An Overview of the “Enforced Disappearances” Phenomenon
April 13th, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
The enforced disappearances phenomenon is but one in a long list of problems plaguing the Tamil people of Sri Lanka in recent times. People suddenly disappear or go missing .There have been some incidents where Muslims and Sinhala people have gone “missing” too but the overwhelming cases of “Missing” or “Disappearances” pertain to the Tamil people alone. Though these incidents are loosely called “disappearances” they are really “involuntary disappearances” or “enforced disappearances”.
[”I come to Raddoluwa every year to pay tribute to my missing son. He was a student in Empilipitiya. He went missing on August 2nd 1989. I do not know what has happened to him. I miss my son. Nobody can bring my son back to me”, says S.R.Heengami (68) of Empilipitiya - HA Pic By Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai]
Disappearances are nothing new to this Country. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) insurgencies of 1971 and 1988 - 89 saw thousands of people mainly youths being killed or made to disappear. Officially sanctioned unofficial abductions and executions were the order of the day. While this method was consciously adopted by the state to defeat the insurrection the JVP rebels themselves were responsible for several killings and disappearances. Quantitatively state repression was much more than the JVP violence.
Likewise the long years of an on - going ethnic conflict have also seen much Tiger terror, counter - terror, inter - terror, intra - terror and state terror. Tamil youths were taken , tortured and murdered in 1979 when Junius Richard Jayewardene declared emergency for Jaffna and sent his nephew “Bull” Weeratunga with orders ” to wipe out terror in all its forms” before Dec 31st.
Similiar incidents as well as other types of “disappearances” took place frequently thereafter. There were many instances where disappearances and mass executions were part of deliberate state policy to quell the separatism. The Special Task Force in the East excelled at this type of counter - insurgency. In 1996 after the security forces took over Jaffna more than 500 Tamil youths disappeared. Some bodies were discovered at the Chemmany mass grave.
While the security forces were responsible for many disappearances and executions of Tamils in the past the Tamil armed groups too were involved in such activity. The internecine warfare among Tamil guerilla organizations contributed greatly to this situation. There were also a lot of internal killings Moreover people suspected of being spies, informants and traitors were also victims. There were also instances of people being abducted for interrogation or for ransom. Many died in custody and are termed missing.
In this endless cycle of ” misery” it has now become the turn of Tamils to bear the brunt of “enforced disappearances”. Disappearances have taken place in Colombo, Negombo, Dehiwela, Puttalam, Chilaw, Ratnapura, Avissawela, Wattala, Ratnapura and Kandy. They are also happening in Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mannar, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Amparai districts. People are also being abducted in the areas controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
A vague pattern can be discerned in the incidents occurring in the areas controlled by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) . The disappeared and those reported dead can be divided into four broad categories. One category is that of people suspected to be linked directly to the LTTE. The second category is that of people suspected of being linked indirectly to the LTTE. The third category is that of businessmen suspected of being linked directly or indirectly to the LTTE. The fourth category is that of businessmen, professionals etc being abducted to extract huge sums of money as ransom.
The current phase of disappearances and killings in Jaffna began as a calculated campaign to weed out and eradicate perceived LTTE elements. The ill - advised LTTE campaign of enlisting “trained civilians” as the so called “peoples force ” (Makkal padai) to attack the Police and security forces in GOSL controlled Jaffna made the state fully aware of the “enemy within”. The LTTE functioning officially as the “political wing” withdrew leaving the civilians to face the consequences. Many pro - tiger families also relocated to the Wanni. The danger of a “fifth column” was once again realised during the abortive tiger attempt to re- take Jaffna in August last year.
As a result of this paranoia regarding a” fifth column within” people perceived as LTTE or LTTE supporters are being either killed or being abducted. Some of the abducted are interrogated and detained . They are regarded as “lucky” because their presence is acknowledged officially. Family members are informed and human rights organizations and some Non - Governmental organizations are also kept informed. A few have been produced in courts too.If anything happens to these prisoners or detenues the state will be held responsible and accountable. This extends some form of protection to them.
But those affected terribly are those who have gone missing or reportedly disappeared. In many instances people are instantly killed or killed within a short time of being abducted. But there are many who have vanished without trace. Most of these “vanished” are reportedly dead. Some charred corpses have been discovered . In a few cases torsos of bodies have been found floating in the sea. It is suspected that abducted people are killed, body parts severed and then taken to sea and flung overboard with stones attached.
