An Appeal to
The United Nations
Sub-Commission on the Promotion
and
Protection of Human Rights
Un appel à Nations Unies
Sous-Commission de la
promotion et
de la protection des
droits de l'homme
Una Ilamada a Naciones Unidas
Sub-Comisión para la Promocion y
Proteccion
de Derechos Humanos
50 Session / Sesiones
????? 1998
Tamil Centre for Human Rights -
TCHR
(Established in 1990)
* * * * * *
The Tamil Centre for Human
Rights (TCHR) would like to extend its congratulations to the Office of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) of the United Nations - on the occasion of its 50th anniversary of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights has stood as an example to the
countries of the world, upholding the Articles set forth in its Declaration for
the protection of human rights of all people, peace with justice and security.
Tamil Centre
for Human Rights (TCHR)
Le Centre
Tamoul pour les Droits de l’Homme (CTDH)
9, rue de
Peupliers
95140 Garges
les Gonesse
FRANCE
Tel/Fax :
33-1-40 38 28 74
Established in
1990
Branches : Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Norway,
Switzerland , The Netherlands, United Kingdom
website : http://www.tamilrights.org
http://www.tchr.com
CONTENTS
Page
Appeal
Situation Report 5
Violation
of Human Rights and fundamental freedoms
Injurious
effects of anti-personnel mines
7
Economic, Social and Cultural rights
8
Food
Education
Health
Fishing
and Agriculture
Human Rights of Women and Children 13
Contemporary forms of Slavery 15
Land rights and property damage 15
Administration of Justice and Human Rights of
detainees 17
Freedom of movement 18
Population
displacement
Freedom of expression 19
Religious intolerance 20
Summary Report 21-33
Annexes
(1) Extract
from the report (E/CN.4/1998/68/Add.2) of 34
Mr.
Bacre Waly Ndiaye
(2) Extract
from the report of Amnesty International 35
(January-December 1997)
(3) Sri Lanka
uses food as a weapon against the Tamil population 37
(4) Welioya
colonisation scheme 38
(5) Military
growth of Sri Lankan security forces
since 1994 40
(6) Points
raised by Experts at the 18th Session of the Committee on 41
Economic,
Social and Cultural rights
(7) Press release of the NGO "Peace Brigades
International" 42
(8) AGOTIC appeal on Tamil children 43
(9) Evidence
of a torture victim 45
3rd
August 1998
The Honourable Mr.
Chairman, Experts and Delegates,
50th
Session of the Sub-Commission on Human Rights
Prevention of
Discrimination and Protection of Minorities
United Nations
CH - 1211 Geneva 10
Dear Mr. Chairman and Hon. Experts,
We have the honour and duty, once
again to bring to your kind attention, our latest report on the violations of
human rights in the Island of Sri Lanka, on the occasion of the 50th
session of the Sub-Commission on Human Rights.
In the past, we have submitted several reports to the UN Human Rights sessions. Ever since the armed conflict started in Sri Lanka, during the last fifteen years, this Sub-Commission and the Commission on Human Rights have heard enough interventions by various NGOs as well as by the Honourable delegation of Sri Lanka. The interventions made by the NGOs pleaded the Honourable members of the Sub-Commission and Delegates of the Commission to find justice and durable solution and to end the gross violations of human rights in Sri Lanka. On the other hand, the Sri Lankan delegation's interventions were all purely imaginary and tended to justify the atrocities, abuses violations of human rights by the security forces, especially in the North-East of the Island. When we look back at all the interventions made by the Sri Lankan delegation in the past, we can observe the testimony of genocide of the Tamils. The lack of initiative in sorting out the root cause of the problem in Sri Lanka is also quite visible and apparent.
The human rights violations continue to deteriorate and the intervention of this Sub-commission is urgently needed.
Sri Lanka was featured regularly
in the local and foreign media on its human rights violations, including
disappearances in the North-East. The UN Working Group on Enforced or
Involuntary Disappearances has made two visits to Sri Lanka in 1991 and 1992. Last
year, the Working Group has reported
that Sri Lanka has the highest number of disappearances for the year 1997.
Mr. Bacre Waly Ndiya - UN Special
Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions has visited Sri
Lanka from 24 August to 5 September 1997. The report (E/CN.4/1998/68/Add.2) published
on 12 March 1998 by Mr. Ndiya is highly critical of the security forces made
of 99% Sinhalese.
