After receiving further pressure from Mullaitivu police earlier this week to submit a list of the names of the dead that were carved on stones as part of a Mullivaikkaal event last week, Tamil civil society activist and programme director of Adayaalam Centre for Policy Research (ACPR) Father Elil has now been asked by police for the addresses of those names on the list.
Despite having a previous police summons cancelled on May 22 due to international and domestic pressure, Father Elil received phone calls from the police on May 24 demanding a list of names used for the memorial service held at St Paul’s Church in Mullivaaikkal East. When Father Elil went to the police station on May 25 after repeated requests, the police stated they wanted the addresses of those names on the list, which Father Elil did not have. Police then told Father Elil that he had to stop carving stones for the memorial project until their investigation into whether any of the names were former LTTE cadres was complete.
Tamil Guardian has learnt that Father Elil’s place of residence has been under surveillance with un-marked CID personnel stationed outside his house for periods of time. Local police have also been reported of driving past and slowing down in front of the civil society activist’s place of residence.
A statement released by several civil society actors and organisations called for an end of activist harassment, adding,
“[W]e appreciate and fully support the work of Fr. Elil and others, towards the realisation of this universal right, which is a crucial element of transitional justice and reconciliation. We express our solidarity to them in the context of intimidation, threats and reprisals from the government that they are current facing. We see their work as crucial towards reconciliation and co-existence, and commit to support them.”