It is widely alleged that the security intelligence and counter - intelligence operatives have assembled files of people believed to be linked to the LTTE or coopted into its service. Many of those killed instantaneously are people who are strongly suspected of being LTTE. Some killings however are by the tigers themselves of suspected collaborators and pro - Govt elements. In the case of business people suspected of being linked to the LTTE or helping them with money a different approach is adopted. They are asked to pay up and those obliging are left alone. But those refusing or not giving enough are killed.
During the LTTE’s unbridled “occupation” of Jaffna after the ceasefire several public demonstrations were held. All of these were videoed by the security intelligence. Now those in the forefront of these demonstrations and those engaged in organizing them etc are being identified and killed. Students involved in demonstrations are also targetted. At the same time several people trained by the LTTE in combat or planted by the tigers as intelligence operatives are also being killed or abducted.. There is however a big margin of error in this. So many innocent persons are being victimised.
In Jaffna elements linked to the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) are allegedly responsible for much of these acts. The EPDP has a public political face on the one hand. These political activists selling the “Thinamurasu” are unarmed and rely on Police and army protection to move about. The LTTE often kills these people ruthlessly. But there is another killer group of EPDP elements closely connected to Sri Lankan intelligence and security forces. It is this outfit which engages in abductions, extortion and killing.
The EPDP along with some sections of the Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) were engaged in these activities in Vavuniya. In recent times the Karuna faction too has arrived in Vavuniya. With a senior LTTE leader from Vavuniya who was earlier in charge of tiger taxation joining the Karuna faction the situation transformed. Many who had given money to the LTTE earlier are being asked the exact amount by the Karuna faction. It is believed that the Karuna faction is a mix of several ex - cadres from different groups. Likewise the EPDP segment engaged in violence in Jaffna and Vaviniya are also a mixture of assorted elements.
In Batticaloa the Karuna faction known as Tamil Makkal Viduthalaip Puligal (TMVP) is involved in abductions . killings and extortion in the form of taxes. The mainstream LTTE is also active in a clandestine manner. The TMVP has also opened branches in Trincomalee. Tamil traders are being taxed ruthlessly. Also Tamil community leaders and businessmen are being killed. The TMVP tried to move into Amparai district also. But opposition from MUslim people along with the hatred some sections of the STF have for Karuna has prevented this. So Amparai Tamils are not suffering like their counterparts in other areas in this respect. But they have many other problems.
In Colombo the situation in the period after the ceasefire came into effect was one where the LTTE was killing suspected informants, para - militaries and members of alternative Tamil parties like the EPDP. Many Tamil businessmen were also compelled to pay money. The LTTE also infiltrated Colombo by planting its agents in different places. Some businesses were also opened by tiger stooges.
Initially the abductions and disappearances were directed against the perceived LTTE fifth column. The EPDP was of help in assisting the intelligence. But soon the Karuna faction overshadowed the EPDP. In fairness to the EPDP it must be said that the party has a definite political program and was earlier reluctant to confront the tigers. But the LTTE forced the EPDP to join forces with the Security intelligence and collaborate actively in anti - tiger action. But the Karuna faction like the mainstream LTTE has no comprehensive political agenda. They are solely dependent on the state and are guided and controlled by the state’s “intelligence” handlers. In Mao Ze Dong’s parlance the TMVP cadres are nowadays the “running dogs” of (Sinhala) Imperialism.
The Colombo scenario has started deteriorating. From a stage where only suspected LTTE agents were being targetted the situation has now become one where the profit motive is dominating. Most disappearances through abductions are now being enforced to extort massive sums of money as ransom. It is not only Tamils of North - Eastern origin who are being victimized but many Indian origin Tamils too. Some Muslims too have been terrorised.
On another level people believed to be LTTE agents or intelligence operatives are also being targetted. Many of them vanish without trace and are believed to have been killed. Some bodies are found on roadsides, waterways. A few are headless. These bodies were meant to be discovered in order to terrorise the people. At the same time many are being disposed of in the sea. After the Chemmani and Suriakanda mass grave controvrsies there is reluctance to bury the victims. It is said that many victims are those killed by torture during interrogation.
