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SRI LANKA: List of some abducted persons for the last one year

February 26, 2007

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ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

26 February 2007
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UA-063-2007: SRI LANKA: List of some abducted persons for the last one year

SRI LANKA: Abduction; forced disappearance; collapse of the rule of law
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) forwards below a list of persons recently abducted in Sri Lanka, based on a report issued by the Civil Monitoring Mission on February 7, 2007.

The names of persons abducted are follows. The full report of the Civil Monitoring Commission is available at http://srilankahr.net/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=161&cid=7.  


LIST OF PERSONS ABDUCTED:

1. Satsothi Soruban (age 44), abducted at Manning Place Wellawatte Colombo 06 on 1st February, 2007 at 7PM.

2. Palanisamy Suresh (age 28) abducted from his home at N0.43/35 Bonjan Street Kotahena Colombo on 1st February, 2007.

3. Yogaraj Madanraj (age 26) was arrested by Colombo north's Kotahena police on 28th, January, 2007, subsequently cleared of any unlawful connections and released on 30th January, 2007 when he was picked up by men who came in a white color van within 100 yards from the Kotahena police station.

4. Nadaraja Vijayakumar (age 55), abducted by armed men in a white color van near Perera lane Wellawatte Colombo 06 on 31st January, 2007.

5. Rashan Savarimuthu (age 15), a school student went missing on 11 th January, 2007 and was released one week later.

6. Two brothers S.N. Ketheeswaran (age 31) and S.N. Kanapathy Nadar (age 27) were abducted by unknown persons on 10th January, 2007.

7. Selladorai Devendran alias Vijayan (age 53) of was forcefully taken by armed men from his home at Aluthmawatha Road, Colombo on 9th January 2007. He was released on 10th January, 2007.

8. Sivasubramaniyam Sridhran (age 25) and M.Suvendran (age 24) both of Garment watte, Karande, Puttalam were taken by armed men from their home on 9th January, 2007

9. Kandhasamy Soundrakumar (age 27) was abducted on 8th January, 2007 in Wellawatte Colombo 06.

10. Selavarasa Madhi, of No.12, St Marys Road Mattakuliya Colombo-15 was abducted near his home on 8th January, 2007.

11. Thomas Jesudason (age 37) was abducted near the Galpotha street junction in Colombo 13 on 7th January, 2007.

12. Vairamuthu Varadarasan ( age 40), a Tamil person residing at Stadium Gama Colombo 14, was last seen near his place of residence on 7th January, 2007.

13. Thangavelu Mayooran (age 23), a Tamil youth employed at a Communication centre on Galle Road Wellawatte, Colombo 06 was abducted by persons identifying themselves as CID officers from his work place on 22nd December, 2006.

14. Professor Sinnathamby Raveendranath (age 55), Vice Chancellor of Eastern University, Batticaloa, eastern province has disappeared in Colombo on 15th December, 2006.

15. Thirunavukarasu Puvaneshwaran (age 55), a Tamil businessman was abducted from his business premises at 147 Kumarathunga Mawatha, Matara, Southern Province on Thursday 14th December, 2006.

16. Puvaneshwaran a resident of Matara was taken by two persons posing as police officers. Puvaneshwaran was released on 28th December, 2007 by the abductors upon a ransom payment of Rs.15 million.

17. Maxie Bolton (age 43), a Tamil businessman was abducted near his business premises at Paramananda Vihara Mawatha, Colombo on Saturday 9th December, 2006.

18. Sandirasekaran Pradeepan (age 26), a Tamil youth working at a communication centre in Wellawatte, Colombo 06, missing since 16th November, 2006.

19. Nadarajah Raviraj (age 43), Tamil national Alliance's Member of Parliament for Jaffna District and member of Civil Monitoring Committee was shot and killed near his residence at Elvitigala Mawatha, Narahenpita, Colombo on 10th November, 2006.

20. Arokyarani (age 48) a Tamil woman, was shot and killed at Manning place, Off Galle Road, Wellawatte, Colombo 06 by unidentified gunmen on 1st November, 2006.