Mr. Mr. Olara Otunnu - special representative of the UN Secretary General on Children in Armed Conflict has made a visit to Sri Lanka in May this year. The UN Special representative who had visited Jaffna, Maddhu and Vanni region has expressed his deep concern over the situation prevailing there. Mr. Olara told the media in Colombo that “I feel sad about the situation in Jaffna”.
Mr. Francis Deng - special
representative of the UN Secretary General has also made a visit to Sri Lanka
in 1994. His visit was concerned with the frequent displacement of refugees as
a result of aerial bombardment and shelling in Tamil inhabited areas.
(Report E/CN. 4/1994/44/Add.1.)
Hon. Sirs, Sri Lanka may be an exceptional country to welcome two Special representatives of the UN Secretary General, a Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial - summary or arbitrary executions and two visits by UN Working Group on Disappearances. Many NGOs like Amnesty International, ICJ have also made their visits and made reports which were shocking on the situation in Sri Lanka.
With all these interventions, concerns appeals of the UN and NGOs, the human rights situation in Sri Lanka has never improved. In fact, it is going from bad to worse and deteriorating.
Sri Lanka has the habit of giving vague and false promises and resorting to fiction in order to mislead the UN Human Rights Sessions and NGOs. In the past, the International community and the UN mechanism have been deceived by the government of Sri Lanka.
Mr. Bacre Waly Ndiya has accused in his report that impunity is widely practised in Sri Lanka by the armed forces. In order to deny this accusation, the Sri Lankan government which wield a lot of influence over the country's judicial system, has sentenced to death five soldiers accused in the Krishanthy Kumarawamy murder case. Our past experience on Sri Lankan create doubt that this death sententence will never be carried out, and there are more chances for these accused to get Presidential pardon. The death sentence is just an eye-wash to this Sub-Commission and other Human Rights sessions as well as to the International community. Time will prove this fact.
We do urge this Sub-Commission and the High Commissioner for Human Rights Mrs. Mary Robinson to appoint a Commission to investigate into the unauthorised and illegal burial of several hundreds of bodies in Jaffna peninsula - Sri Lanka.
We do sincerely hope that the 50th Session of the Sub-Commission will consider all these facts and intervene directly in the form of a Resolution at least on the humanitarian situation in the North-East of Sri Lanka.
We take this opportunity to express our sincere felicitation on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Thanking you.
Yours sincerely,
S. V. Kirubaharan
General
Secretary - TCHR
THE
SITUATION REPORT
WHOSE BODIES ARE THESE 300
TO 400 ?
On 3 July 98, the first accused in the rape and
murder of the 18 year old student,
Krishanthy Kumaraswamy - Jaffna school girl,
her mother, brother and a family friend had told the Colombo High court
that there were 300 to 400 bodies in the place where the raped teenager and her
family were buried! He said in the court "We only buried bodies. We can
show you where 300 to 400 bodies have been buried". He also reportedly
said "almost every evening, dead bodies were brought there and the
soldiers were asked to bury them". The human rights activist around the
world has raised a question on this disappointing information by the accused.
This case has earned International attention.
KILLINGS
13,000
DISAPPEARANCES IN EAST
Speaking at a seminar in Colombo Mr. Joseph
Pararajasingam - Member of Parliament for Batticaloa said that since 1990 there
were thirteen thousand (13,000) Tamils who had disappeared in the East and that
there were about 8,500 widows and 6,000 orphans in the East.
300 DISAPPEARANCES IN 3
MONTHS
The Human Rights Task Force appointed by the Sri
Lankan government has reported that between January and March (1998) 300 Tamil people have disappeared in Jaffna.
26 KILLED IN
AERIAL BOMBING
On June 10, 1998 - twenty six civilians including
women and children were killed and more than fifty were critically injured when
two Kfir jet bombers of the Sri Lankan air force carried out a massive bombing
on the refugee settlement of Suthanthirapuram, in Mullaitivu district.
18 TORTURE
CHAMBERS IN VAVUNIYA
According to a Sinhala news paper “Lakbima” of 28
June 98, published in Colombo - Tamil youths
travelling to Vavuniya are tortured in 18 different torture chambers in
Vavuniya. These torture chambers are run by the armed groups closely working
with the government.