The “enforced disappearances” of most affluent Tamils are not political or related to counter - terrorist procedures. These are nothing but extortion related abductions. It is now an industry. The actual number of incidents are not reported to the Police or even organizations like the Civil Monitoring Commission. Many people negotiate on their own and get their loved ones released through paying a reduced sum. They later keep silent.
In many cases the ransom paid is so great that continuing with business becomes impossible. Some are forced to sell off property to collect ransom money. Also some who get released feel so insecure that they transfer their businesses to someone else and leave the country. There are also many businessmen who have run off to India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Middle - East and Western nations to escape being victimised.
While these organized “disappearances for ransom” is overtly a racket milking Tamil cash cows there is also a hidden aspect. In July 1983 organized mobs consisting mainly of Sinhala - speaking hoodlums looted and destroyed Tamil businesses. Despite that blow the resilient Tamil people have bounced back and have carved out their niche once again in Sri Lankan commerce. What is happening now is another “silent” July 1983. The business concerns are not physically destroyed but Tamil businessmen are being systematically wiped out. Tamil owned or controlled commerce is rapidly eroding.
The irony is that this slow strangulation is not being done by Sinhala mobs but by Tamil cat’spaws. The actual abductions are generally done by the Karuna or EPDP group or in a few cases by both. There is close collaboration by sections of the Police and armed forces and intelligence personnell. Some top “security” guy is usually at hand to help out if something goes wrong. It is also believed that a percentage of the ill - gained loot is given to these sections. In some instances the Tamil groups pay “bribes” to get things done.
There does not seem to be institutionalised corruption or collaboration by the Police or Armed forces in this sordid activity. But there certainly seems to be collaboration on an individual basis by some sections of the Police and armed forces. Some victims have told families that their abductors simply flashed their ID cards at check points and got clearance. In some cases the abducted persons were gagged and bound and forced to lie down in the vehicle while their abductors placed their feet on them. The security personnel at checkposts were apparently not aware of abductees being in the vehicle.
According to versions trotted out by released victims there seem to be safe houses in Colombo and suburbs where some victims have been taken. Others have been taken to makeshift camps in Polonnaruwa, Amparai and Vavuniya. Usually they are kept blindfolded and allowed time for meals and ablutions during which time blindfolds are removed. They were allowed to bathe once in two days. Some victims have been assaulted and badly treated while others were treated well. These vagaries were a result of the personality differences of the respective captors. Victims also say that their captors spoke in Sinhala, Tamil and English in different dialects.
What is frightening about this racket is suspected connivance and condonement at very high levels. At least one cabinet minister has demanded and received money for the release of abducted persons. There are also instances of the families and relatives of abducted persons obtaining their releases through contacts at very, very high levels of Government. It is said that the only sure guarantee of getting one released is to gain the sympathy of family members of a powerful, political dynasty.
This does not mean that a powerful “clique” is directing all operations. The abductors have autonomy in this. But if someone is to be easily released without paying up then political help at a very high level is absolutely essential.
There is also the patent lack of interest shown in trying to apprehend the culprits. Despite much evidence being available no effort is made to trace the abductors. Tamils have been arrested by honest Sinhala Policemen but were forced to release them due to high level pressure. Up Country Peoples Front MP and Deputy Minister Radhakrishnan went public with the telephone numbers of some abductors. Instead of follow up action some Police sleuths summoned Radhakrishnan for an inquiry about how he got his information.
Against this backdrop the average Tamil victim does not trust the Police, armed forces or the Government. Those who have high level contacts use that influence to get their loved ones out. Others negotiate with the abductors, pay up and secure releases. After getting out most victims either leave the Country or simply keep quiet.
There are however many who remain missing still. There may be a variety of reasons for this. In some instances the abducted do not have the resources to pay the ransom demanded. Some have not been released despite ransoms being paid. There is suspicion that many have been killed or died through torture in custody. The families of such people are despondent. The only silver lining in that dark cloud is the Civil monitoring Commission convened by Mano Ganeshan the Western Peoples Front leader and Parliamentarian. The chairman is veteran leftist and former Presidential candidate Siritunga Jayasuriya.
Politicians such as Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Lakshman Kiriella ,Suresh Premachandran etc are also involved in the commissions activities. The efforts of this body have failed so far to get any “missing” person released but the awareness created has helped to minimise abductions to some extent. Currently disappearances in Colombo have decreased but are on the increase in the North.
