School girl missing in Jaffna, 3 seek protection

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 December 2007, 15:34 GMT]
A ten-year-old girl student of Changkaanai Hindu Primary School was reported missing since Tuesday after leaving to attend school in the morning, according to complaints registered with the Jaffna office of the Human Rights Commision (JHRC) by her family members Thursday. Meanwhile, three family men from different places in Jaffna peninsula sought protection with JHRC Thursday due to death threats from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitary men.

The girl reported missing is Packiarasa Partheepa, 10, a fourth grade student of Changkaanai Hindu Primary School, in Valikaamam.

The persons who have sought protection with JHRC Thursday are family men aged between 26 to 30 from Changkaanai, Kurunakar and Chi'ruppiddi. In recent days, civilians have been shot dead allegedly by armed paramilitary men in Changkaanai, Kurunakar and Chi'ruppiddi. The three family men from these villages have sought protection due to continuing death-threats from SLA-backed paramilitary men, civil society sources in Jaffna said.

A 21-year-old girl student was reported missing on 14 October 2007 after she entered the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) camp area on her way to attend classes in a private educational institute in Pungkudutheevu, an islet of Jaffna, according to complaints lodged by her family members with the JHRC, 15 October 2007.

A 11-year-old schoolgirl was reported missing in Jaffna from 22 October 2007 after attending an exhibition at the Maruthanaamadam Ramanathan College with her friends, according to a complaint registered at JHRC, 23 October 2007.