SINHALESE HOME
GUARDS ABDUCT TAMIL CHILDREN
On March 31, 98, five Tamil children in the Gal Oya
colony at Ariyarwaththai were abducted by Sinhala-Muslim home guards in
Batticaloa. It is feared that the home guards may have killed them.
ARMY ASSAULTS
GOVERNMENT OFFICER DURING ROUND-UP
The armed forces severely assaulted Vallipuram
Thavarasa, a grama-sevaka during a round-up of Kudathanai village in the Jaffna
peninsula. His right hand was injured and he was admitted to the local
hospital.
ARMY ROUND UP
IN GURUNAGAR
The armed forces rounded up Gurunagar in Jaffna, ransacking
homes and arresting 13 residents on 17 March 98. The same day, fishing in the
sea off Gurunagar was also banned by the military.
ARMY SET OFF
BOMB IN JAFFNA
Informed sources from Jaffna stated that the Sri
Lankan army was responsible for the bomb set off in a crowded shopping area in
Jaffna town on 12 April 98. The reports say the attack was planned by the army
to wilfully implicate the LTTE. The explosion took place at the Power House
Road near the Kasturiar Road and Kankesanthurai (K.K.S) Road junction. A mother
of three was killed and several others were injured in this bomb blast.
CIVILIAN
ROUND-UP IN VALIKAMAM
Thousands of soldiers in Jaffna in Valikamam
cordoned off and detained many civilians in the villages of Moolai, Chulipuram,
Ponnalai, Sithankerni, Vaddukoddai and parts of Chankanai on 18 April, 1998.
The detainees were interrogated in the burning Sun for the whole day without
water and food.
TORTURED AND
KILLED
Mr. Murukupillai Sellathurai (52 years) died soon
after being released by the military in Veeramunai in Baittcaloa district. The
post-mortem examination revealed that he had suffered fatal internal injuries
due to torture.<More
Details>
STF GATHERS
INFORMATION
The Special Task Force (STF)has ordered local
government officials (Grama Sevakas) to collect information on Tamil families
living in Batticaloa district. The officials have been asked to gather names,
age, sex and occupation. People in
Batticaloa are frightened that an impending massacre is awaiting them in the
East.
PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU
WAS BOMBED
On 2 May 98, Sri Lankan war planes dropped several
sorties of bombs over the town of Puthukudiyiruppu in the Batticaloa district.
Several properties were damaged and residents and shopkeepers fled the town in
panic.
ROUND-UP IN
VAVUNIYA
On 2-3 May 98, the Sri Lankan armed forces rounded
up several villages in Vavuniya district. Once the villagers were taken away
their homes were ransacked The detainees were gathered in the open grounds in
the hot sun without food and water.
300 TAMILS
ROUNDED UP BY ARMY
On 15 March 98, the army and police in Batticaloa
have rounded up civilians in the villages of Valaichchenai, Vinayagapuram, Kannakipuram
and Peyathalai. Many homes were ransacked and twenty five civilians were
arrested. Ten were detained for further questioning at the Harbour army camp.
On 20 May 1998, Sri Lankan soldiers rounded up Tamil
civilians in Valaichchenai area. More than 300 civilians were taken away for
questioning. On the same day, the army rounded up civilians in other towns Kannakipuram, Kalmadu, Vinayagapuram,
Peyathalai and Kannankiramam. Residents were herded like cattle and ordered to
assemble in a common place. Here they were detained in the hot sun without food
and water and denied sanitary facilities. Several civilians were taken away
cattle to the Valaichchenai Harbour army camp.
ARBITARY ARRESTS BY ARMY
On 8 March 98, the Sri Lankan army rounded up civilians
in the Island of Punguduthivu in the Jaffna peninsula. Several civilians were
taken into custody.
ARRESTS IN
COLOMBO
During the second week of April 98, the Sri Lankan
security forces arrested fifty two Tamils in Colombo and its suburbs.
FREQUENT
ARREST AND INTIMIDATION OF TAMIL PASSENGERS
It has become a routine for the Sri Lankan soldiers
to board Colombo-bound trains at Polgawela station, coming from Vavuniya and harass the Tamil
passengers. They go through compartment
after compartment arresting Tamil passengers. The arrested passengers are taken
to Colombo police stations.
ARMY IN CIVIL DRESS
At Poonthoddam army detention centre Vavuniya Sri
Lankan army soldiers in civil dress are taking Tamil men and women for interrogation. So far none of them taken for interrogation has returned.
