Sri Lanka’s white van squads abducted, tortured and murdered victims before feeding their bodies to crocodiles, admitted a man who was supposedly a driver for the squads under the previous government.
In a dramatic press conference in Colombo on Sunday, Anthony Fernando was introduced by Sri Lanka’s health minister as white van driver who had personally witnessed kidnappings and torture.
Fernando told reporters that white van abductions were apparently carried out in accordance with the orders of former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and with the knowledge of personnel attached to the Sri Lankan police and army, including a brigadier and major.
He went on to describe how those who were abducted were tortured and killed in various parts of the island, including one site in Monaragala. At this particular location, the bodies of those who had been killed were allegedly removed of their organs and fed to crocodiles in a nearby reservoir.
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The revelation from Fernando comes as Tamil families of the forcibly disappeared continued their protest on the roads of the North-East and demanded answers to the whereabouts of their loved ones.
Families demonstrated in Mullaitivu on Sunday as former president Mahinda Rajapaksa was in town for a rally in support of his brother Gotabaya’s presidential bid, chanting slogans such as “white van chief Gotabaya! Get out!”.
