Disappeared persons issue not discussed in Batticaloa DDC meeting

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 June 2010, 14:41 GMT]
The assurance given by the Government Agent of Batticaloa that discussion on the disappeared persons’ issue would be taken up at the Batticaloa District Development Committee meeting held on Monday was not fulfilled, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians told media Tuesday. About 130 civilians have been reported disappeared in the last three years according to reports the TNA received from the relatives of missing persons. The TNA had assured the relatives of the victims that the alliance would raise the issue with the Sri Lankan Minister Basil Rajapakse when he attends the Batticaloa DDC meeting and wanted them to make written representation about those missing relatives in the offices of TNA parliamentarians.

The TNA parliamentarians representing the Batticaloa district have lodged their protest to the Government Agent.

P.Selvarajah, C.Yogeswaran and P.Ariyanethran requested the GA Sundaram Arumainayagam to allocate time to meet the minister Basil Rajapaksa when he visits Batticaloa to attend the DDC meeting. The GA also agreed to the request, according to the parliamentarians.

But TNA parliamentarians said they were disappointed when the GA had failed to allocate time to discuss the disappeared persons issue at the DDC meeting held on Monday (June 28) as agreed, TNA parliamentarian C.Yogeswaran told media.

The DDC discussed only issues related to 'development' works carried out in past and to be carried out in the future in the Batticaloa district.