.
Documents
The marriage certificate of Ramesh and Malini (married in 1993) was registered on 7th January 1995
Letter from Commander 512 Brigade dated 24th September 1996
Registration with Northern Province Guardian Association for persons arrested and disappeared (undated)
Registration with Jaffna District association for arrested and disappeared persons (undated)
Letter from Ministry of Defense dated 17thJanuary 1997
Letter from Amnesty International, Netherlands dated 29th January 1998
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka dated 9th October 1998
Complaint with Chavakchcheri Police Station dated 10th October 1998
Letter from the Inquiry Committee on Missing Persons dated 31st October 2003
Letter from Grama Sevaka Officer J/297 dated 10th May 2004
Letter from the Presidential Commission to investigate into complaints regarding missing persons dated 11thDecember 2014
Interim Relief to be provided to
Wife Malini Ramesh, ID 756403494V, Phone 0776470353
Daughter Tharmila aged 21 years
All of Kaithady, Navatkuly South, Kaithady, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
7
Missing person: Sivakumar சிவமார
Name of father: Kathiran Sinnathamby கதிரன சின்னத்தம
Name of mother: Vinayakar Sivakolunthu விநாயகர சிவக்ெகா�ந
Date of birth: 27 September 1965
Occurrence in brief:
Missing from: 19 July 1996
Missing at Thachchanthoppu
On Friday at about 0930 hrs Army men came to the house at Velampirai Amman Koil Road, through the front gate and through the fencing of the backyard. Army men instructed all the four in the family, Sinnathamby, Sivakolunthu, Sivakumar, and Viyaja to assemble at the office of the Grama Sabhai, situated 500 m away at the A32 Kerathivu Road. Since Sivakolunthu was aged and sick she was exempted. Vijaya was carrying her baby and was 6th months pregnant. Army men did not care, insisting that she reaches their assembly point.
All three of them walked through the paddy fields and reached the assembly point at 1030 hours. As the family reached the assembly area, there was a big crowd of more than 150 persons.
Men from the army, navy, and the police were there. Policewomen were there. The crowd was gender-segregated with women sitting on the hot tar road. Men were inside the cooperative store building.
Women were sent for screening first. Few young women were detained. Many women were asked to proceed to their homes. Before leaving, Vijaya saw Sinnathamby and Sivakumar inside the men’s group. Thereafter Vijaya reached home.
Sinnathamby and Sivakumar were screened along with other men. Sivakumar was detained. Sinnathamby was asked to leave. Sinnathamby refused. He told the army men that Sivakumar is innocent. Nobody would head to his words. One army man told him that Sivakumar will be released after questioning.
It was lunchtime. Army, Navy, and police personnel had lunch at the front yard of the house situated opposite the assembly point. Neither detainees nor the others were given food or drink.
Sinnathamby helplessly walked towards the west with his relatives. Sinnathamy saw the army truck taking all the detainees at about 1400 hours.
Dumintha Kepitiwalana, the officer in charge of the Navatkuli army camp was there. Also his assistant Sunil was there. Sinnathamby had known them as they were frequent visitors to the area.
Sinnathamby went home. He took his bicycle and pedaled to reach Navatkuli at 1600 hrs. There was a mound ahead of the abandoned railway gate. The army had put up barricades and refused permission to go beyond. There was a big crowd of men women and children, sobbing, weeping, wailing, and crying helplessly waiting for their sons, daughter, husbands, wives, fathers, and mothers to be released. Sinnathamby was told by a few who were released that the detainees were blindfolded and handcuffed to be kept in custody inside the building of an abandoned grinding mill across the mound. Frustrated, Sinnathamby returned home as there was an after-dusk curfew.
Sinnathamy, Sivakolunthu, and Vijaya (in her 6th-month pregnancy) walked to the Navantkuli mound on 20th Saturday morning at 0800 hours to the mill area where captives were held. After a dawn to dusk meal-less stay at the area, they went back home at about 1800 hours.
The ordeal followed on Sunday the 21st for Sinnathamy, Sivakolunthu, and Vijaya (in her 6th-month pregnancy).
On Monday Sinnathamy, Sivakolunthu and Vijaya were issued with passes to go beyond Navatkuli. By that time, detainees had been taken away from the grinding mill building. Sinnathamby went to the office of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) to formalize by recording his missing son Sivakumar.
