Rights group finds blood stains, empty shells at crime site

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 May 2006, 17:37 GMT]
A special investigating team of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLHRC) in Jaffna led by Mr. M. Remedias, Attorney-at-law and Legal Advisor, and Coordinator Mr. Rohitha Piriyadarshana, inspected Tuesday around 11.30 a.m the Manthuvil site where the bodies of eight civilians allegedly killed by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) were said to be lying, after officially visiting Kodikamam police, said residents of Manthuvil East in Thenmaradchy.

The team recorded the statements of more than 50 residents near the Seerani Kelakkai temple in Manthuvil East from where the eight killed had disappeared. The team also found blood stains, four empty cartridge shells and discarded clothes lying at site from where noise of gunfier was heard by residents, added the sources.

The residents, in their statements publicly accused the SLA for carrying out the killings. They had also reported witnessing SLA troopers' presence at the site until 5.30 p.m on the day of the murders and had heard SLA vehicles moving about the site in the night, said Human Rights officials.

Though four days had passed since the abduction and murder of the eight youths, Kodikamam police officials had not visited the scene of crime, residents said.

The Kodikamam police officials, however, visited the site after the visit by Human Rights officials.