21. Marimuthu Sivamani (age 55), abducted on 30th October, 2006, two days after his abduction he was released by his abductors at Panchikawatte junction,central Colombo. Sivamani had been subjected to torture by the abductors demanding ransom money.

22. Sathivel Thyagaraja (age 25), missing since 28th October, 2006.

23. Maheshwara Deepan (age 25) abducted in a white van on 20th October.

24. Thirukeshwary Vigneshwaran (age 30) and her husband David Vigneshwaran (age 35) were abducted in the early morning of 19th October, 2006. Their dead bodies with gunshot injuries were found on the same day morning.

25. Regie Balananthan Bonaventhoor (age 30) was abducted near his residence at Aluthmawatha Road, Colombo 15 on 19th October, 2006. His body with gun shot injuries was later found near a road side culvert, Walpola, Ragama, north of Colombo.

26. Jayawardenage Jeyarajah (age 46) a Tamil person married to a Sinhalese has been missing since 19th October, 2006.

27. Shan George (age 15), a student was abducted near his residence at Church Street, Colombo 15 on 17th October, 2006. Later on 1st November, 2006 Shan was released by the abductors.

28. Warnakulasooriya Nimal (age 29) was abducted from Thusara Avenue, Kudapaduwa, Negombo, north of Colombo on 7th October, 2006. His body was found at Katana the following day.

29. Venerable Janarthanan Bala Jegadeeshwara Gurukkal (age 27) a Hindu priest was abducted on 14th October, 2006 at the public central bus station, Pettah and released on 16th October, 2006 at the Gas-Paha junction, Pettah after being interrogated and tortured.

30. Edward Reginold Jesudasan (age 30), an executive of Union Assurance was abducted on 1st September, 2006. His badly tortured body was found near Kelaninadhi Temple
(Viharaya) Ferguson Rd Colombo 14.

31. Ms. Thavarajah Thavamani was abducted on the mornings of 1st September, 2006 at Vivekananda Rd Wellawatte, Colombo 06. She was released by her captors on the same day at 10:30 p.m. in Kirulapone, Colombo.

32. Nadarajah Manivannan (age 28) was shot dead near his shop, Sennan Groceries Chitra Lane Colombo 05 on 2nd September, 2006 by armed men who came on a motor cycle.

33. W.M.Suriyakumar (age 26), a businessman who owned a communication centre was abducted at Subadhidharama Rd Dehiwela, south of Colombo on 9th September, 2006. Suriyakumar's body was found in a paddy field at Kelaniya the following day.

34. Egamabaram Palaniraja (age 60), his son Balasaravanan Palaniraja (age 23) and employee Ganesan Muhundan (age 21) were abducted on 12th September along with their Nissan vehicle. Two days later on 14th September, 2006, only Palaniraja was released in Kadiraveli, Polonaruwa. He was released to arrange ransom money for the release of his son and employee who were held back. They were later released on 23 rd September, 2006 at Kadiraveli, Polonaruwa.

35. Rathnasingham Jegan Thanabal (age 27) a final year engineering student at Moratuwa University, Katubedda south of Colombo has been missing since 13th September, 2006.

36. Thirulogarasa Prabakaran (age 30) abducted from his residence on 15th September, 2006 and has been missing since then.

37. Murugesu Gunalan (age 63) a registered medical officer was abducted on 17th September, 2006 at Kotahena, Colombo 13. Gunalan was released in Dambulla town two days later after reportedly paying ransom money.

38. Thamodaran Mahendran (age 43) and Subramaniyam Paramasivam (age 40) both of 6th division, Udappu were abducted by armed persons who came in a white color van on 26th, September, 2006.

39. Ramiah Subramaniyam, (age 30) holder of NIC# 762064227V a carpenter who was working at Delkanda, south of Colombo has been missing since 26th September, 2006.

40. Sathasivam Kumarasamy, of Jampettah Street, Kotahena, Colombo 13 was abducted by armed men in a white color van during the day time of 28th September, 2006 at Hini Appuhamy Mawatha Colombo 13. Subsequently Kumarasamy was released in Borella, Colombo 08 on the 29th.