Documents
Marriage Certificate dated 3rd June 1990
Complaint with ICRC 109/157 dated 23rd July 1996
Letter by Vijaya to Government Agent Jaffna dated 29th July 1996
Letter from the Ministry of Defence dated 4th August 1997
Letter from the Grama Sevaka Officer Allarai J/322 dated 22nd October 1997
Letter from Guardian Association for persons arrested and disappeared dated 18th March 2002
Extract from Chavakachcheri Police Station dated20th March 2002
Letter from Center for Human Rights and Development re Anuradhapura High Court HCA/14/03 Jaffna HC/686/2003
Summons to Witness to give evidence at Chavakachcheri Magistrate Courts dated 27 November 2006
Letter from Mudiyappu Remedius Attorney at Law dated 31st May 2007
Letter unreadable in Sinhalese from Arnrathapura 27th November 2008
Letter from Parents Guardian Association for persons, civilians arrested by security forces in North dated 10th December 2009
Interim Relief to be provided to
Father Kathiravan Sinnathamby
Mother Vinayakar Sivakolunthu
Wife Vijaya (ID 665802760V) Phone 0774963677
Daughter Laxana 21st December 1996
All of 302 Temple Road, Nallur, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
8
Missing person: Sivarasa சிவராசா
Name of father: Sinnathamby Murugan சின்னத்தமகன
Date of birth: 2rd July 1943
Missing from 19th July 1996
Missing at Maravanpulavu
9
Missing person: Thangaththurai தங்கத்�
Name of father: Ramalingam Sivaguru இராமங்கசிவ
Name of mother: Manikkam Kunavathy மாணிக்கணவதி
Date of birth: 20th January 1976
Birth Certificate Number: 4826, serial number: 359955
Occurrence in brief:
Missing from 04th August 1996
Missing at Maravanpulavu
On 4th August 1996, at about 0600 hrs Thangathurai was returning after fishing prawns along with Sinnavan Thanabalasingham aged around 32 years from the Ariyalai lagoon. The catch was sorted out and sold to the fish trader Kanthasamy of Kovilakandy. With a small portion of the catch for home, Thangaththurai was heading towards home by cycle.
A force of more than 100 soldiers from the army, navy, and police caught Thangaththurai near Valliamman Koil, Maravanpulavu. His sister-in-law Nanthini saw what was happening. Nanthini protested and was told by the army that Thangaththurai had no identity document with him (as he had left his temporary identity card at home).
Nanthini came home after passing through two army check posts (Kovilakandy and Thachchanthoppu) and informed his father that the army was asking for his identity card. Sivaguru, his father took the identity card and went to Valliamman Koil area where he was told by the army that Thangaththurai had been taken to the camp of the army at Kovilakandy.
Sivaguru went to the Koivilakandy camp to see his son Thangaththurai being body lifted (as he was badly manhandled by the army and was unable to walk) into an army truck which headed east towards Chavakachcheri. Sivaguru went to the Chavakachcheri camp the next day on 5th where he was told that no one by that name was caught.
Documents
Report on the enforced or involuntary disappearance of a person (undated)
Letter from Institute of Human rights (undated)
Letter from Douglas Devananda MP dated 16th February 1997
Letter from Ministry of Defense dated 9th May 1997
Letter from Additional GA, Jaffna dated 11th June 1997
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka dated 6th October 1998
Letter from Divisional Secretary, Chavakachcheri dated 26th April 1999
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka dated 15th December 2003
Letter from the Inquiry Committee on Missing Persons dated 31st October 2003
Missing Persons Association membership dated 3rd December 2013
Letter from the Presidential Commission to investigate into complaints regarding missing persons dated 17th February 2014
Interim Relief to be provided to
Father Ramalingam Sivaguru (ID issued by the Army dated 07th January 1999)
Mother Manikkam Kunavathy
Brother Sivaguru Arumaiththurai, Phone 0779354262
All of Aiyanarkoilady, Navatkuli, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
10
Missing person: Tharumalingam தமங்க
Name of father: Vanniyar Seeniyar வன்னியசீனியர
Name of mother: Narasingham Achipillai நரசிங்கஆச்சிப்பிள
Date of birth: 21st February 1955
Identity Card No.: 550522543V
Occurrence in brief:
Missing from 19thJuly1996.
