Photo Journal: 2nd Public Meeting of “the Families and Friends of the Disappeared”
August 1st, 2007
By Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai
The second public meeting for “Expression of grief of the families and friends of the disappeared” was held on August 1st 2007 at Brighten Rest in Colombo 12. It was organized by the Civil Monitoring Commission (CMC).
The lights in the hall were dim. The loved ones of the missing men and women looked worried. The atmosphere was sorrowful. They tearfully demanded the captors to release their loved ones unharmed.Men ,women and children were holding portraits of their missing loved ones-fathers, brothers, husbands, fiances and friends who have disappeared, grieved and requested for their safe return home. Women wailed, children cried, men mourned in silence. The hall was packed with more than 300 people who wanted to show their support for the families in pain. Almost everybody was in tears, when women started to wail while explaining their hardships. “Help us to find our loved ones”, “Release our missing men”, “Let us go and find our missing members of the families”, “Spread the message to the world to help us find our loved ones”, and “How long can we go through this trauma?” were often used by the relatives, while some wailed in public.
The meeting was attended by human rights activists, peace activists, diplomats and politicians. Leader of Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe, Convener of the Civil Monitoring Commission Mano Ganesan , Chairman of the Civil Monitoring Commission Sirithunga Jayasooriya United National Party’s Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake , and United National Party’s Parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella and Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene participated in the public meeting.
The tragedy continues for the family members whose loved ones are still missing
Mohamed Riyaz was abducted on January 22nd 2007 from his travel agent office in Messenger Street, Colombo 12. His wife Farzana Riyaz (on extreme right) from Slave Island in Colombo says that she has not received any information about her husband’s whereabouts while holding her husband’s portrait along with her Mother-In-Law Sithy Thajudeen.
“I plead the people who have abducted my husband, and two sons to release them. They are innocents.They have not harmed anyone. Our family was never divided, but now our family is torn apart. I cannot speak Sinhala,somebody please help me to find my missing loved ones” pleaded Sipporal Theivayanai Yogarajan she shook with emotions and fainted on the floor.
Her husand Emmanuel, and her two sons-David and Daniel have been missing since March 2nd 2007 from Negombo. Her husband is a Pentecostal minister.Her husband alongwith her two sons went to Colombo to get passports to go to India to live, as the situation was deteriorating
Family members hold portraits of their missing loved ones
Many of their questions are unanswered
Officials from the diplomatic community in Sri Lanka
“I was informed that my son is missing, and I travelled from Jaffna to Colombo on May 19th 2007.My son Kirubalan (23) is a final year Civil Engineering student at the Technical College in Kokkuvil, while working as a field officer for ASB.
He came to Colombo to seek visa to go to Cyprus for employment. He had been residing at the Ramakrishna Mission in Wellawatte, when he went missing.
I was told he had bread and left at 2pm on April 28th 2007, but never returned. I have lodged an entry at the Mutwal Police Station on arrival. I went to Boosa Detention Camp on May 25th 2007. The officials told me that my son is being held there, but I did not see him.Later they told me that, my son has been released. he never returned.
Therefore I went to the Boosa Detention Camp on June 23rd 2007 for the second time, and was told again that, he is not being held there.Money had been withdrawn from my son’s account for six times from ATMs.The first withdrawal was made from an ATM in Keyzer Street for a sum of Rs.20,005/=,the second withdrawal was made for a sum of Rs.2,005/=,the third withdrawal was made for a sum of Rs.5005/=, and the fourth withdrawal was made for a sum of Rs.1,005/=.The fifth withdrawal was made for a sum of Rs.10,005/= and the sixth withdrawal was made for a sum of Rs.2,005/= from an ATM in Mutwal.I cannot return to Jaffna without seeing my son” said Sivagnanasundarai Balasubramaniam of Thirunelvely (51) in Jaffna
They grieved together and comforted each other
“My son Jegatheeban (27) has been missing for more than one year. He is a trishaw driver.Two men got into his trishaw on July 4th 2006 according to witnesses. He has been missing since July 4th 2006. I have been to all offices in Batticaloa and Colombo to lodge complain. I rush to the spot, when I hear a news of an unknown dead body found in Batticaloa.I always pray that it should not be my son’s body, whenever I rush to such spot. Recently I was told that my son was killed by an armed group. I will not believe it until I see by son’s body and his belongings” said Rani Thevarajah of Batticaloa