FARMER
ABDUCTED
On 2 April 98, Sri Lankan soldiers abducted a young
Tamil farmer at Kothanda Koluththikulam in Batticola. Several farmers who went
to harvest crops in their fields were also arrested.
CIVILIAN LOSES
LEG IN ARMY LANDMINE (Refer Page
40)
In March 98, Mr. Thavarajah Natheeswaran lost a leg
due to explosion of a landmine in Puthur in Jaffna district.
On March 24, 98 another civilian, Yogendram Ratheepkumar,
lost his leg as he stepped on a mine in Urumpirai in Jaffna.
On 1 April 1998, Daniel Kantharuban lost his right
leg after stepping on a landmine in Erlalai in Jaffna peninsula.
On April 29, 98, S Sunthararasan (19), a Tamil
fisherman, lost his leg as he stepped
on a mine in Mullaitivu's Kallapadu
seashore. All these landmines believed
to have been buried by the Sri Lankan army for their security in the Jaffna peninsula. <More Details>
ECONOMIC,
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS
(Refer page of
34-37)
7000 FAMILIES STARVING IN BATTICALOA
At Vaharai in Batticaloa, more than 7000 Tamil
families are starving following the government's blockade of food and medicine
to the Tamil regions. Sri Lankan army has not given the pass to transport food
to the region. The ICRC has agreed to provide escort but the army has refused.
MILITARY STOPS
EMERGENCY FOOD SUPPLIES TO TAMIL REFUGEES
The army has blocked relief supplies to Tamil
refugees in the villages of Pallikudiyiruppu and Srinivasapuram. The refugees
are believed to be in danger of starvation.
DELIBERATE
CONTAINMATION OF FOOD WITH
WORMS, FLIES
AND INSECTS
According to Co-operative Society sources in the
North-East, the food relief for displaced Tamil civilians is un fit for human
consumption. The spokesman for the Stores said that flies, insects and worms
are contained in the food supplies provided by government. The stores has
refused to distribute the food supply.
The government has deliberately stopped food relief
to Tamil refugees in Kithual, Karadiyanaru and Pankudaveli in the Batticaloa
district. More than 2,000 families have not received their relief since November last year
and are in fear of serious starvation.
ARMY BLOCKS
FOOD SUPPLIES TO MULLAITIVU
The Sri Lankan army has deliberately blocked
urgently needed food supplies to the displaced Tamils in Mullaitivu.
60% OF THE SCHOOL DESTROYED IN BATTICALOA
Speaking at a seminar in Colombo Mr. Joseph Pararajasingam
- Member of Parliament for Batticaloa has said that since 1990, 60% of the
schools in the Eastern province have been destroyed during military operations and two hundred million rupees is
needed to repair these school buildings.
STUDENTS AND
TEACHERS PROTEST
On 3 April 1998 the Mullaitivu Teachers' Association
and the students' union held a demonstration at Mallavi in the Vanni to condemn
the government for frequent aerial bombardment of Tamil schools. The protest
started in the morning at Mallavi central college and the participants marched
to the UNHCR office and handed over a petition to the resident representative.
PERMISSION TO
HOLD SPORTS MEET DENIED
The army in
Jaffna peninsula has refused permission to hold the Sports Meet in the
village of Maruthankerny.
GOVERNMENT
HARMS TAMIL CHILDREN’S EDUCATION
The military attack on Tamil schools has damaged
Tamil children's education in Batticaloa district. Batticaloa district's
literacy rate has dropped to an all time low of 69%. This is caused by daily
bombing, and shelling of school buildings. Since 1983, several Tamil schools in
the region have been destroyed or are unusable due to army shelling.
Consequently many Tamil children end up in refugee camps.
JAYA SIKURUI
DISRUPT EDUCATION
According to the Education Officer of Thunnukai, the
prolonged Jaya Sikurui operation in the Vanni area has severely disrupted
children's education. He blamed the government for authorising aerial bombing
and artillery shelling on civilian centres.
SHORTAGE OF
SCHOOL TEACHERS
The Education department official in the Mullaitivu
district have admitted that there is an acute shortage of school teachers in
the Vanni district. The actual requirement for the district is about 1457 but
only 722 teachers are serving. The government is deliberately denying
facilities to Tamil schools in Vanni.
Many schools including Karuvankerni Vigneswaran
School in Valaichchenai in Batticaloa district remain closed since May 98.
