2ND LEAD (Adds details)

Manthuvil families protest in front of SLA Varani base

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 May 2006, 09:25 GMT]
Hundreds of families from Manthuvil region gathered in front of the Sri Lanka Army 52-4 Brigade Head Quarters located on the Point Pedro - Kodikamam road in Varani Wednesday morning, protesting against the disappearance and alleged SLA killing of eight youths from their area on Saturday the 7th May, said sources from Point Pedro.

Kodikamam Police cadres were deployed in large numbers and all traffic along the Point Pedro-Kodikamam road were blocked as tension escalated around Varani and surrounding areas, sources added.

The 52-4 Brigade SLA officers had, in response to enquiries made by the people through the Village Officer Tuesday evening, conveyed they had nothing to do with the incident.

But residents are convinced that officers from the 52-4 SLA Brigade are fully complicit in the disappearance and murder of eight youths, said the sources.

The 52-4 Brigade HQ is located 3 km from the Seerani Kelakkai temple in Manthuvil East from where the the youths disappeared.

Meanwhile, members of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) have visited Manthuvil areas and have recorded statements from village residents on the disappearance.

Local residents also faulted the Jaffna Government Agent, K. Ganesh, for ensuring investigations are carried out in a timely manner.