Jaffna based civilian organizations are protesting the abduction and killing by Sri Lankan security forces of eight youth guarding the Kelathu Amman temple in Jaffna during the night of Saturday, May 6. The organisations blamed the deaths on the government forces and called for an immediate end to extrajudicial killings and harassment of civilians.
Villagers who went searching for the eight missing youths in Manthuvil East in Thenmaradchi, Jaffna, found blood traces, pieces of clothes, 3 identity cards and six spent bullet cases.
The youth had gone to the Seerani Kelakkai temple in Manthuvil East, northeast of Chavakachcheri, to protect temple valuables during the grand Kumbabishekam festival being observed at the site. A teacher, who was also general secretary of the temple trustee board and four students were among the victims.
Blood traces found between the temple chariot and the temple, were covered with sand and boot prints were visible, press reports said.
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers go to the temple site regularly each evening., villagers said, stressing that the SLA was fully aware of the festival. On Saturday night, the soldiers also came to the site around 10:00 p.m.
The villagers report vehicle movement around 1:00 a.m. in the area, a few minutes before they heard more than eight gunshots. At 4:00 a.m. in the morning, another unusual movement was observed: a Buffel Armoured Personel Carrier and a jeep with SLA soldiers went to the site and stayed there for more than 30 minutes, reports said.
Later, there were reports that the bodies had been found in Kombimunai forest area near Kapputhu, an area straddling Vadamaradchy-Thenmaradchy border.
More than 1,000 residents had gathered to look for the bodies of the eight. But security forces dispersed them on Sunday afternoon. Immediately, SLA soldiers sealed off the roads and prevented entry to Kapputhu village. Several hundred troops were deployed near Kalikai junction that leads to Kapputhu, local residents said.
The police also imposed a curfew on the peninsula from midnight Sunday to 4pm Monday as the situation became tense following the reports of the bodies being found. The A9 highway leading into Jaffna from Killinochchi via the Muhamalai entry and exit point was also closed for civilian traffic during the curfew, while security was also strengthened at key locations in the Jaffna peninsula.
Members of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), who visited the site the following Monday morning, said that they could not locate any bodies. However, another human rights organisation found blood, empty cartridge shells and clothes backing the villagers reports.
The SLMM had been criticised earlier for delaying in getting to the site. "Almost 30 hours have passed since a crime against humanity has taken place at a temple site. The truce monitors from the SLMM in Jaffna are yet to visit the crime site or approach the area where the bodies are said to be found," accused S. Kajendran, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP for Jaffna district.
SLMM officials explained that the delay was caused due to the lack of resources – they did not have a translator or driver, according to the Director of the LTTE Peace Secretariat, Mr. S. Puleedevan, who said the SLMM delay was "too late".
Separately, a special investigating team of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLHRC) in Jaffna inspected the site on Tuesday, May 9, and recorded the statements of more than 50 residents. The team found blood stains, four empty cartridge shells and discarded clothes lying at site from where noise of gunfire was heard by residents, reports said.
Residents noted that it took Kodikamam police officials four days to visit the site, with police only visiting after the SLHRC team had been and gone.
A week before the killings, SLA soldiers had warned a group of civilians who were sleeping at the temple after festival preparations. S. Kajendran, Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian said that the villagers had registered suspicious movement of a Jeep after the warning issued by the soldiers.
Villagers who went searching for the eight missing youths in Manthuvil East in Thenmaradchi, Jaffna, found blood traces, pieces of clothes, 3 identity cards and six spent bullet cases.
The youth had gone to the Seerani Kelakkai temple in Manthuvil East, northeast of Chavakachcheri, to protect temple valuables during the grand Kumbabishekam festival being observed at the site. A teacher, who was also general secretary of the temple trustee board and four students were among the victims.
Blood traces found between the temple chariot and the temple, were covered with sand and boot prints were visible, press reports said.
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers go to the temple site regularly each evening., villagers said, stressing that the SLA was fully aware of the festival. On Saturday night, the soldiers also came to the site around 10:00 p.m.
The villagers report vehicle movement around 1:00 a.m. in the area, a few minutes before they heard more than eight gunshots. At 4:00 a.m. in the morning, another unusual movement was observed: a Buffel Armoured Personel Carrier and a jeep with SLA soldiers went to the site and stayed there for more than 30 minutes, reports said.
Later, there were reports that the bodies had been found in Kombimunai forest area near Kapputhu, an area straddling Vadamaradchy-Thenmaradchy border.
More than 1,000 residents had gathered to look for the bodies of the eight. But security forces dispersed them on Sunday afternoon. Immediately, SLA soldiers sealed off the roads and prevented entry to Kapputhu village. Several hundred troops were deployed near Kalikai junction that leads to Kapputhu, local residents said.
The police also imposed a curfew on the peninsula from midnight Sunday to 4pm Monday as the situation became tense following the reports of the bodies being found. The A9 highway leading into Jaffna from Killinochchi via the Muhamalai entry and exit point was also closed for civilian traffic during the curfew, while security was also strengthened at key locations in the Jaffna peninsula.
Members of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), who visited the site the following Monday morning, said that they could not locate any bodies. However, another human rights organisation found blood, empty cartridge shells and clothes backing the villagers reports.
The SLMM had been criticised earlier for delaying in getting to the site. "Almost 30 hours have passed since a crime against humanity has taken place at a temple site. The truce monitors from the SLMM in Jaffna are yet to visit the crime site or approach the area where the bodies are said to be found," accused S. Kajendran, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP for Jaffna district.
SLMM officials explained that the delay was caused due to the lack of resources – they did not have a translator or driver, according to the Director of the LTTE Peace Secretariat, Mr. S. Puleedevan, who said the SLMM delay was "too late".
Separately, a special investigating team of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLHRC) in Jaffna inspected the site on Tuesday, May 9, and recorded the statements of more than 50 residents. The team found blood stains, four empty cartridge shells and discarded clothes lying at site from where noise of gunfire was heard by residents, reports said.
Residents noted that it took Kodikamam police officials four days to visit the site, with police only visiting after the SLHRC team had been and gone.
A week before the killings, SLA soldiers had warned a group of civilians who were sleeping at the temple after festival preparations. S. Kajendran, Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian said that the villagers had registered suspicious movement of a Jeep after the warning issued by the soldiers.