Breadwinners of the families are missing
Two minutes silence was observed to late Nadarajah Raviraj, who was an active mebre of Civil Monitoring Commission (CMC)
“My son Pushpathas is a lodge owner. He went missing from the office in July 2006. I got a call from his mobile after he went missing and demanded to pay Rs.10 million to release him. I paid Rs.400,000/= to particular persons. I am unable to pay the balance, and I do not know the situation of my son” said Mary Regina Ariyadas
Elin Mathew went missing in February 2007 from his room in Colombo, where he was residing.Elin Mathew’s (34) wife, mother-in-law and son live in Trincomalee expecting Elin to return home one day
Many waiting for miracles to happen
Thailanpillai Kunjupillai shows his missing son Svakanthan’s photo to the Leader of The Opposition Ranil Wickremasinghe
Manoranjan Prasad (21) went missing on December 19th 2004 from Kochchikade. He was managing a telecommunication centre in Kochchikade. He and his Tamil friend who had come form Jaffna left for Wellawatte at 10 am by a trishaw.His mother Gnanasitham Vasanthi is afraid to send her two sons out after her other son went missing
Mathivathany Logendrarajah’s daughter Komathi Logendrarajah went missing on August 22nd 2006.She used to work as a Director at Aerolanka.Komathi Logendrarajah’s cousin and her husband are still missing along with her
“My son Karunakaran Rajkumar has undergone a kidney surgery recently before he went missing. Please show humanity and release him” pleaded Mariyamm Karunakarn of Kandy
Three year-old Sanjuka Subramaniam holds a portrait of her father who is missing for almost a year
Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe, Convener of the Civil Monitoring Commission Mano Ganesan at the second public meeting for ” Expression of grief of the families and friends of the disappeared”
Rasamany Subramaniam travelled from Jaffna to find out the whereabouts of her missing son.He hails from Jaffna, but has been living in Kochcikade for two years and was working in a mobile telephone repair shop, and a month long bridegroom when he went missing. He has been missing since January 28th 2007.She says that, I need to see my son dead or alive
Their tears were left alone on their cheeks to dry
Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe is having a conversation with Niroshan Varatharasa and his mother Bathra Varatharasa.Vairamuthu Varatharasa, who is a driver from Grandpass went missing on January 4th 2007
Indragandhi Goodwin said that she has paid Rs.4,600,000/= as ransom to a particular person to release her husband, but he is still missing
A list of information about the missing persons (133) is being handed over to the Leader of Oppostion Ranil Wickremasinghe by Convener of the Civil Monitoring Commission Mano Ganesan
People gathered in hundreds to extend their moral support to the families in pain
[Courtesy: HumanityAshore]
Email: dushi.pillai@gmail.com
Entry Filed under: transCurrents Photo Feature
14 Comments Add your own
1. Sunanda deshapriya | August 2nd, 2007 at 6:17 am
great coverage,
none of he Sinhala language newspapers covered this event,
it is a shame,
2. Santhirasegaran | August 2nd, 2007 at 7:16 am
Very sad to see abductions and executions are incrasing day by day due to inefficiency of the S.L Police giving encouragement to the Abductors to continue without any hinderence How can Abducted people be taken out of the city for executions by passing the many check points where the ordinery passengers are stoped and checked but by passing abducters white vans . The GOSL must take responsiblity and shows caloboration Every day we hear of 5 or 6 Abductions and executions
3. Arvinth, Trichy | August 2nd, 2007 at 9:29 am
Very sad to read all these news.
This is the way GOSL going to solve the ethnic problem?
And this is happening in the capital of Srilanka!
When all these happening where are the Tamil Sinhala ministers & member of parliaments?
Shame for the Srilankan government & all authorities.
4. Suresh M | August 2nd, 2007 at 3:03 pm
This is part of Rajapakse brother’s scheme of collecting money from minorities to maintain paramilitaries, while destroying their economic base. Disappearing is part of the scheme to terrorise the minorities.
Sinhala business community is the silent participant of this scheme, and they don’t condemn these activities as they are the prime beneficiary.
Sadly, Sinhala mass is blind to the current world order, as International community has no tolerance for this kind of madness on minorities. Sovereignty doesn’t give you any immunity. Wake up brothers!, don’t be another Kosovo, or Dhafur.
5. Dr K C | August 2nd, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Dear Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai
These extremely depressing pictures deeply touched my heart.
Your contribution, I note, has provoked a voice of solidarity as above from a Sinhala gentleman Sunanda deshapriya.