Parents have refused to send their children to school as they fear that the
army would harm them. <More
Details>
HOSPITAL UNABLE TO COPE UP
Due to prolonged medical embargo on the Tamil
people, the Mulankavil co-operative hospital in Vanni is unable to treat its patients.
The medical blockade resulted last year in the death of 46 patients including
two new-born infants and mothers.
MALARIA
OUTBREAK
During 1997, 149,052 outpatients suffering from
Malaria were treated at Mullaitivu hospital, according to Mullaitivu's health
officer. He added that Malaria patients constituted 30% of the total number of
patients.
The Mulankavil hospital in Vanni has stopped
treating all Malaria patients due to unavailability of drugs. During the month
of April, 1107 Malaria patients were treated. The hospital has run out of drugs
due to the government's blockade of medicine to the Vanni region.
SHORTAGE OF
ANTI-RABI VACCINE
Most of the hospitals in Vanni area have had no anti-rabies
vaccines in their stores for the past several months.
MEMORANDUM
FROM THE HEALTH SERVICE
The Deputy director of the north-east health
service, Dr. Sellathurai, has submitted a memorandum to the north-east health
ministry pointing out the appalling state of the health service in the region.
He noted a serious shortage of medical personnel including minor staff and
nurses in all health centres in the north-east and that several clinics outside
army control have had to be closed down due to deliberate government
negligence. The Batticaloa Teaching Hospital has no medical specialist and
other support staff. Ambulance vehicles
are also not available. Hospitals in the Jaffna peninsula and all over the
Vanni district suffer from the same plight because of government’s negligence.
Medical supplies do not arrive on time and, even when they do, supplies are
often insufficient.
APPEAL FROM
THE GOVERNMENT AGENT
The Government Agent (GA) Mr. Tharmakulasingam
stated in his latest report in May that a large displaced population, the
shortage of drugs, medical personnel, hospital facilities and the ongoing
Jeyasikiru military operations are all factors contributing to an atmosphere of
malnutrition, starvation as well as anxiety among the residents in the Mullaitivu
district.
The refusal to supply approved drugs by the Ministry
of Health and delays in transporting medicine from Vavuniya has lead to
shortages of much needed drugs such as Anti Rabies vaccine, Anti Venom serum,
hloroquine, Premaquine and Toxicide” said the report.
The report added that shortage of drugs, doctors and
other medical personnel has resulted in severe hardship consequently, the
patients are forced to travel to distant places such as Vavuniya Base Hospital
for emergency medical services.
The GA also said that medical laboratory facilities
have not been available at the Mullaitivu District Hospital since 1990.
“Drugs for the first quarter reached hospitals at
the end of March and April, but minus 125 drugs which included the most needed
drugs. Drugs for the second quarter were approved at the end of May but
transport has yet to be arranged through the UNHCR” the GA added.
STATISTICS OF DISPLACED TAMILS
Population in
Mullaitivu district as of 31/3/1998 :
Category Families Persons
Permanent (Not displaced) 12,207 49,924
Displaced within the District (Jeyasikuru) 6,893 21,618
Displaced from others Districts 35,331 139,970
Total 54,431 218,512
Displace
families according to place of origin as of 31/3/1998
District Families Persons
Mullaitivu 12,207 28,618
Jaffna 6,893 96,050
Kilinochchi 24,951 16,361
Vavuniya 3,874 15,273
Mannar 42 144
Trincomalee 2,643 10,516
Other districts 411 1,626
Total 42,224 168,588
HOSPITAL UNDER
ATTACK
On 19 May 98, soldiers from a checkpoint had opened
fire at the Jaffna teaching hospital. Hospital staff fled through fear of army assault.
One patient Vadivel Sivapalan (35) sustained injury as a result of army firing.
JAFFNA
HOSPITAL
The Jaffna Teaching Hospital has a permanent
shortage of medicine and medical equipment. There is also a severe shortage of
hospital staff including nurses and doctors.
MILITARY
OCCUPATION OF JAFFNA HOSPITAL
This teaching hospital is presently under the
administration of the Armed forces. Several wards are exclusively reserved for
the use of the military. The patients are frightened of the constant presence of military personnel in
the hospital premises.
FISHING BAN FOR TAMIL FISHERMEN
Since long time, the armed forces have banned
fishing in the Kilali coastal areas and Pulopallai in the North.