[”I need my father. Please release him” requests Arshani Keetheeswaran (6) - HA]
The role of agencies such as the Civil Monitoring Commission have been commendable in drawing attention to the crucial problem of disappearances. The CMC has played a pivotal role in creating public opinion on this. More importantly the Civil Monitoring Commission provides an avenue for affected families to complain without fear. The recent conference in Colombo attended by Ranil Wickremasinghe saw many loved ones of the disappeared release their pent up emotions in public.
Ultimately the Government cannot shirk its responsibility. It is accountable for these disappearances even if it has no hand in this. But in Sri Lanka the evidence available shows that the Govt does not have clean hands in this. Many top persons are implicated. Statements by Govt personalities like “Tamils from the North are getting lost in Colombo”, ” eloping Tamils are missing” etc add insult to injury.
Sri Lanka is only second to Iraq in the realm of disappearances. Yet International human rights organizations are yet to come out with comprehensive reports exposing the situation in detail. The Amnesty International exposed the Kumaratunga regime over disappearances in 1996. But last year more than a 1000 have disappeared. This year it has topped 300 already. The International community is yet to display the same energy shown over child soldiers in the case of disappearances.
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25 Comments Add your own
1. Thillai.T.Thillaiambalam | April 14th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
This article by DBS and the other one on the meeting of disappeared peorsons loved ones in Colombo were moving. This article relates history of disappeared people in Sri Lanka. I have seen films and read articles about disappearances in South America . I am sorry that it is now happening in Sri Lanka and my people are suffering
2. KK Nathan | April 14th, 2007 at 2:26 pm
Very good article by DBS Jeyaraj describing disappearances problem. Tamils are badly affected. I know three people who were kidnapped by Tamil group. They gave millions of rupees and came out. They are quiet because of fright. They are frightend because Govt, Police Army all are helping kidnappers. World must do something
3. Gloria Abraham | April 14th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
Thank You Mr. DBS Jeyaraj for a very informative article exposing the real situation. My brother in law who is running a profitable business in Colombo has now come to our house in Australia temporarily. His business is looked after by his Sinhala manager. My BIL came here with his family to escape being extorted for huge sums of money (He was asked 23 million rs). He was threatened that he will be kidnapped if he did not pay up. When he went to a Police DIG friend (Sinhala gentleman) to ask him to do something that friend told him he cannot do anything because the top Govt people are involved. He advised my BIL to pay up or go abroad. So he came here.
I am sure There are many cases like this. It will be good if people who know write about these incidents here without revealing names
4. Bala | April 14th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
I know of at least eight Tamil business people who have come to Singapore to avoid being made to “disappear” in Sri Lanka. The Country is next only to Iraq in disappearances now. Good work Mr. DBS
5. A Girl | April 14th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
I am very moved by this. It seems very unfair that people are doing this for cash. I am a beleiver of karma,hindu or not, and this is very shocking. I wish there was some sort of way we could be able to stop this by getting attention from other countries.
6. A | April 15th, 2007 at 4:25 am
Very good article by DBS Jeyaraj describing disappearances problem. My 2 relations are disappeared or kidnap by Unkown men at colombo and Wellawaya.
7. Pillai | April 15th, 2007 at 9:03 am
I used to be neutral to this war. After seeing these now i strongly support the tigers. It is the only option for tamils to be free. Long live eelam!
8. Kumuthu | April 16th, 2007 at 7:28 am
Dear Mr.DBS.J;
I kindly request you to write the true case of disaaperance of tamils with the background information for this act of fundamental human right of tamil businessmen.
I am too a media person working for a national daily and I produce below the information I gathered from some of my tamil collegues
The disapperence of many businessmen, specially tamils in SriLanka are made to get millions of money with help of SriLankan army and Karuna forces. The reported cases in the media is less than 10% of the real cases, due the death thread by the most powerful body of the goverment.
All financial assets (bank balances in different banks of each businessmen) and their business telephone conversation and other informations are available with those armed men, before they abduct the innocent businessmen. Abductees are blind folded into the white van and taken to a place after arounf 90 minutes journey and chained in a bed and guraded with armed men bearing SriLankan Army uniform and speaking in Singala language. It is like a goverment office, always with congetsed telephone calls.The well organised abduction and some time killing (if money is not paid) are led by the most powerful person. I do not want mention the name here for security reason.
Readers!!! see where SriLanka now goes ahead???