Missing at Maravanpulavu
Tharumalingam was residing at a rented house with his wife Santhanayaky and their two children, Nishanthan 6 years old, and Nitharsini 4 years old at Manatkadu Road, Maravanpulavu Centre. He was an electrician, employed by the Ceylon Electricity Board working at their Urumpirai depot.
On Friday, the 19th July 1996 at 0600 hours in the morning, neighbours of Tharumalingam were discussing the arrival of security forces for search, round-up, and arrest of almost all houses at Maravanpulavu. Tharumalingam decided to leave early by bicycle so that he could be at his workplace Urumpirai on time. He left around 0630 to 0700 hours.
At about 0800 hours men from the army, navy, and the police were seen all around the house of Tharumalingam. There were many of his immediate and far-off neighbours who had been rounded up by the security forces standing near his house. Army men asked him to join the assemblage. He went along with his children. His daughter had fallen sick the previous day and the army men did not heed to his appeal to consider the poor health of his little daughter. His house was searched. Nothing incriminating was found.
All those civilians who were rounded up were escorted by the army to the A32 Kerativu Road off the Banyan tree (a place called Aalady). Tharumalingam was met by his wife Santhanayaky among that crowd. Santhanayaky did not expect her husband there as Tharumalingam had left home early.
Santhanayaky saw Tharumalingam shivering and was visibly shaken up. Tharumalingam asked Santhanayaky to collect his bicycle from the army officer in charge. Later Tharumalingam was isolated from the crowd.
Along with few other men of his age group, Tharumalingam was taken to a house near the depleted building of the Rural Development Society. That was when Santhanayaky saw Tharumalingam last. Santhanayaky went home with the ailing daughter around 1500 hrs after a long tiresome thirsty and hungry wait in the hot sun in the paddy fields.
The next day, Saturday, the 20th, Santhanayaky went to Navatkuli along with her neighbours in search of her husband. Army men chased them away using mild force.
She went again on Sunday the 21st. Army men kept threatening the inquiring crowd of the near and dear of the persons in custody.
On Monday the 22nd, Santhanayaky went to the office of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) to formalize by recording that her husband Tharumalingam was missing.
Documents
Report (3pages) on the enforced or involuntary disappearance of a person (20th September 1998)
Affidavit by Santhanayaky dated 2nd January 2001
Letter from the Inquiry Committee on Missing Persons dated 31st October 2003
Application before the Chavakachcheri Magistrate Courts (case no. 21/2010) dated 4th November 2010
Affidavit by Santhanayaky dated 25th May 2011
Interim Relief to be provided to
Wife Santhanayaky Tharumalingam, ID 566873184, Phone 0771943094
Son Nishanthan, ID 893531289V, Phone 0772479365
Daughter Nitharsini, ID 917622639V, Phone 0774747648
All of College Road, Kantharodai, Chunnakam, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
11
Missing person: Thilakaratnam திலகரத்தின
Name of father: Anthony அந்ேதான
Name of mother: Saraswathy சரஸ்வத
Date of birth: 12 July 1974
Occurrence in brief:
Missing from 19 July 1996
Missing at Maravanpulavu
On Friday at about 1130 hrs when Thangaluxmy was feeding the 10-month-old son after having given the lunch to her husband Thilakaratnam. Their cadjan hut was encircled by the Army. Thilkaratnam came out of the hut. He was escorted towards A32 Kerativu Road.
Thangalumy was taken aback. She took her son, babe-in-arms, and followed her husband to the Banyan tree (a place called Aalaldy) along the A32 highway. When they reached Aaladi, after a 2 km walk through the paddy fields, they saw a big gathering of people, most of them relatives of Thangaluxmy. All of them sat in the hot sun in the open paddy fields around Aaladi.
Army segregated them into age groups and gender groups. Thillakaratnam was in the group of young men. Thangalumy and her babe-in-arms were in the women group. Initially, women were asked to line up in a queue. The row of women was screened before asking them to proceed south, towards the abandoned Rural Development Society building.
The group of young men was the next to follow for screening. Thangalumy saw Thilakaratnam in the row heading for screening. Later she saw Thilkaratnam being pushed bodily into an army truck. Thangalumy shouted that her husband was innocent. Army men told her that he will be let off after inquiry. Thangaluxmy witnessed the loading of many young men into the truck.
Older men were chased away. The truck proceeded towards the west. Thangalumy ran behind the truck howling and crying. She could not keep pace.
