Seven youths arrested by SLA, reported missing in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 February 2007, 00:05 GMT]
Seven youths arrested by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers and collaborating paramilitaries in Jaffna since Sunday, have been reported as missing by their relatives with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna offices, civil sources said. Three youths were arrested in Vadamaradchy Sunday, three youths on Tuesday and another on Monday from other parts of peninsula are listed as missing at the HRC.

Balasubramaniam Mathanaseelan, 17, a school boy from Samarabahu in Valvettithurai who left home on Sunday morning was arrested by the SLA and is listed as missing, according to the complaints made by his family members.

Sivarasa Sabesan, 23, a young family man from Kambarmalai in Valvettithurai arrested around 3:00 p.m Sunday by the SLA is also reported missing by his wife. Mrs Sabesan said in her complaint to the HRC that the SLA troopers fired guns in the air to threaten the witnesses when they forcibly took her husband away.

Jeyakumaran Mayooran, a young farmer from Mootha Vinyagar Temple area in Karaveddy, Nelliyady, was arrested by SLA troopers who arrived in military vehicles around 1:00 a.m Sunday. His family members said that when they inquired at the SLA camp in Nelliady, the officials denied arresting Mayooran.

Four other youths arrested by SLA and listed as missing are:

• Kondavil: Unidentified armed men who arrived in a white van at the house of Rajamanoharan Suthaharan, 34, on Railway Station Road in Kondavil Tuesday evening, forcibly abducted Suthaharan and took him away, according to relatives.
  
  
• Kokuvil: SLA troopers arrested Ramachandran Rajeevan, 24, of Thavady Tuesday while he was playing in the Thavady Pathirakali Amman Temple grounds. Rajeevan is missing, his family members said.
  
  
• Kokuvil: Chelliah Kajendran of Ainthu Vembadi area at Thavady in Kokuvil is reported missing by his family members after he was arrested by the SLA on Tuesday.
  
  
• Aanaikottai: Thinesh Ananthan, 24, from 3rd Mile Post in Aanaikottai, arrested by SLA Monday is reported missing by his relatives.

Meanwhile, Thambirasa Thamayanthan from School road in Annaikottai, arrested on Wednesday 10 January by SLA is also reported missing since his arrest, by his family members.

In most of the cases although eyw-witnesses were present during the abductions, SLA officials have denied detaining the arrested youths.

Chronology: