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SRI LANKA: Atrocities in Sri Lanka: list of victims who were killed, arrested and disappeared since 2006

March 9, 2007

URGENT APPEAL URGENT APPEAL URGENT APPEAL URGENT APPEAL

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION- URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal

9 March 2007
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UA-077-2007: SRI LANKA: Atrocities in Sri Lanka: list of victims who were killed, arrested and disappeared since 2006

SRI LANKA: extrajudicial killings; arbitrary arrests; disappearance; violence in Sri Lanka
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is calling your attention to the following list of the people who have been allegedly killed, arrested and abducted since January 2006 in Sri Lanka. We have received the information from reliable source of Sri Lanka, however the identity of this source cannot be revealed for security reasons. Many cases remain unreported. It is estimated that the actual number of killings, arrest, and abduction throughout the country will be much higher. The AHRC is concerned about the unabated abductions, disappearances, extra-judicial killings and other gross violation of human rights in the country.

To know more about the current situation regarding killings and disappearances in Sri Lanka, please see our recent urgent appeals and statements (See further: UA-063-2007; AS-041-2007; AS-029-2007; AS-027-2007; AS-025-2007)


LIST OF THE VICTIMS:

1. List of the victim killed, injured and arrested in Mannar District, North Eastern Province

Name  /  Age  /  Sex (M:Male / F:Female) /  Date of Incident  /  Alleged Perpetrator (Remarks)

Victims arrested:
1. Jesuthasan Kamalathasan, 24-year-old, Male, 17.01.2006, Security Forces

List of victims killed:
2. Thurairasa Ledchumy, 50-year-old, F, 13.04.2006, killed by Claymore mines
3. Muthurasa Jeyanthan, 22-year-old, M, 15.04.2006, killed by Deep Penetration Group with Claymore
4. Thampaiyah Jesurajah, 22-year-old, M, 22.04.2006, killed by Deep Penetration Group with Claymore
5. Yoganathan Sarvendran, 26-year-old, M, 22.04.2006, killed by Deep Penetration Group with Claymore
6. Gunaretnam Holden, 34-year-old, M, 28.04.2006, killed by Unidentified persons
7. Edwin Yogaraj, 32-year-old, M, 30.04.2006, killed by Unidentified persons
8. Sivagnanasundram Kalarani, 50-year-old, F, 02.05.2006, killed by Deep Penetration Group
9. Unknown, Unknown, M, 20.05.2006, killed by Deep Penetration Group
10. Rasaratnam Mohanraj, 29-year-old, M, 21.05.2006, killed by Deep Penetration Group
11. Chandran Linton Ajih, 17-year-old, M, 21.05.2006, killed by Deep Penetration Group
12. Jesuthasan Prince Croos, 38-year-old, M, 31.05.2006, killed by Unknown
13. Mohamed Hussain, 42-year-old, M, 03.06.2006, killed by Unidentified person with gun
14. P.Amarasehara, 42-year-old, M, 08.06.2006, killed by Deep Penetration Group with Claymore
15. Aloysius Rex Sasiharan, 28-year-old, M, 08.06.2006, killed by Deep Penetration Group with Claymore
16. Moorthy Martin, 35-year-old, M, 09.06.2006, killed by Unidentified person, wife also was raped and murdered with 2 children
17. Mary Magdelin (Martin's wife), 27-year-old, F, 09.06.2006, killed by Unidentified person
18. Martin Luxica (Martin's daughter), 9-year-old, F, 09.06.2006, killed by Unidentified person
19. Martin Deluxon (Martin's son), 7-year-old, M, 09.06.2006, killed by Unidentified person
20. Mary Clarammah Leela, 75-year-old, F, 17.06.2006, killed by Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
21. Jesuthasan Jude Nixson, 23-year-old, M, 17.06.2006, killed by Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
22. Cyrillappar St.Jude, 22-year-old, M, 17.06.2006, killed by Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
23. Durairaja Vijayakumar, 39-year-old, M, 17.06.2006, killed by Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
24. Kolalingam Linganathan, 20-year-old, M, 17.06.2006, killed by Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
25. Abdul Raheem Latheep, 28-year-old, M, 17.06.2006, killed by Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
26. Arulappu Ravikumar, 24-year-old, M, 30.06.2006, killed by Unidentified person
27. Ibrahim Ashikk, 35-year-old, M, 01.07.2006, killed by Unidentified person (Random shooting)
28. Sinthathurai Christy Anton, 38-year-old, M, 20.07.2006, killed by Unidentified person (Random shooting)
29. Thiruchelvam Srbastian, 38-year-old, M, 10.09.2006, killed by Unidentified person with a gun
30. Keyzer Rome Dias, 27-year-old, M, 29.09.2006, killed by Unidentified person
31. K.Machchendra Devan, 41-year-old, M, 01.10.2006, killed by Unidentified person
32. Godvin Nixson, 22-year-old, M, 07.10.2006, killed by Unidentified person
33. Savirian Robinson Coonghe, 19-year-old, M, 20.10.2006, killed by Unidentified person
34. Sahayam Ajithkumar Croos, 16-year-old, M, 20.10.2006, killed by Unidentified person (came by a white van)

