Home / News / Urgent Appeals / UPDATE (Sri Lanka): List of another 22 disappeared persons

UPDATE (Sri Lanka): List of another 22 disappeared persons

April 30, 2007

UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Update on Urgent Appeal

30 April 2007

[RE: UA-113-2007: SRI LANKA: List of 81 disappeared persons documented for the last 8 months]
-------------------------------------
UP-061-2007: SRI LANKA: List of another 22 disappeared persons

SRI LANKA: Disappearance; negligence of state; collapse of the rule of law
-------------------------------------

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received an updated list of persons disappeared in Sri Lanka from the Civil Monitoring Commission (CMC), a local human rights organization in Sri Lanka. The AHRC has previously published the list of name of 81 disappeared persons documented by the CMC (See further: UA-113-2007). The updated list contains name of another 22 persons disappeared between July 2006 and 4 April 2007.  We set out below names and dates and places of the disappearance of these persons. To know more about the details of each case, please contact the CMC at civilmonitorlanka@gmail.com


UPDATED LIST OF DISAPPEARED PERSONS DOCUMENTED:

1. Entry # CMC/ABD/82 - Full name & Identity: Mr. Visuvanathar Selliah Tharmaraja - NIC 610502180 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 11 January 2007, Negombo while traveling to Colombo

2. Entry # CMC/ABD/83 - Full name & Identity:  Mr. Madasamy Devalingam - NIC 842461693 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 28 March 2007 - Kimbula-Ela, Madampitiya Road, Colombo 15

3. Entry # CMC/ABD/84 - Full name & Identity:  Mr. Tharmaratnam Sivasooriyakumar  - NIC 782140498 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 17 November 2006 - Place of disappearance: Travel Clearance Civil office at Hospital Road, Jaffna

4. Entry # CMC/ABD/85 - Full name & Identity: Mr. Janap Saheed Muhammathu Saheel - NIC 813091895 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 09 August 2006 - Anaipillai Uthu, Thilyadi, Puttalam 

5. Entry # CMC/ABD/86 - Full name & Identity:  Mr. Ramaiah Jeyakanthan - NIC 830784608 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 19 March 2007 - Krillawela, Kadawatha 

6. Entry # CMC/ABD/87 - Full name & Identity:  Mr. Sabaratnam Satheesh - NIC 802944179 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 13 February 2007 - Navalar Road, Nallur, Jaffna

7. Entry # CMC/ABD/88 - Full name & Identity: Mr. Dharmaraja Udayakumar - NIC 802641303 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 13 February 2007 - Navalar Road, Nallur, Jaffna

8. Entry # CMC/ABD/89 - Full name & Identity: Mr. Kailayapillai Raveenthiran -
Date & Place of disappearance: 30 January 2006 - Near the Welikantha Army Camp

9. Entry # CMC/ABD/90 - Full name & Identity: Mr. A. Anthony Christy Rajan - NIC 803123675 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 16 September 2006 - Mathena Nagar, Maharambaikulam, Vavuniya 

10. Entry # CMC/ABD/91 - Full name & Identity:  Mr. Kanagarathnam Thawatheeban - NIC 803562113 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 08 August 2006 - Wallarakuruchi, Walikandy

11. Entry # CMC/ABD/92 - Full name & Identity:  Mr. Selvasundaram Vinoth - NIC 850870098 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 16 October 2006 - Eachchankulam, Sasthirikoolankulam, Vavuniya

12. Entry # CMC/ABD/93 - Full name & Identity: Mr. Nadarasa Perinbarasa - NIC 730174071 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 09 January 2007 - Salamban Kalmadu, Iranai Illupaikulam

13. Entry # CMC/ABD/94 - Full name & Identity: Mr. Kunachelvam Mahinthan –
Date & Place of disappearance: 22 August 2006 - Grandpass Raod, Colombo 14 

14. Entry # CMC/ABD/95 - Full name & Identity: Mr. Kanagalingam Jeyathasan - NIC 813280388 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 07 December 2006 - Kalviyan Kadu, Jaffna

15. Entry # CMC/ABD/96 - Full name & Identity: Mr. Markandu Vadivanathan - NIC 762674386 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 22 August 2006 - S.N.J Transport, Wolfendhal Street, Colombo 13

16. Entry # CMC/ABD/97 - Full name & Identity: Mr. Thangarasa Thavaputhran NIC 861580334 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 05 February 2007 - Settikulam, Vavuniya

17. Entry # CMC/ABD/98 - Full name & Identity: Mr. Mahendran Madanakasan - NIC 820233263 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 26 February 2007 - Settikulam, Vavuniya

18. Entry # CMC/ABD/99 - Full name & Identity: Mr. Thamotharam Pillai Thirubalasingam - NIC 712820616 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 08 October 2006 - Settikulam Street Rasendrakulam

19. Entry # CMC/ABD/100 - Full name & Identity: Mr. Gobinath Nallathiru Nadanasaba - NIC 758543056 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 14 July 2006 - Shoe Road, Colombo-13

20. Entry # CMC/ABD/101 - Full name & Identity: Mr. Soosai Appu Victor Croos
Date & Place of disappearance: 14 July 2006 - Artigala Hanwella

21. Entry # CMC/ABD/102 - Full name & Identity: Mr. Mathuraveeran Udayakumar NIC 811085502 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 13 January 2007 - Vavuniya Town - Missing with the Three Wheeler QD 2022

22. Entry # CMC/ABD/103 - Full name & Identity: Mr. Pathmanathan Pratheepan - NIC 842360986 V
Date & Place of disappearance: 04 April 2007 - Parackrama Mawatha, Peliyagoda 

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the relevant Sri Lankan authorities listed below and demand speedy and proper investigations into these cases.