9. Gloria Abraham | April 16th, 2007 at 3:36 pm
I found the following comment by Layaseran senguttuvan posted to another article by. Mr. Jeyaraj on the disappearances problem. I am taking the liberty of re - posting it to comments section of this article
ilaya seran senguttuvan | April 13th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
A good article on a subject that worries Tamils in the Colombo District more than any other.
It is time Tamils realised the conspiracy of abductions, admittedly by sections of the Police, the Army and other security forces paid for by the government just to do the opposite. This matter has deeper ramifications than what meets the eye. Having failed to totally eliminate Tamil resistance for Language rights and reasonable power-sharing that began via the Parliamentary path and resorted to the extra-Parliamentary only after all other methods were made to fail by the Sinhala polity. A devious plan has been hatched and now in force to initially rid the influential and resourceful business community in the South as a prelude to the final cleansing of Tamils from the Cbo District.
The killing of Industrialist Gunaratnam in 1987, the Shanmugam-Subramaniam Bros in the Pettah in 1988, the threats to the Maharajah?s and Samuel Gnanam, the removal of Kala Sri from the Sugar trade are all part of this conspiracy. Thisre-invigorated plan - whether it has a Central organisation is not established yet - comes in the wake of secret meetings of the sinhala extreme over sometime that has concluded now with Tamilnadu carefully watching events against the Tamils here; with India generally pro-Tamil; with the International community being tired of the government?s refusal to share power with the Tamils;
President Rajapakse being unable to restrain the hawkish elements around him - kin and others - who encourage criminal aerial and other attacks on Tamil civilians in the guise of attacking the LTTE; are all agreed on a putsch to eliminate the Tamils from Cbo. A garrulous Deputy Minister with admitted underworld connections, a linchpin the ?kudu? trade and haughtily claiming kinship with Sinhala historical figures - is generally believed to be ?contact? man in the conspiracy. He is one of those who directs who should be abducted and who not. It is believed he shares part of the takes which comes to multiple millions monthly - that he shares with powerful people at the top. His role in the exercise has been so successful he has assured the top in the government, he will be able to break the ?Tamil hold? in the Plantations sector as well. He was a prime mover in last November?s Estate Strike, which went to weaken Thondaman considerably. The latter admits in recent times the Army has set up, for the first time, that much check-points and camps sufficient to sorround the Estates at a given time.
Already many Tamil businessmen are looking towards other overseas areas to escape. Applications for Indian Visas by Tamil businessmen and their families has risen from 400 to 1,000 in the past few weeks. Large Tenders of the Govt are engineered to finding the hands of Sinhala Buddhist businessmen only. In some, rules are relaxed to them subtly ensure their success.
State Banks are asked to give them financial support relaxing established rules of security documents. A group of young Buddhist Sinhala businessmen meeting surreptitiously a few years ago- have now come into the open. They are quietly taking most of the commercial lands and businesses in the Cbo area - with the active presence of the rowdy Deputy Minister referred above - and they have tremendous influence with the President, who took a group of 40 of them to China recently and told Chinese businessmen to take them as their partners in future investments in Sri lanka. There was not a single Tamil in the delegation. Muslims too were missing although a Muslim businessman with a murky past, an established sycophant, with a trail of unpaid bank loans; now a Chairman of a Corporation - has found proximity to the President since the November elections. The idea of weakening the Tamil business presence in the South engages a welcome chord with the Chief Priests in Kandy, the army and the forces, the JVP, the ultra-right and others. It is a pet theory of the mad monks of the JVP and PNM. This cabal will grow.
Tamil businessman in the South should, even at this late stage, organise themselves. There are other govts willing to help them unite. In the alternative, what will happen to Tamil businessmen and other Tamils here is the same that happened to Armenians - who now are spread in small numbers in many parts of Europe - 2nd class, detested and unwelcome.
10. Ran Che | April 17th, 2007 at 1:32 am
In 1983, most professional tamils migrated to varrious parts of the world. Those who remained in Sri lanka were either old or who id not have the confident to migrate. In addition there were those who were rich and wealthy who did not wnat to adjust in a forrign land.
The old then are dead now and are in a happy land.
The ones who did not have the confidence allowed their children to join the tigers.
The then rich are now not known.
