Court orders inquiry into thirteen missing youths

[TamilNet, Monday, 22 March 2004, 15:41 GMT]
Jaffna High Court Mr.K.P.S.Varatharajah Monday instructed the Chavakachcheri Magistrate to conduct inquiries into the thirteen Habeas Corpus applications filed by relatives of thirteen Tamil youths who were reported missing after the arrest by the Sri Lanka Army during 1996 in Thenmaradchchi division in Jaffna district and to submit reports, legal sources said.

According to the HC applications filed by the petitioners in the Jaffna High Court that the Sri Lanka Army had arrested thirteen Tamil youths,

• A.Kodeeswaran, A.Thilakaretnam, K.Ketheeswaran, J.Amalanathan and E.Jeyaseelan of Navatkuli,
• M.Jeyaratnam and M.Sivarajah of Madduvil,
• V.Thiruvarudchelvam and P.Theveswaran of Kiolakandy,
• P.Raveendran of Kaithady south,
• S.Sivakumar and K.Pushparajah of Thachchanthoppu, and
• S.Tharmalingam of Kantharodai,

during the year 1996 and later the youths were reported to have disappeared without trace, legal sources said.

The petitioners in the HC applications have prayed the court to order the respondents to produce the youths in courts.

Lieutenant Colonel Dumintha Keppitigollawa and Army Commander Lionel Balagalle and two others have been cited as respondents in the HC applications, legal sources said.

When the HC applications were taken up for further inquiry Monday before Jaffna High Court, SLA counsel Captain Kuruppu submitted his written objections on behalf of the respondents through State Counsel Ms Suganthi Kandasamy. Copies of the objections were handed over to Counsel Mr.Remedius who appeared for the petitioners, legal sources said.

Thereafter the High Court Judge ordered the Chavakachcheri Magistrate to hold inquiry into the 13 HC applications and to submit his reports to court, legal sources said.