41. Manickam Easwaran (age 30) owner of Hotel Sri Abirami Vilas at 283, Negombo Road, Wattala, north of Colombo was abducted by Sinhala speaking men who came in a white van on 17th August, 2006. He remains missing despite his family paying the ransome demanded.

42. Mahalingam Suppiah (age 44) resident of No.60/121B, Wadullawatte, Wellampitiya, Colombo suburb has been missing since 20th August, 2006.

43. Shanmuganathan Manivannan (28) was abducted from his shop Shan Video at #44 Kotahena St Colombo 13 by armed men on 21st August, 2006. He is missing since then.

44. Loganthirajah Komathy (age 36), was abducted from her residence at Rathmalana, south of Colombo, on 22nd August, 2006. Employees of the same company Lal Premaratne (age 28) and his wife Mrs. Premaratne (age 25) are also reported missing since the same day evening. They were last seen leaving the office after work. All three are missing since then.

45. Gunasekaran Mahindan (age 24), Kandasamy Sridharan (age 24) and Ramakrishnan Rajkumar (age 21) were abducted by armed persons who came in a white color van on 23rd Aug, 2006t. All three are missing since then.

46. A businessman and politician belonging to Cabinet Minister Periyasami Chandrsekaran's party, Kunjupillai Sivakandan (age 34) was abducted from his business premises at Messenger St Colombo 12 on 23rd August, 2006 and remains missing.

47. A Video shop owner, Sellathamby Sellakumar (age 38) was abducted by armed persons on the night of 28 th August, 2006, 9-30 pm from his business premises at Thillaiyadi, Puttalam. Sellakumar and remains missing.

48, Nadarajah Guruparan (age 39), news manager of Sooriyan FM, Tamil Radio channel was abducted by armed men near his residence at Mt.Lavinia, south of Colombo, on 29th August, 2006. After certain interrogation Guruparan was released at Kohuwela, south of Colombo, early morning following day.

49. Selliah Premasiri and Sithamparapillai Satkunarasa who stayed at 270, Western Lodge Sea Street Colombo 11 have been missing since 5th July, 2006.

50. Ariyadasa Pushpadas was taken away from his house at 84, Vivekananda Hill Colombo 13 on 7th July, 2006 at 12 PM by persons identified themselves as CID officers and remains missing despite his mother identifying one of the abductors.

51. Muttiah Sathyaseelan (age 31), Muniyandi Sureshkumar (age 22) and Balakrishnan Ramar (age 24) were abducted by armed men on 11th July, 2006 from Sathyaseelan 's residence at Wataravum Mill Road, Thillaiyadi, Puttalam. They remain missing.

52. S. Sriskandarajah and his driver Ramiah Jeyaraj (age 23) were abducted on 20th July, 2006. Both Sriskandarajah and his driver Jeyaraj are still missing.

53. In early June, 2006 five headless bodies of men were found in an estate area at Avissawella, 50 KM away from Colombo. Later upon DNA tests, two bodies were found to be of two Tamil persons, who had gone missing since May, 2006 who were last seen at Amour Street, Colombo. The two identified are Sivasamy Sukumar (age 40), a three wheeler driver, resident of Paradise place, Amour St, Colombo 12 and Mahalingam Narendrakumar (age 31) , a businessman, and resident of Telangapatha Rd, Wattala, north of Colombo. The identities of other three bodies are not confirmed but widely presumed as of missing Tamils.

54. Vinasithambi Chelvanayagam, a corporal in the Sri Lanka army has gone missing since 2nd May, 2006.

55. Irudhayasamy Francis (age 34) was abducted by persons came in a white color van on 26th May, 2006 near Vivekananda College Vivekananda Hill Colombo 13.

56. Sivarajah Sivagethran and Sivalingam Barathan worked at a automobile garage at Bathia Mawatha, Kalubowila, Dehiwela, south of Colombo have been missing since 16th April, 2006.

57. Sivarajah Haran (age 22) was abducted from  #8, Station Rd, Colombo 06 on 26th April, 2006. Haran, he is missing since then.

