SL military assault vigilant committee members in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 August 2011, 03:56 GMT]
Youths who provide security to their villages as members of vigilant committees against the movement of suspected ‘grease devils” are summoned to Sri Lanka Amy camps in Batticaloa district and severely assaulted by intelligence men of the Sri Lanka Police, according to affected youths. The fate of two such youths summoned to army camp at Mu'rakkoddaagn-cheanai in Batticaloa district two days ago is not known, according to village residents.

Residents say it was the law enforcement authorities have advised them to form vigilant committees in every village are harassing its members at the request of paramilitary groups led by Karuna and Pillaiyan.

The occupying SL Army and SL Police have been conducting search in every house during nights targeting young women under the guise of monitoring the movement of mysterious persons named as ‘grease devils.'

Members of vigilant committees are patrolling their villages day and night with poles and iron rods against such harassment.

Members of such vigilant committees are frequently summoned to local army camps and are severely assaulted by CID personnel. The SLA soldiers then release them with stern warning that they will be shot if they make the incidents public.

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