Two de-mining workers abducted in Point-Pedro

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 11 January 2006, 11:14 GMT]
Two demining workers, Tharmasiri and Kandeepan, employed by the humanitarian Danish De-mining Group, DDG, were abducted by unknown armed men who came in a white Hiace van Wednesday early morning in Point Pedro, sources in Jaffna said. The workers were on their way to de-mining in their motorbikes. The abduction occurred close to the Sri Lanka Army's (SLA's) High Security Zone (HSZ) about 100 meters from the SLA 52-4 Brigade camp in the area, civilian sources said.

Thambiah Tharmasiri and Narayanamoorthy Kandeepan were abuducted at 5:20 a.m. Wednesday on Odaikarai lane while they were on their way to work in Kuppilan, close to the High Security Zone near the Palaly Military Base, sources added.

District Coordinating Office of the Jaffna District Secretariat, in-charge of the de-mining activities in Jaffna District, has confirmed that two de-mining workers were missing.

Four de-mining workers of another De-mining group, HALO Trust, are already reported missing. They are suspected be either abducted by the gunmen, or in the custody of the SLA troopers or the Sri Lankan Police in Jaffna District, according to local media sources in Jaffna.

HALO Trust recently resumed its duties following the reported attempt by the Sri Lanka Army to relocate HALO Trust's vehicles to High Security Zone following an incident where de-mining data maps and computer equipment were driven away in two vehicles by unknown armed men in December.