Victims injured:
35. Veeraiah Jeyaluxmi, 50-year-old, F, 02.05.2006, Deep Penetration Group
36. Udayappan Veerappan, 60-year-old, M, 02.05.2006, Deep Penetration Group
37. A.Arulnesan, 42-year-old, M, 01.06.2006, Unidentified person with gun
38. Arulnesan Louranciya, 12-year-old, F, 01.06.2006, Unidentified person with gun
39. A.Prem, 16-year-old, M, 01.06.2006, Unidentified person with gun
40. Anthony Alfred Revel, 56-year-old, M, 17.06.2006, Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
41. M.J.A.Lawrance Parunanthu, 54-year-old, M, 17.06.2006, Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
42. Martin Paus Ananthakumar, 41-year-old, M, 17.06.2006, Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
43. Arulappu P.K.Dora Peries, 42-year-old, F, 17.06.2006, Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
44. Santhiya Arulseelan Miranda, 41-year-old, M, 17.06.2006, Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
45. Anthony Vincent Lembert, 75-year-old, M, 17.06.2006, Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
46. Mariyathasan Vilan Thayan, 34-year-old, M, 17.06.2006, Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
47. Juvanis Kanijude Dalima, 27-year-old, M, 17.06.2006, Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
48. D.A.Mariyathas Parunanthu, 28-year-old, M, 17.06.2006, Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
49. Benedict Thiyopilas Parunanthu, 57-year-old, M, 17.06.2006, Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
50. Suvakeen Soosainayagam Coonghe, 29-year-old, M, 17.06.2006, Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
51. J.T.Prema Thuram, 36-year-old, F, 17.06.2006, Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
52. J.Nirosan Culas, 40-year-old, M, 17.06.2006, Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Pesalai Victory's church
53. S.Thiruchelvam, 52-year-old, M, 27.06.2006, Unidentified person
54. Thiruchelvam Mariyanayaki, unknown, F, 27.06.2006, Unidentified person
55. Sahayanathan Lembert, 43-year-old, M, 27.07.2006, Security Forces
56. Arulsamy Sebastiampillai, 48-year-old, M, 27.07.2006, Unidentified person (Drowned in the sea)
57. Jeyaruban Seelan, 19-year-old, M, 24.09.2006, Deep Penetration Group

Victims abducted or disappeared:
58. A.Iruthayarajah (Kannan), 35-year-old, M, 07.06.2006, Abducted by white van clan
59. Rasanayagam Jeyasehar, 30-year-old, M, 28.12.2006, Abducted by Unidentified person
60. Francis Thurairajah, 26-year-old, M, 28.12.2006, Abducted by Sri Lankan Navy

 

2. List of victims killed in Trincomalee District, North Eastern Province since June of 2006

Name  /  Age  /  Sex  /  Date of Incident  /  Alleged Perpetrator (Remarks)