She walked back 2 km to her hut. She fed her son, clothed him, and proceeded to Navatkuli, riding pillion with her father Sellathurai. A crowd was waiting at the mound on A32 highway. None were allowed beyond the barricade at the mound. Thangaluxmy was told by the others that all captives were inside the compound of an abandoned paddy grinding mill. Sellathurai, Thangaluxmmy, and her babe-in-arms waited until dusk to be told by the army that the captives will be released after inquiry.
After informing the Grama Sevaka Office J/297, Sabanthan, Thangaluxmy cycled herself on 20th Saturday to the mill area where captives were held. After a dawn to dusk meal-less stay at the area, they went back home.
The ordeal followed on Sunday the 21st. However, the captives were not in the area. Late in the evening army started issuing passes to cross that point to go further.
On Monday Thangaluxmy with her babe-in-arms by public van to Kopay Police Station and lodged a complaint. From there she went to the office of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) to formalize by the recording of their missing husband Thilakaratnam.
Documents
Letter Major General Janaka Perera, HQ 51st Division dated 6 November 1996
Letter from Amnesty International Asia Pacific Region dated 13th June 1997
Extract of Complaint at the Chavakachcheri Police Station dated 11th October 1998
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka dated 30th December 2002
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka dated 12th June 2003
Letter from the Inquiry Committee on Missing Persons dated 31st October 2003
Letter confirming missing from the Inquiry Committee on Missing Persons dated 31st October 2003
Interim Relief to be provided to
Wife Thangaluxmy (ID 746493517V) Phone 0779423481
Son Thushyanthan was born 18th October 1995
All of Kaithady Navatkuli South, Kaithady, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
12
Missing person: Kodeeswaran ேகாஸ்வர
Name of father: Kanapathipillai Arasamudi கணபதிப்பிள்அரச�
Name of mother: Kiddinar Manonmany கிட்�ணமேனான்மன
Date of birth: 29 September 1967
ID 6727323014V
Occurrence in brief:
Missing from 4th August 1996
Missing at Navatkuli
On 04 August 1996 Sunday at 0700 hours, Kodeeswaran being a fish merchant, left home in his motorcycle to purchase fish at Velanai 28 to 30 km away. Another fish trader, a neighbor of Kodeeswaran, Ilyathamby Kanthasamy, aged around 45 years at that time, also left home around the same time riding his motorcycle to Jaffna. 0
At 0730 hours army men came to the house of Kodeeswaran. They asked the wife of Kodeeswaran Eswary to proceed towards Koilakandy. She protested. She had a 7-month-old babe-in-arms. Army men wouldn’t listen.
So she took her two older sons carrying the babe-in-arms and walked north towards Koilakandy. In the midst of the paddy fields, alongside the road was a temple for Sivan. Army trucks with men were there. There were about 100 persons from the village of Eswary, most of them were women and aged men. All of them were screened. None were detained.
Eswary and her children walked back to reach home around 1300 hours. Around 1400 hours, the fish trader who went to Jaffna along with Kodeeswaran knocked on the door of Eswary to inform her that Kodeswaran had been detained near Navatkuli junction.
An army-check point was ahead of the A32 road mound at Navatkuli. Just before the army-check point was a grinding mill, named Pillaiyaar mill.
Kanthasamy and Kodeeswaran were detained by the army in front of the Pillayaar mill along with many others around 0730 hours in the morning. All of them were questioned and screened. Some were detained. Some were released. Kanthasamy was one among the released. Kodeeswaran was one among the detained.
When Eswary heard this, she was agitated. She went to her father Jegarasah to inform him of the detention. Both decided to go to Navatkuli on the bicycle. Carrying the babe-in-arms with her, Eswary rode in pillion and Jegarasah pedaled. They reached Navatkuli around 1500 hours. They passed the Pillayar mill, passed the army checkpoint, climbed the mound, and was descending the mound when they saw Kodeeswaran blindfolded and hand-tied inside a house on their left.
Eswary saw Kodeeswaran through the window standing alone. She jumped off the bicycle and hailed. She shouted and cried. Jegarasah begged the army men to release the father of three children and the husband of a young wife.
Army men went to hit Jegarasah with coconut leaf stem. Eswary intervened and pulled her father back. By that time, Rasapoopathy, the elder sister of Kodesswaran also came in. She also hailed at her brother. Kodeeswaran did not respond.