If the state had upheld the rule of law, abductions of this magnitude could never have taken place.
My thoughts are with the families who are pleading for the safe return of their loved ones.
6. Alex | August 2nd, 2007 at 6:51 pm
“This is not the first time a University student is killed in this manner in the North and may not be the last one too”. – V. Anandasangaree
While in Colombo the second public meeting for “Expression of grief of the families and friends of the disappeared” was held, in Jaffna students are kill by unknown armed Tamil motorbike groups.
These people…mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, fiances and friends where they can go to report?
If the people who have to give sanctuary do like this, then where they can go???
Where is the freedom of expression?
If the people who started the union of students do like this, then who guard the students?
Where is the freedom of expression?
North, South, East ………..where is safe to live? …… save to breath?
Where is the freedom of expression?
- Alex
7. sivakumar daya | August 2nd, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Hi every one
his is very sad event I don’t want to see again. I used to search my friends in 1996.
Do you remember what happened in jaffna 1996?
Every one promised us that they will take the action against a abductions and executions.
Who is going to take responsibility??
Who is head of Army Police Navy and Air force?
If Saddam Hussan and Mellodavich were punished for war crimes then current president Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brothers must be punished by International community.
All depends on International pressure.
daya
Canada
8. Truth Seeker | August 2nd, 2007 at 10:26 pm
It is truly sad to see the great suffering by family members of the missing persons – nearly all of whom appear to be Tamil Hindus or Tamil Christians. However, I have a doubt whether at least some of these missing persons are taken out of circulation based on inside information coming to an elite govt intelligence unit from spies who have infiltrated the Tiger organization. If that is the case, while it is sad for the families it can also be looked upon as preemptive military action by the govt to neutralize Tiger infiltrators. The govt might not want to disclose the info sources.
9. indrajith | August 2nd, 2007 at 11:54 pm
Due to the great services you have rendered the future generation will no doubt be praisworthy.
your photos depicts the true nature of the people and it is of great imortance.
indrajith
10. ZG | August 3rd, 2007 at 6:28 am
This is heart breaking, how can we talk of building peace among the communites even when we are not ready to unfold the truth of these atorcities. However, a message to Mr. Wickremasinghe, it is not enough bringing these to the light, but also as a responsible leader, you should also take steps to give justice to the survivors of these atrocites and their families. It is only then you can bridge the gap of hatred.
11. Ron Jeremy | August 3rd, 2007 at 7:59 am
When will the UN step in to SL?.. After the 99% sinhalese army complete their ethnic cleansing of tamils and abduct the the rest of the tamils who fled to the sinhalese areas ?
12. ragu | August 3rd, 2007 at 5:55 pm
As every one in this forum, I also can whish these loved ones comeback. But the reality is the opposite.
They are not going to come back.
If it was UNP in rule, then you will see MR insted of Ranil.
Just look at ranil’s face while accepting this list of missing person. He is smiling to photos! He is not concerned what is in the list.
For him it is a Tamil “vote catching” event.
13. R.Nimalan.Karthikeyan | August 3rd, 2007 at 6:52 pm
Dushyanthini’s excellent narration coupled with the photos capturing the moods of those in the hall,enables the reader to vividly visualise and empathise with the plight of the family member’s of the victims.
I do realise the “evolving-validity” of the speech (to Sri Lanka)delivered by the President of International Crisis Group,Mr Gareth Evans , on the occasion of Dr Neelan Thiruchlevam memorial lecture emphasing on the concept of “Responsibility to protect”(R2P).
Well done Dushyanthini.
14. ilaya seran senguttuven | August 4th, 2007 at 8:37 am
As a society we should be ashamed of ourselves that amongst us are these brutes moving around with impunity – always with support from elements in the State apparatus, whether rogue or otherwise being a different matter.
Clearly the govt is moving very lethargically in arresting the matter – increasing the wide belief people within the government at higher levels are benefitting from the spoils. We have the gaul to call ourselves a pious Buddhist society when these little children, young wives, desperate mothers and fathers plead for the release of their sons with tears in their eyes and heavy hearts. We have lost the right to call ourselves a civilised society and, quite rightly condemned as such, as I gathered when I visited some countries overseas recently.
These are also symbols of a society that is fastly collapsing while those holding power scoff at them and laugh “the abducted are with their mistresses” “they have gone to richer countries to live happily” “they have left their homes voluntarily due to domestic disputes” The day of reckoning will indeed come to these Neroes – perhaps sooner than these vultures think.
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