Record inquiry in Tamil, MPGA demands

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 January 2003, 02:03 GMT]
Investigations into the disappearance of more than 600 Tamil youths in Jaffna during 1996 and 1997 due to begin on 24 January in the Jaffna premises of the Human Rights Commision (HRC), must be recorded in Tamil, demanded the Missing Persons Guardian Association (MPGA) in a decision taken at a recent meeting and conveyed to the HRC, said sources in Jaffna.

The MPGA further demanded that one of their members should be present during the inquiry and that people who are requested to attend inquiries must be reimbursed for their travelling expenses, sources added.

The MPGA threatened to boycott the inquiries if their three demands are not met by the HRC.

A former Jaffna government agent Mr. Devanesan Nesiah heads the inquiry committee. As a prelude to the official inquiry on the 24th, preliminary investigation to collect necessary information to be submitted to the committee of inquiry began Thursday, 9 January in Jaffna under the guidance of the committee secretary and the national organizer of the Project for Strengthening Human Rights and Development Mr.M.C.M.Iqbal, HRC sources said.

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