Army men chased the family away. They looked around and saw the motor bicycle of Kodeeswaran abandoned inside the building of an abandoned grinding mill opposite the detention center.
They bicycled back home before the after-dusk curfew.
The next day, Jegarasah, Eswary with her babe-in-arms, and Rasapoopathy went to Navatkuli. They did not see Kodeeswaran. They spoke to the army men. Army men told the family that Kodeeswaran had been transferred to Kankesanthurai.
The family returned home dissipated. Eswary began her hunt for her beloved husband. She went to Kopay Police station to lodge a complaint. She went to the ICRC office to register.
Documents
Certificate of Marriage dated 9th September 1986
List from Guardian Association for persons arrested and disappeared (undated)
Filled up a form from the Guardian Association for persons arrested and disappeared (undated)
Letter from the Presidential Secretariat dated 17th October 1996
Letter from ICRC dated 19th December 1996
Letter from Douglas Devananda M. P. dated 20th February 1997
Letter from Revacliyar dated 20th August 1997
Letter from ICRC dated 20th August 1997
Letter from Police station, Chavakachcheri dated 10th October 1998
Letter from the Ministry of Defence dated 11th November 1999
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka dated 12th January 2003
Letter from Jaffna Diocesan Human Development Centre dated 6th June 2003
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka dated 30th December 2003
Letter from the Inquiry Committee on Missing Persons dated 31st October 2003
Letter from the District Secretariat dated 17th March 2004
Letter from the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, Jaffna Branch dated 5th November 2006
Letter from the Presidential Commission to investigate into complaints regarding missing persons dated 01st January 2014
Interim Relief to be provided to
Wife Eswary Kodeswaran ID 687041755V Phone 0779597982
Son Susiharan 27 yeard old
Son Vijitharan 25 years old Phone 0779919551
Son Jeyamohan 20 years old
All of Kaithady Navatkuli South, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
13
Missing person: Ilankainayagam திலகரத்தின
Name of father: Aiyampillai Sivarasa அந்ேதான
Name of mother: Sinnathurai Puvaneswary சரஸ்வத
Date of birth: 27 March 1977
Occurrence in brief:
Missing from 03 October 1996
Missing at Thannkalappu
On 3rd October 1996 at about 1000 hrs Ilankanaykam was arrested at Thanankalappu Road by the army when he was bicycling to work as a tinkerer at the shop of Ponnusamy at Kachchai Road, Chavakachcheri town.
Sivarasa, the father came home after visiting his relatives at Jaffna at 1600 hours. Ilankanayagam had not returned home. Because of the tense situation and after-dusk curfew, Ilankainayakam used to return home daily before 1630 hours.
His employer Ponnusamy who lived in the neighbourhood had returned home by that time. Sivarasa enquired Ponnusamy. Ponnusamy said that Ilankainayagam did not report for work in the morning or thereafter.
Sivarasa went to the Thanankalappu checkpoint along with Ponnusamy in search of his son. They refused to allow them to pass the point. They came back home.
Sivarasa left early in the morning to Thanankalappu checkpoint, spoke in the Singhalese language, and obtained permission to proceed to Chavakachcheri. Sivarasa went to the army base next to the bus stand where detainees were kept.
Sivarasa saw the bicycle of his son Ilangainayagam parked by the side of the mango tree in the front yard of the base. Even his bag was on the bicycle. Sivarasa went to the Commander of the base Alwis to enquire. He said no such person was brought to the base. Sivarasa mentioned that the bicycle of his son was in the front yard. By the time both came to the front yard, the bicycle had disappeared.