Are the Tamils in srilanka moving up. The answer is no. Yet there are some professionals still living there and minting money more than those abroad. However what is going to be their plight. one day or another they are going to be solowed. i mean they are going to be taken and asked for lump sum.
Please leave the country or be solowed by the sinhala monster my friends.
11. Thamilan | April 17th, 2007 at 1:37 am
Come on my tamil friends we need a solution. We can not be terrorised, intimidated and humiliated. Let us join hands and fight the Sinhala Government and elevate our brothers and sisters.
Prabaharan we need another bold act of yours to teach the sih=nhala people to keep away from the innocent tamil people.
12. Sunil | April 17th, 2007 at 1:42 am
Come On
If you have the guts why dont you people come for a settlement or fight harder. Do not blar blar but show results.
These acts are not by the government and can any of you prove it. If any one of you can prove with names and details I will accept or do not put the acts of Prabaharan of the good government of SL. It is a peoples government and even the Tamils of Colombo voted for Rajapax.
What you say is that the Tamils are innocent and all opthers are badies. What a bull.
13. Ardneham | April 17th, 2007 at 4:53 am
It is a pity that even Mr. Jeyrajah copious writings will not
help. The challenge is to at least give the full history of a
test case with ample changes in Names, places, Amounts,dates etc.etc. to show a pattern, as presently
the whole things is taken with “a pinch of salt” by Subscribers like Sunil above. The Tamil Business
Community can arrange for this using investigative
writers in the media.
14. Mother Lanka | April 17th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
You all biased Tamils from diasapora are trying to exagerate this issue aginst GoSL who is fighting many fronts to save the soverignity of a country at which many vicious elements are eying.
LTTE’s ways and means are now coming after them. They killed many Tamils in PLOTE, TELLO, EPEDP and their war hero Karuna’s group. Now you should undestand your own way of killing innocent Sinhala and Tamil people are being implemented on you. GoSL can do nothing as every body involved in this are coming form the so-called Tamil struggle against Sinhala Domination.
Ofcourse GoSL must let the narrow minded selfish terro elements to kill each other to save the innocent lives of all the communities.
If GoSL are behind this, it must be doing so for suicide bombers and relevant LTTE supporters as they cannot be dealt with outdated british laws and human rights noncence.
In all the ways you are trying to beg the IC to prove your unrealistic demand for 30% of the land 60% of the coast for 15% of the population out of which 50% are again in the so-called Sinhala Dominated Areas.
Sinhalese are the minority in the world. We have been discriminated on our own land where we created the history. Greedy elements are supporting the visous myths of Tamil sepratism to have their own agendas fullfiled.
UN, HR and all other theories are only for the survivial of those who created these problems in our countries. Sinhalese will never give up their couneter struggle against barberic bunch of murderorers and their intellectual diaspora pandits who are came to those posiitons in “Sinhala Dominated” Sri Lanka….
Ofcourse GoSL has failed in countering the 100% false propganda of PRO LTTE elements in a professional way. It’s that weakness you all take to get the sympothy of narrowly aware IC and to make use of that chance to spend luxury lifstyle plus a lunch time struggles for mythical homeland.
15. Sahadevan | April 17th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Thank you Mr.DBS for exposing this disappearances and the kidnapping of Tamils to the International arena.We lost many prominent people,interlectuals,Doctors,MPs,and the list go on without end in sight.Govt ,Tamil quislings and LTTE are equally responsible for this carnage.International community also watching silently because of LTTE’s attitute.And poor Tamils are helpless.Foolish Tamil diaspora believes LTTE is going to have a Tamil Eelam for them which they are not going to live or see.
16. Sunil | April 17th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
Come on dont just bull shit by saying that the Tamils are kidnapped. They are going to see Prabaharan the Tiger Terroist to cause more trouble.
Very soon the SLA Airforce is going to bonb the North and East. Then do not cry and come to Colombo for help. Go back to North and East and shout and cry to Prabaharan.
Why do you Tamils live in Colombo, Kandy, Galle and other parts if you whant a seperate state. You guys are greedy and CAMALS.
When you behave selfish this is what you get and no more.
17. zulu | April 18th, 2007 at 9:44 am
I agree!
Tamil Business community nust unite to fight the abductions.
So is the Sinhala Business community .
