More youths surrender to Rights Group in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 December 2006, 01:21 GMT]
The number of youths surrendering to the Human Rights Commission (HRC), Jaffna branch out of fear being abducted and killed by the Sri Lankan Forces, are increasing, human rights activists in Jaffna Peninsula said Tuesday.

More than 30 youths from various parts of the Peninsula have surrendered to HRC in the last two months. The youths then appear before the Jaffna Magistrate through HRC's legal support, and are sent to the protective custody of Jaffna prison.

One youth surrendered on Monday and two persons including a school student surrendered on Tuesday.

A youth from Avarangal, Puththur in Valikamam region who was injured in a shooting incident and was being treated at the Jaffna Teaching hospital, surrendered to HRC Tuesday. He told the officials his life will be in danger if he goes home.

The relatives of Sritharan Parathithasan, 21, of Mallaham, lodged a complaint at HRC that the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) arrested him along with some others on 1 December along Mallaham- Alaveddi road. Though the SLA released all the others, no concrete information regarding his whereabouts was given when contacted by the relatives.

Sinnarasa Sivaselvam, 26, from Puloly South, Point Pedro in Vadamarachchy region, has disappeared after being arrested by the SLA. The soldiers in the area confiscated his Identity Card and asked him to come to their camp later. Sivaselvam was not seen after he went to the SLA camp, his relatives told to HRC.

Senthilnathan Kajendran, 25, of Siruppiddy North, Puththur and Thuraiyan Thavakkumar, 23, of Karamban, Puththur North were arrested on 29 and 17 November respectively, the relatives said.

Armed persons traveling in a white van abducted four youths including a small restaurant owner in Alaveddi in Valikamam region on Monday afternoon, eyewitnesses said. The armed men took the restaurant owner first in to the van and then took three other customers.

No complaints have yet been lodged on these four abductions, eye witnesses to the abductions said.

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