Thereafter disappointed Sivarasa went to the Town Commander with a complaint. To this day he had not heard about his son Ilankainayagam
Documents
Letter to the Town Commander, Chavakachcheri, dated 4th October 1996
Letter to ICRC Jaffna dated 14th October 1996
Letter to Major General Janaka Perera, Army HQ, Jaffna dated 21st October 1996
Letter the Coordinating Officer, Chavakachcheri Battalion dated 21st October 1996
Letter from Major General Janak Perera, HQ 51st Division, Achchelu, Siruppiddy dated 9th November 1996
Letter from L P Balagalle Major General GOC 51st Division dated 4th January 1997
Membership in Human Dignity Forum dated11th January 1997
Letter from the Ministry of Defence dated 17th January 1997
Letter from the Ministry of Defence dated 9th May 1997
Letter from the Ministry of Defence dated 3rd June 1997
Letter from Bishops House, Jaffna dated 10th June 1997
Letter from the Government Agent Jaffna dated 11th June 1996
Letter from Douglas Devananda MP dated 30th December 1997
Letter from Guardian Association for Persons Arrested and Disappeared dated 31st December 1997
Letter to Civil Affairs Officer dated 19th April 1998
Letter from Guardian Association for Persons Arrested and Disappeared dated 20th April 1997
Report on the enforced or involuntary Disappearance of a Person dated7th October 1998
Extract from Chavakachcheri Police Station dated 8th October 1998
Letter to Divisional Secretary, Chavakachcheri dated 11th November 1998
Affidavit dated 6th March 1999
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka dated 12th January 2003
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka dated 21st May 2003
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka dated 30th December 2003
Letter from the Inquiry Committee on Missing Persons dated 31st October 2003
Interim relief to be provided to
Father Aiyampillai Svarasa (ID 422872272V) Phone 0771017061
Mother Sinnathurai Puvaneswary (ID 488234196V)
All of Maravnpulavu West, Chavakachchei, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
14
Missing person: Karthipan கார்த்தி
Name of father: SankaranThambirasa சங்கரன்தம்பிர
Name of mother: Sinnappodian Rasamany சின்னப்ெபா�இராசமணி
Date of birth: 20th May 1982
Identity Card No.: 821411092V
Occurrence in brief:
Missing from 19th April 2008.
Missing at Kotahena, Colombo.
Karthipan was residing at a rented house with his wife Sukitha and his 3-year-old son Kevin North at Aluthmawaththa Road, Modara, Colombo 15. He had owned an auto-rikshaw. He was driving it for hirers.
On Saturday 19th April 2008, at 2030 hours after a tiresome day working for hirers, he had bought provisions for his home at a shop in Maliban Street, Fort area, when a white van came in front of the shop. Karthipan was body lifted by four to five men forcing the aggressively resisting Karthipan into the van. Auto-rickshaw was abandoned in front of the shop.
On Sunday the 20th morning, Sukitha went about searching for Karthipan as he had not returned home. She went to the Kotahena Police Station to complain to be told by the police of an abandoned auto-rickshaw along recovered from the Maliban Street in Fort area. Sukitha identified the auto-rickshaw as that of her husband. 4
She lodged a written complaint to the Kotahena police, (173/164 of 19th April 2008). She repeatedly went during the next few days to the Kotahena police station to be told again and again that the police had not taken Karthipan into custody.
Sukitha went to complain to the Human Rights Council of Sri Lanka (HRC 2066/08) on 21st April 2008.
Sukitha stayed at the rented residence at Aluthmawaththa Road, Modara, Colombo 15 for a month thereafter. Kotahena police handed back the auto-rickshaw to Sukitha.
Deprived of any income, Sukitha leased the auto-rickshaw to her relatives residing at Kotahena and came to Kaithady with her child to stay with her father-in-law Thambirasa for a year. She proceeded to stay with her mother at Madduvil, Chavakachcheri thereafter. Chavakachcheri Police Station invited her to the police station where they were registering the details of the missing persons.
Documents
Acknowledgment of complaint from Kotahena, Colombo Police Station, 19th April 2008
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka dated 21st April 2008
Unreadable Sinhala Letter from Chavakachcheri Police Station dated 28th June 2011
Interim Relief to be provided to
Father Sankaran Thambirasa (ID581592191V), Phone 0778435657
Mother Sinnappodian Rasamany
Wife Kanthasamay Sukitha
Brother Thanikaichelvan Thambirasa
All of Navapuram, Kaithady East, Kaithady, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
15
Missing person: Kugathas கதாஸ
Name of father: Sinnathamby Maharajah சின்னத்தமமகாராஜா
Name of mother: Vairavi Selvaranjani ைவரவி ெசல்வரஞ்ச
Date of birth: 25th January 1982
Identity Card No.: 820255194V
Birth Certificate Number: 8500, serial number 119714
Occurrence in brief:
Missing from 26th May 2008.
Missing at Ekkala and Negombo.
Kugathas was residing at a rented house with his wife Vijitha, son Loshitha along with the uncle of his wife V Sabaratnam and his son Pakeerathan at Peter Mendis Road, Negombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka. Kugathas was a freelance mason working with contractors on a daily wage basis. Uncle of his wife V Sabaratnam and his son Pakeerathan were also of similar vocations.