The Sri Lankan armed forces have reintroduced a ban
on fishing off the coast of Mathagal (in Jaffna), after lifting it in January.
About 150 Tamil fishing families who fish at Mathagal have lost their
livelihood.
NAVY HARASS
FISHERMEN
The Sri Lankan Navy continues to harass and kill
many Tamil fishermen off the Mullaitivu coastal area. On 7 March 98, three
Tamil fishermen fishing off Ampalavan Pokkanai were killed. Two others have
escaped by jumping into the sea,
subsequently rescued by other fishermen. Several thousand rupees worth
of fishing materials were burnt when the boats caught fire.
Sri Lankan naval forces opened fire on Tamil
fishermen at sea off Puthukudiyiruppu on March 25, 98. The fishermen jumped off
the boat and swam ashore.
Sri Lankan soldiers from the nearby Kalladi army
camp in Batticaloa have set fire to fishing equipment belonging to Tamil
fishermen at Kalladi beach. The fishing equipment belonging to 20 different fishermen was valued at
several thousands of rupees.
While there are several fishing areas around the
Jaffna peninsula, the soldiers occupying the region ban all fishing. After
months of agitation by the fishermen the Army chief in Valikamam apparently
gave permission to fish from April 17,
98. But when the fishermen went out for fishing, soldiers turned them away saying
that fishing is banned under all circumstances.
Since March, 30 fishermen have been killed in the
attacks on fishing boats in the coastal area of Mullaitivu and, damage to
fishing properties is estimated to be 2,900,000 rupees.
On 1 May 98, the Sri Lankan navy bombed the coastal
village of Manmunai in Chempianpattu in east Vadamaradchy in the North. Several
fishermen's huts were burnt down. Valuable fishing boats and fishing equipment
were destroyed.
On May 21, 98 two fishermen were killed and 11 were
injured in an aerial bombing carried out by Kfir war planes in Silawaththai,
Mullaitivu. A group of Tamil fishermen drawing their nets in the coastal waters
was the target of this attack.
FISHING TRAINING
DENIED TO TAMIL STUDENTS
The defence ministry has denied permission to Tamil
students to take their school owned Fishing training vessel into the Batticaloa
lagoon. The training school opened under the resettlement and rehabilitation
plan initiated by the government is without proper training vessels due to
government’s lack of initiative. A 4.5
million-rupee worth fishing vessel which was intended for the Batticaloa
fisheries training school is being kept back in Negombo.
SHORTAGE OF
WATER
Since early part of 1997, the armed forces at
Colony-13-Amy camp have cut off water
supply to Tamil villages on the Batticaloa-Amparai border. The Tamil villages
of Mandoor, Sankapuram and Kanesapuram do not have any supply of water since
early 1997 and the cultivation is at a standstill in this area. A total of
5,000 Tamil families living in the three villages are undergoing extreme
hardships. 2,900 acres of rich paddy lands have remained uncultivated.
RICE MILL CLOSED DOWN
At Kiran in Batticaloa - a rice mill employing
mainly Tamil widows and Tamil handicapped persons has been closed down by the
Sri Lankan army, saying that it is an anti-government establishment.
HUMAN
RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN
100% OF THE CHILDREN LOST
THEIR FATHERS
A recent survey conducted on Tamil fishing community
in the Mullaitivu district has revealed that a majority of the male members
have been killed by the Sri Lankan navy. Another survey from the local Tamil
Iniyan Kudiyiruppu school, revealed that 100% of the children have lost their
fathers to the Sri Lankan navy. There were 30 children in the class, all their
fathers have been killed.
8000 WIDOWS AND ORPHANS
Figures released by an independent study group
reveal that 8000 young Tamil women have become widows during the last 8 years
in Jaffna district as a result of Sri Lankan military attacks. Tamil orphans
run to more than 8000.
FORCED MARRIGE ENDED IN GANG RAPE AND MURDER
On 25 June 98 - A 26 year old unmarried woman
in Mirusuvil in Jaffna peninsula was gang raped by ten Sri Lankan army
soldiers. According to the information that we received, the Army chief of the
nearby army camp has ordered Miss Kandaswamy Kalanithy to stand infront of ten
soldiers and requested her to choose one soldier to get married. When Miss Kandaswamy Kalanithy refused to do
so, one of the soldiers put a pottu on her forehead to singnify his marrige to
her. When she protested this forced marrige, she was gang raped by all ten
soldiers and then killed. The army chief also refused to hand over her body to
a Doctor for an examination. The soldiers have threatned her parents not to
speak to anyone regarding this incident.