58. Selavanayagam Shganthikumar (age 26) was abducted at Peradeniya, Kandy on 13th March, 2006 and remains missing.

59. Vadivelu Anandasiva was abducted at Alexandra Road, Wellawatte, Colombo 06 on 8th February, 2006 at 7 PM by armed men. Two of the abductors were in police uniform and others were in civil attire. Abductors released Anandasiva on 10th February, 2006 near Kanatte, Borella, Colombo 08 upon the collection of ransom money.


SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please write to the following Sri Lankan authorities urging them to do their utmost to find the persons who have disappeared and to conduct inquiries about the abductions and disappearances and to declare openly its policy to stop abductions, disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

To support this appeal, please click:

Sample letter:

Dear _________,

SRI LANKA: Please take immediate action to stop the ongoing forced disappearance and extra-judicial killings

I have seen with shock a list of about 75 persons abducted, disappeared and extra-judicially killed for the last one year in Sri Lanka.

I am given to understand that this list of about 75 persons is only a part of a much larger number who have faced similar fates. Whatever be the alleged political backgrounds of these persons they are all entitled to the protection of society and the state.

Since abductions have become the mode of arrest it can be presumed that whatever has happened has happened after arrest. It is one of the most basic norms of the rule of law that once a person is arrested, such a person should have the protection of the law and whatever action taken against should be according to the due process of law.  However, I am also aware that in Sri Lanka many persons have been subjected to torture and have later disappeared after arrest. This naturally increases the apprehension that these arrested persons may have also suffered the same fate.

I am not aware that the president of Sri Lanka or any authority in the country declaring openly that abductions, disappearances and extra-judicial killings should stop. It is the duty of a head of state to make that statement clearly and thereby express the determination to uphold the rule of law and to conduct the affairs of the state within the framework of the due process of law. To do otherwise is not only to destroy the lives and liberties of people and their families but also the fabric of the legal and democratic system. If the state is undermined by the political leaders themselves but by not strongly stating the need to uphold the basic laws and to avoid crimes such as abductions disappearances and extra-judicial killings such political leaders also undermine themselves.

Sri Lanka is also reputed to be suffering from an exceptional collapse of the rule of law. Under these circumstances I urge the president of Sri Lanka and all the leading members of the government and opposition to openly declare their opposition to such acts and take appropriate measures to stop them. I also urge that immediate action be taken to locate the persons who have been abducted and to inform the families of their whereabouts. These families have a right for treatment of trauma and an authority should be established to deal with trauma arising out of such terrible events.

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka also owes an obligation to push for an authority to deal with investigations into abductions, disappearances and extrajudicial killings and also to provide psychological and other assistance to persons who are suffering from such tragedies.

I strongly request you to take immediate and proper action to stop the ongoing forced disappearance and extra-judicial killings in your country.

Yours truly,


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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse
President
Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka
C/- Office of the President
Temple Trees
150, Galle Road
Colombo 3
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2472100 / +94 11 2446657
Email: secretary@presidentsoffice.lk

2. Mr. Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
Prime Minister
Temple Trees
Galle Road, Colombo 03
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 575317-8 or 370 737-8
Fax: +94 11 2 575454

3. Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa
Minister
Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order
15/5, Baladaksha Mawatha,
Colombo 03,
Sri Lanka.
Tel: 94-11 2 430860-9, 430878-9 or 435879 (for the secretary)
Fax: 94 11 2 446300 or 421529
E-mail: secdef@sltnet.lk

4. Mr. K. C. Kamalasabesan
Attorney General
Attorney General's Department
Colombo 12
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 436421
Email: attorney@sri.lanka.net 

5. Mr. Victor Perera
Inspector General of Police
New Secretariat
Colombo 1
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 440440/327877
E-mail: igp@police.lk 

6. Secretary
Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka
No. 36, Kynsey Road
Colombo 8
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 694 925 / 673 806
Fax: +94 11 2 694 924 / 696 470
E-mail: sechrc@sltnet.lk 

Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)


Document Type :
Urgent Appeal Case
Document ID :
UA-063-2007
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Extended Introduction: Urgent Appeals, theory and practice

A need for dialogue

Many people across Asia are frustrated by the widespread lack of respect for human rights in their countries.  Some may be unhappy about the limitations on the freedom of expression or restrictions on privacy, while some are affected by police brutality and military killings.  Many others are frustrated with the absence of rights on labour issues, the environment, gender and the like. 