On 26th May 2008, Kugathas, Sabartanam, and Pakeerathan went to work with the same contractor as masons and had come back after a tiresome day as it has been their practice for the past year.
At around 2230 hrs on 26th May 2008, the door was knocked. When the door was opened, six men, four in police uniform and two in civilian clothing forcefully entered the house, took Kugathas and Pakeerathan to a white van parked in front of the house. They told Sabaratnam and his niece Vijitha (wife of Kugathas) that they were being taken for inquiry to the Negombo Police Station.
Sabaratnam informed Maharajah immediately (father of Kugathas) of the miserable happening. When Sabaratnam went to the Negombo Police Station early morning on 27th May 2008, both Kugathas and Pakeerathan were not there. Negombo police informed Sabaratnam that no such persons were brought to their station.
Sabaratnam and others who were near and dear to Kugathas and Pakeerathan, read in the morning newspapers that both were abducted in a white van by four uniformed men and two civilian clothed men. Three of these men spoke Tamil fluently.
At about 0400 hours early morning hand-cuff removed Pakeerathan was released on the roadside off the Ekkala army camp blindfolded. He reached the nearby Ja Ela Police Station from where he phoned his parents at Negombo. Sabaratnam went to the Ja Ela Police Station and brought home Pakeerathan.
Pakeerathan reported that the abductors were hand-cuffed and blindfolded both inside the van. After 5 hours inside the van, Pakeerathan was released. Whereabouts of Kugathas was not known. He is missing until this day.
Documents
Media reporting in Virakesari, Tamil daily dated 27th May 2008
Media reporting on several other dailies (undated)
Complaint to the Peoples Vigilance Committee, Negombo by V Sabaratnam, uncle of Kugathas’s wife dated 27th November 2008
Registration with Human Rights Centre, 42 Skelton Road, Colombo 5 dated 13th February 2009
Unreadable Sinhala Letter from Chavakachcheri Police Station dated 23rd June 2011
Letter from Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, Jaffna branch dated 20thApril 2012
Letter to Hon Minister Reginald Cooray dated 26th August 2013
Interim relief to be provided to
Wife Vijitha Kugathas
Son Loshitha aged 6 years
Father Vinasy Sinnathamby, ID. 560402449, Phone 0776965443
Mother Vairavi Selvaranjani
All of Navapuram, Kaithady North, Kaithady, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
16
Missing person: Nagasothy நாகேசாத
Name of father: Sebastiampillai Mariathas ெசபஸ்தியாம்ப மரியதா
Name of mother: Sinnathamby Ponnarasi சின்னத்ெபான்னர
Date of birth: 28 March 1972
Occurrence in brief:
October 2008, the Family of Mariathas was at Vavuniya. A cousin of Ponnarasi names Malar was living with her husband Kumar at Konavil, Kilinochchi. Kilinochchi was not under the direct control of the Colombo government. A checkpoint at Omanthai separated the authoritative control of Kilinochchi.
Kumar asked Mariathas to send their son Nagasothy to help them in the farmland. Mariathas obliged. Nagasothy went to Konavil at Kilinochchi to support Kumar during the sowing season.
After few weeks he left Konavil and headed towards Vavuniya. He crossed the Omanthai check post with his friends. During the screening, Nagasothy was taken for questioning.
His friends who traveled with him told the awaiting family at Vauvniya about the detention of Nagasothy at Omanthai. Thereafter nothing was heard of Nagasothy.
Mariathas tried to reach the army. They were preoccupied with the war at Vanni. They complained to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka. Nagasothy is missing since then.
Documents
Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka HRL/V/MP/877109
Interim Relief to be provided to
Moher Ponnarasi Mariathas ID 483500758V Phone 0770878121
Son Peter Mariathas
Daughter Francisca
Son Ruban
All of Aiyanarkoilady, Navatkili, Jaffna District, Sri Lanka.
12. E & E O E
These recordings were made by Maravanpualavu K. Sachithananthan. Typo and other errors might have crept in. He takes responsibility for any of his careless renderings. The witnesses are entitled for their versions and are not bound by these statements. The witnesses are willing to appear before an inquiry with the documents they possess, having preserved them through large-scale internal displacements. For a copy of the digital version please contact Maravanpulavu K. Sachithananthan.
email: tamilnool@gmail.com, phone 0094 772754864
