5 Jaffna civilians missing, feared abducted by SLA

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 February 2007, 02:41 GMT]
Five civilians were reported missing on Tuesday from Jaffna Municipal area and Atchuvely area in Jaffna peninsula according to complaints made at the Jaffna office of the Human Rights Commission (HRC). Two of the persons were missing on their way to Jaffna town while three were arrested by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers driving a white van, family members of the missing persons said.

Immanuel Kenthira Vivilian, 28, of Hospital Road, Jaffna and David Arulnesan, 36, from 5th Cross Street, Jaffna are reported missing since Tuesday 10:45 a.m, after they left to Jaffna town from their homes.

SLA troopers in a Hiace white van arrested Thiyagarajah Saran, 25, at his home in Avarankal East around 9:00 p.m Tuesday, according to the complaint made by his family members at HRC.

Thavarajah Subramaniam, 48, was also arrested by SLA troopers in a white Hiace van at his house in Atchuvely South Tuesday around 9:00 p.m, according to the complaint made to HRC.

Visuvasam Amalraj 19, a resident of Navakiri, riding on motor cycle along Rasa Veethy in Navakiri on Tuesday is missing and is reported abducted by SLA troopers in a white van, according to the complaint to HRC.

Though HRC officials informed the SLA authorities regarding the complaints the SLA officials had not yet responded, HRC sources said.

The white Hiace van used in the abductions is alleged to have been appropriated by the SLA troopers from a private establishment on Rasa Veethy, Nalllur, informed sources said.