Yet the expression of this frustration tends to stay firmly in the private sphere.  People complain among friends and family and within their social circles, but often on a low profile basis. This kind of public discourse is not usually an effective measure of the situation in a country because it is so hard to monitor. 

Though the media may cover the issues in a broad manner they rarely broadcast the private fears and anxieties of the average person.  And along with censorship – a common blight in Asia – there is also often a conscious attempt in the media to reflect a positive or at least sober mood at home, where expressions of domestic malcontent are discouraged as unfashionably unpatriotic. Talking about issues like torture is rarely encouraged in the public realm.

There may also be unwritten, possibly unconscious social taboos that stop the public reflection of private grievances.  Where authoritarian control is tight, sophisticated strategies are put into play by equally sophisticated media practices to keep complaints out of the public space, sometimes very subtly.  In other places an inner consensus is influenced by the privileged section of a society, which can control social expression of those less fortunate.  Moral and ethical qualms can also be an obstacle.

In this way, causes for complaint go unaddressed, un-discussed and unresolved and oppression in its many forms, self perpetuates.  For any action to arise out of private frustration, people need ways to get these issues into the public sphere.

Changing society

In the past bridging this gap was a formidable task; it relied on channels of public expression that required money and were therefore controlled by investors.  Printing presses were expensive, which blocked the gate to expression to anyone without money.  Except in times of revolution the media in Asia has tended to serve the well-off and sideline or misrepresent the poor.

Still, thanks to the IT revolution it is now possible to communicate with large audiences at little cost.  In this situation there is a real avenue for taking issues from private to public, regardless of the class or caste of the individual.

Practical action

The AHRC Urgent Appeals system was created to give a voice to those affected by human rights violations, and by doing so, to create a network of support and open avenues for action.  If X’s freedom of expression is denied, if Y is tortured by someone in power or if Z finds his or her labour rights abused, the incident can be swiftly and effectively broadcast and dealt with. The resulting solidarity can lead to action, resolution and change. And as more people understand their rights and follow suit, as the human rights consciousness grows, change happens faster. The Internet has become one of the human rights community’s most powerful tools.   

At the core of the Urgent Appeals Program is the recording of human rights violations at a grass roots level with objectivity, sympathy and competence. Our information is firstly gathered on the ground, close to the victim of the violation, and is then broadcast by a team of advocates, who can apply decades of experience in the field and a working knowledge of the international human rights arena. The flow of information – due to domestic restrictions – often goes from the source and out to the international community via our program, which then builds a pressure for action that steadily makes its way back to the source through his or her own government.   However these cases in bulk create a narrative – and this is most important aspect of our program. As noted by Sri Lankan human rights lawyer and director of the Asian Human Rights Commission, Basil Fernando:

"The urgent appeal introduces narrative as the driving force for social change. This idea was well expressed in the film Amistad, regarding the issue of slavery. The old man in the film, former president and lawyer, states that to resolve this historical problem it is very essential to know the narrative of the people. It was on this basis that a court case is conducted later. The AHRC establishes the narrative of human rights violations through the urgent appeals. If the narrative is right, the organisation will be doing all right."

Patterns start to emerge as violations are documented across the continent, allowing us to take a more authoritative, systemic response, and to pinpoint the systems within each country that are breaking down. This way we are able to discover and explain why and how violations take place, and how they can most effectively be addressed. On this path, larger audiences have opened up to us and become involved: international NGOs and think tanks, national human rights commissions and United Nations bodies.  The program and its coordinators have become a well-used tool for the international media and for human rights education programs. All this helps pave the way for radical reforms to improve, protect and to promote human rights in the region.