TWO BABIES
DIED WITHOUT DRUGS
On 16 April 98, two children - 3 1/2 years and 1 1/2
years have died of a rare form of fever at the
Akkarayan hospital in Vanni, one of the regions which are facing government embargo on medicine.
ARRESTED WOMEN
On 9 March 1998,
the army in Jaffna peninsula arrested four women at Vallipuram Kovil
checkpoint in Point Pedro, when they were returning home after shopping. The
arrested women are Thavasingam Satkunathevi (40), Anandakumar Indira (31) and
Kandasamy Maheswary (46), of Nagarkovil
in Point Pedro area.
HUSBAND AND
WIFE ARRESTED
On 24 April 98, Jegaseelan Puvaneswary (24), a
mother of two who went in search of her husband was arrested. While she was passing the Valaiyiravu bridge the
soldiers on duty arrested her. Todate
both husband and wife are detained in different detention centres. Two
of their young children are without
proper care as the parents are under military custody.
POLICEMAN
ATTEMPTS TO RAPE
On 15 March 98, a policeman attached to the Kopay police
station in Jaffna attempted to rape a mother of three in her house in
Thirunelveli. The residents intervened and prevented her being raped by the
Policeman. When it was brought to the notice of the Kopay police station they
came to the scene and took the policeman to safety without charging him for the
crime.
6-YEAR OLD
GIRL SHOT DEAD
The army in Kiran in Batticaloa gunned down a 6-year
old Tamil girl who had been held in their custody. Soldiers asked the detainees
to run away from the camp and then opened fire as they ran. 6 year old
Peethamparam Sasikala was killed instantaneously.
SRI LANKAN
SOLDIERS GANG-RAPE A YOUNG GIRL
On 19 March 98, soldiers gang-raped a deaf and dumb
girl in Meesalai in Jaffna. The girl, Selvaranee, unable to bear the humiliation
attempted to commit suicide. Her mother’s
timely intervention saved the girl who is recuperating at the local
hospital.
WOMAN SHOT
DEAD
On 30 April 1998, the Sri Lankan armed forces shot
and killed a 36 year old mentally retarded woman who resisted their attempts to
rape her. This unfortunate incident took place when she was at the army check
post at Nochchikulam in the Mannar district.
ARMY
SHELL KILL PREGNANT WOMAN
On 12 March 98, Asokan Atputharanee (29), a 5-months
pregnant mother was killed when she was hit by a sharpnel from an explosive
fired by the Sri Lankan army in Kudathanai in the Jaffna district.
WOMEN WHIPPED
PUBLICLY
On 19 June 98 - a Special Task Force (STF) team at
Kalmunai highway at Kottaikallar in Batticaloa whipped three Tamil women
publicly. The reason for this whipping was unknown. <More
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NGOs COMPLAIN
TO UN ENVOY
On 6 May 98, NGOs in Madhu, Vanni told the visiting UN special envoy Olara
Otunnu that the Sri Lankan military was deliberately obstructing their humanitarian
aid programme, resulting in widespread malnutrition and unusually high
mortality among people. The meeting was presided by the representative of the Mannar government
agent and attended by many NGOs and the refugee population. The NGOs said that
according to the latest survey, infant mortality has shot-up to an alarming
level in those areas blockaded by the Sri Lankan army. The UN envoy was told
that farming in these areas was also hampered due to the embargo on fertiliser.
The heavy bombardment of agricultural lands has contributed for sharply reduced
agricultural products. Many parents and relatives of young people who recently
'disappeared' also made a plea to help trace their missing relatives. They
broke down and wept in front of the UN envoy, who was visibly moved by their
plight. Responding to their appeals, Mr. Otunnu said he was already aware of
these matters and expressed sorrow over the disappearance of innocent people.
The UN special envoy promised to bring the matter to the attention of the
authorities in Colombo.
NO PERMISSION
TO BRING HOME DEAD CHILD
On 30 March 98, the military has refused army-pass to a mother to bring home the body of her 6-month old infant. The mother, Kamaladevy, admitted that her baby Chandravathany who was suffering from diarehoea to the Vavuniya hospital. As the child's condition deteriorated, the baby was transferred to the Anuradhapura hospital and died.