To support this appeal, please click:

Sample letter:

Dear ________,

SRI LANKA: List of another 22 disappeared persons

I have received from the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), Hong Kong another list of 22 persons who have disappeared from July 2006 and 4 April 2007. I have previously received from the AHRC a list of 81 persons disappeared from August 2006 to 20 March 2007.

The list is as follows:

1. Full name & Identity: Mr. Visuvanathar Selliah Tharmaraja - NIC 610502180 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 11 January 2007, Negombo while traveling to Colombo
2. Full name & Identity:  Mr. Madasamy Devalingam - NIC 842461693 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 28 March 2007 - Kimbula-Ela, Madampitiya Road, Colombo 15
3. Full name & Identity:  Mr. Tharmaratnam Sivasooriyakumar - NIC 782140498 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 17 November 2006 - Travel Clearance Civil office at Hospital Road, Jaffna
4. Full name & Identity: Mr. Janap Saheed Muhammathu Saheel - NIC 813091895 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 09 August 2006 - Anaipillai Uthu, Thilyadi, Puttalam 
5. Full name & Identity:  Mr. Ramaiah Jeyakanthan - NIC 830784608 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 19 March 2007 - Krillawela, Kadawatha 
6. Full name & Identity:  Mr. Sabaratnam Satheesh - NIC 802944179 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 13 February 2007 - Navalar Road, Nallur, Jaffna
7. Full name & Identity: Mr. Dharmaraja Udayakumar - NIC 802641303 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 13 February 2007 - Navalar Road, Nallur, Jaffna
8. Full name: Mr. Kailayapillai Raveenthiran ; Date & Place of disappearance: 30 January 2006 - Near the Welikantha Army Camp
9. Full name & Identity: Mr. A. Anthony Christy Rajan - NIC 803123675 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 16 September 2006 - Mathena Nagar, Maharambaikulam, Vavuniya 
10. Full name & Identity:  Mr. Kanagarathnam Thawatheeban - NIC 803562113 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 08 August 2006 - Wallarakuruchi, Walikandy
11. Full name & Identity:  Mr. Selvasundaram Vinoth - NIC 850870098 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 16 October 2006 - Eachchankulam, Sasthirikoolankulam, Vavuniya
12. Full name & Identity: Mr. Nadarasa Perinbarasa - NIC 730174071 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 09 January 2007 - Salamban Kalmadu, Iranai Illupaikulam
13. Full name: Mr. Kunachelvam Mahinthan ; Date & Place of disappearance: 22 August 2006 - Grandpass Raod, Colombo 14 
14. Full name & Identity: Mr. Kanagalingam Jeyathasan - NIC 813280388 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 07 December 2006 - Kalviyan Kadu, Jaffna
15. Full name & Identity: Mr. Markandu Vadivanathan - NIC 762674386 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 22 August 2006 - S.N.J Transport, Wolfendhal Street, Colombo 13
16. Full name & Identity: Mr. Thangarasa Thavaputhran NIC 861580334 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 05 February 2007 - Settikulam, Vavuniya
17. Full name & Identity: Mr. Mahendran Madanakasan - NIC 820233263 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 26 February 2007 - Settikulam, Vavuniya
18. Full name & Identity: Mr. Thamotharam Pillai Thirubalasingam - NIC 712820616 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 08 October 2006 - Settikulam Street Rasendrakulam
19. Full name & Identity: Mr. Gobinath Nallathiru Nadanasaba - NIC 758543056 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 14 July 2006 - Shoe Road, Colombo-13
20. Full name: Mr. Soosai Appu Victor Croos; Date & Place of disappearance: 14 July 2006 - Artigala Hanwella
21. Full name & Identity: Mr. Mathuraveeran Udayakumar NIC 811085502 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 13 January 2007 - Vavuniya Town - Missing with the Three Wheeler QD 2022
22. Full name & Identity: Mr. Pathmanathan Pratheepan - NIC 842360986 V; Date & Place of disappearance: 04 April 2007 - Parackrama Mawatha, Peliyagoda 

I am disappointed by the fact that very little action has been taken by the Sri Lankan government to solve these gross human rights violations, although the number of the disappeared is sharply increased in recent months in your country. I believe that the actual number of the disappeared in the country will be much higher considering the deteriorating human rights situation in Sri Lanka.  

I therefore strongly urge you to order thorough and independent inquiries into the 22 cases and bring the alleged perpetrators before court without further delay. The Government of Sri Lanka should take genuine action to stop the ongoing disappearances allegedly committed by the Sri Lankan security forces as well as LTTE. 
 
Yours truly,


---------------

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. Secretary
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

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

4. 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 Update
Document ID :
UP-061-2007
Countries :
Issues :
Share |
Subscribe to our Mailing List
Follow AHRC
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.