Now reading from the above article,
“In this endless cycle of ? misery? it has now become the turn of Tamils to bear the brunt of ?enforced disappearances?. Disappearances have taken place in Colombo, Negombo, Dehiwela, Puttalam, Chilaw, Ratnapura, Avissawela, Wattala, Ratnapura and Kandy. They are also happening in Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mannar, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Amparai districts. People are also being abducted in the areas controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).”
What Tamils are going to do about this?
It is not the sinhalese abducted in the Wanni.
18. shane | April 18th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
I my self a tamil and hate to say this but tamils in srilanka are doomed. not even god can save them now.
19. Thayaparan | April 19th, 2007 at 12:36 am
What is obvious from both of these photos in DBSJs article is that
a 68 year old innocent sinhala mother and a 6 year old innocent tamil daughter both are looking for the bread-winners in their family. The forced disappearances affect both the communities, in recent days mainly tamils.
Who are benefit from these disappearances
“ruling and opposition party politicians and military hierarchies”
Unless people don’t take charge of their destiny, this will continue in that beautiful island nation.
20. nathan | April 19th, 2007 at 9:32 am
So far, there are no reports of “White Vans” being stopped and investigated at the many Checkpoints in Colombo & suburbs - or, even traced through records at Registrar of Motor Vehicles - an obvious method of investigation.Insted,those reporting abductions are being threatened.
Does this show collusion between Law Enforcers & Abducters ??
Is this a planned effort to get rid of all tamil businessmen from the city ?
21. Ran Che | April 23rd, 2007 at 9:50 pm
I am made to understand that the Palali Air base was attacked to day. I refer Sunils comments on para12 above and wish to say we Tamils are fighting and will fight harder very soon.
See some more results soon.
22. k.arvind | April 26th, 2007 at 8:13 am
The case of the 68 yr old Sinhala mother and that of 6 yr old
Arshani, whose father is part of the “Tamil missing” in Colombo - are two different things. The Sinhala lady’s son was lost in the 1988/89 events when the JVP tried to bring the govt down to which Ranjan Wijeratne and Premadasa responded. By killing hundreds of decent innocent people and destroying trains, buses, electrical pylons etc the JVP proved their base instincts - which are purely political and partly ideologi and lost the support of most Sinhalese. JVP always had problems in sizing up the Opposition (e.g. the foolish 1971 Coup and the attempted killing of Rajiv Gandhi) Introducing Sinhala and Muslim sporadic cases in the current spree of abductions in the Cbo area (mainly) is an effort” to draw a red herring” in the central issue and to mislead international watchers of the local scene.
Abductions/Extortions of Tamil businessmen (the latest being on April 23 in Cbo) is part of an organised effort by major Sinhala factions to drive Tamils out of Cbo. An over-enthusiastic foul-mouthed politico, now active in the Kelaniya area, recently
was involved in an extortion scam- this time from hardline
Sinhalese traders in Kelaniya. The danger in these “trades” is when it becomes a “habit” the perpetrator is blinded to the extent sometimes he does not know who is trying to fleece.
23. Rodney Mcgrath | April 26th, 2007 at 8:54 am
Hello DBS Jeyara,
This is a horrible thing that is occurring in your country. My name is Rodney McGrath, and I would like to help out if there is a means with which I could from here in Australia . Your article stands out as being another hidden government mindset that they can solve their problems by becoming the enemy, and all they really achieve is inciting more problems than they solve.
I feel for you and your people. It makes me very mad that one man feels he do harm another in the name of justice or righteous culling. This is a pathetic and weak way to rule.
24. Jan | May 1st, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Nice article and I too am sick of all these abductions and kidnappings. I guess all this is in one way or another linked to the present situation in SL for part of which the blame lies with the LTTE it self. All the pro LTTERs here should not be complaining about disappearances and hardships faced by the Tamils alone…just keep on blindly supporting Pirbha…I hope he will be able to have his eelaam soon and save all the Tamils of SL soon especially the hundreads of thousands living in Sinhala areas……;
25. Perera | May 11th, 2008 at 8:04 am
Dear Jeyaraj
Thanks for highlighting the atrocities committed against the poor tamils. They are silently crying against all formrs of state terrorisam. If anyone in Srilanka raises voices against these types of human right violations they are simply branded as Tigers or LTTE supportes including singalease. Even UN high officials are branded as being bribed by the LTTE. Don’t be disappointed if you are marked as one bribed by the LTTE. But I know how you write against LTTE.
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