1. Vijayaraja Kirubaharan, 25, M, 15.06.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
2. Shanmugaraja Prabaharan, 33, M, 23.08.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
3. A.W.M.Moosa, 40, M, 25.09.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
4. Balendran Yogan, 20, M, 26.10.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
5. Thadchanamoorthy Vijayakumar, 28, M, 26.11.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
6. Agangama Waduge Karunaratne, 58, M, 01.12.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
7. Pathinathan Kalista Nirmala, 46, F, 03.12.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
8. Sellapillai Visuvalingam, 50, F, 04.12.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
9. Karmegam Ganeshapalan, 36, M, 05.12.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
10. K.Sivanathan, 56, M, 06.12.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
11. A.Singaraja, 36, M, 06.12.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
12. Berbard Eliot, 28, M, 07.12.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
13. Jeyanthan, 29, M, 07.12.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
14. Margin Izadeen, 32, M, 08.12.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
15. Nathatsingh Desmond, 48, M, 08.12.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
16. Muthu Mohanaraj, 24, M, 16.12.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
17. Moris Kumar, unknown, M, 17.12.2006, killed by Unidentified armed person
18. Jeyarasa Jeyatheepan, 23, M, 04.01.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
19. Atchuthan Sasitharan, 31, M, 04.01.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
20. Nagendran Niroshan, 19, M, 04.01.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
21. Mohamed, 23, M, 14.01.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
22. Thambipillai Ramanan, 23, M, 17.01.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
23. Pakiyanathan Jeevakumar, 24, M, 21.01.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
24. Uthayasooriyan, 40, M, 21.01.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
25. Subramaniyam Muruganandakaran, 34, M, 25.01.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
26. Selvarasa, 50, M, 26.01.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
27. Thangarasa Ithayarasa, 39, M, 26.01.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
28. Sriharan Sasinthan, 30, M, 29.01.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
29. Pushparaja Navaneetharan, 27, M, 03.02.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
30. Antony Somapala, 24, M, 14.02.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
31. Sivalingam Senthuran, 25, M, 17.02.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
32. P.Selvatharshini, 33, F, 21.02.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
33. S.Thevapalan, 57, M, 21.02.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
34. Ponnan Mahendran, 28, M, 21.02.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
35. Kathiramalai Paramanathan, 57, M, 22.02.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person
36. Stalin Robert, 40, M, 23.02.2007, killed by Unidentified armed person


SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please write to the following authorities urging them to intervene the unabated killings, arbitrary arrest and abduction in Sri Lanka. And also urge them conduct inquiries about all the killings and disappearances of the victims listed above and take diligent actions to end abductions, disappearances and extra-judicial killings in the country.

To support this urgent appeal, please click here:

Sample letter:

Dear _________,

SRI LANKA: Ongoing extra-judicial killings and disappearance in Sri Lanka


I am writing to show my deepest concern over the list of 96 victims who were allegedly killed, arbitrarily arrested, and disappeared only in 2 districts which are Mannar District and Trincomalee District, North Eastern Province in Sri Lanka since Januray 2006 to present. The list is showing that the exacerbating situation of extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrest, violence and forced abduction of civilians in Sri Lanka where at least 60 civilians died and disappeared in Mannar District and 36 people were killed in Tricomalee District in only one year in 2006. 

I have learned that the numbers of the victims of extra-judicial killings and other human rights violations I mentioned above is only a part of the actual figures but the true numbers of the victims of such violence are estimated much larger number than 96 victims.

I also learned that most of the alleged perpetrators are law enforcement officials such as security forces, military officers, deep penetration groups and other unidentified persons with arms. However, most of the cases on the list have not been effectively investigated into the alleged brutal actions of law enforcement officials.

As the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) recognized, no one shall be arbitrarily deprive one's life and subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment by anyone. I strongly condemn that the inaction and lack of effective involvement of the Sri Lankan authorities into the elimination of extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrest and forced abduction in the country. As a state party to the ICCPR, I believe that the Sri Lankan government should be held responsible for widely practiced human rights violations prohibited under the Covenant especially the extra-judicial killings and arbitrary arrest by state officials.

I believe that the state inaction for the effective elimination of such killings and arbitrary arrest might exacerbate impunity that have been widely enjoyed among the state officials who acts outside of the law.

In light of the above, I urge Sri Lankan authority immediately conduct thorough investigation into all the cases of human rights violations committed by state officials including the cases listed above.

I also urge you to take all necessary actions to bring the widely practiced extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrest and forced abduction in Sri Lanka and restore peaceful situation in 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 

7. Professor Philip Alston
Special Rapporteur on Extra-judicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions
Attn: Lydie Ventre
Room 3-016
c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9155
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTN: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR EXECUTIONS)

Thank you.

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

Document Type :
Urgent Appeal Case
Document ID :
UA-077-2007
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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.