
Skepticism over the OMP
On 24.08.2019, the Office of Missing Persons, more commonly known as OMP, will open its Jaffna Office. In normal circumstances all Sri Lankans would welcome the move since it gives access to the OMP to the relatives of the missing. But there is widespread skepticism despite the OMP’s good leadership under Saliya Pieris, PC.
Thuraisingam Jeeva, LTTE Fighter
I came across evidence affirmed by witnesses that there is at least one person who has been secretively held prisoner since 2 July 1995, proving the governments to have been untruthful in saying there are no political prisoners.
Working with reporter N. Lohathayalan I pieced together the story of Thuraisingham Jeeva in Colombo Telegraph (11.11.2018). Born in 1970, he is from Mulliyavalai in the Mullaitivu District. He left the LTTE at some point and got married to Mullairanee and entered the trading business to make ends meet. He would travel regularly to Vavuniya to buy goods to be sold in the Vanni, and return home.
However, one day he did not return home. As such Mullairanee, fearing something seriously amiss, joined by her mother, father and brothers searched here and there for him without any success.
Jeeva’s father lost his life in the last war in Mullivaikal and his mother died in the Resettlement Centre at Menik Farm in Chettikulam without proper treatment. One of their two children also died of brain fever during the war for lack of medicines. Mullairanee now lives in Mulliyavalai with her second child, working as a labourer.
Jeeva was 26 years old when he went missing. Twenty three years later, news of him reached Mullairanee when she had given up all hope and had no more energy to look for him: “Your husband is in the Anuradhapura jail” said a Mullaitivu man who had been with him in jail. This man had been convicted of illegally transporting trees from Mullaitivu and jailed in Vavuniya. From his jailhouse he had been taken to Anuradhapura jail for a few days to do some labour. Their common Mullaitivu origins got him speaking to Jeeva who had communicated his family details and home address. After his release he contacted Mullairanee through Jeeva’s brother Ananthi.
Mullairanee thought it was a cruel trick for some nefarious purpose. Eventually, after hearing the correct date of disappearance, 23 years-old family details, etc. she began to take the news seriously. The now hopeful Mullairanee went to the Human Rights Commission in October 2018 and filed a report working through translators calling for Jeeva’s release. The HRC officer also got very energized and asked Mullairanee to come with the fellow prisoner who had seen Jeeva. On 26 October 2018 the man had gone to HRC with the documents showing where in Anuradhapura he had been held and testifying how they had met, and the conversations that had taken place.
Jeeva’s second child, a female, was a seven-month old infant when Jeeva disappeared. She is a 23-year young lady today. She is trembling with expectation to see her father for the first time since she cannot remember him.
Other Missing Persons
Evidence is now emerging of those disappeared in 2009 while their presence in custody was denied by our governments. Vinayahan was a top LTTE Intelligence-wing Commander who took off to India just weeks before the war ended. His wife and three children crossed military lines around 18 March 2009 and vanished. In 2016 his wife and three children were brought to her parents’ house in Varani by the army and dropped off. Their house where Vinayahan worked and lived in Kilinochchi is occupied by the forces. The three children had not been provided with schooling for 7 years. The youngest cannot read or write.
Like this a few more who are missing are known to be hidden in various places. Soldiers are offering to release them for large sums of money. These incidents are occurring from the time they disappeared to this day. There are those who have offered money and got their loved ones released while others have been cheated.
Early this year, in the Kilinochchi District’s Thiruvai Aaru, an offer was successfully made to release a detainee on payment of money. Details on sums paid are available but we have been asked not to release them because of fears for their safety.
PLOTE?
Mullairanee adds, “It was in this state that after searching far and wide for Jeeva without success that I went to Vavuniya to seek Jeeva. There some members of PLOTE told me that he was taken away because of his involvement in the Central Bank bombing.” This cannot be she says because Jeeva was arrested in 1995 while the Bank was bombed in 1996. Is this false suspicion what makes the government keep Jeeva locked up to this day in revenge?
Mullairanee is certain that those responsible for the kidnapping of Jeeva are of the PLOTE which had Vavuniya as its base and worked in close collaboration in unlawful activities with the army. Even at the time of Jeeva’s kidnapping, PLOTE members in Vavuniya, she says, confided in her that the PLOTE was behind the abduction and she should go to the White House in Vavuniya (where the PLOTE leaders were holed up). On this basis she went to the White House to ask for Jeeva, but they had threateningly responded, “Who told you we took him? Bring them to us to see if this is true.” Mullairanee says she did not want what happened to her befalling the wife of her witness so she did not reveal the name of her witness.
Threats
Anonymous security personnel have been questioning Lohathayalan on the phone and threatening him after his Colombo Telegraph article. As a reporter his phone is set to record all calls but these calls are not recorded. The number that shows up like 112 and 110 cannot be traced. They asked him about his connection to me since I had used information he obtained through RTI requests in my articles. Their tentacles run deep into our society.
Waffling to Cover Up
I reported this story of Jeeva’s to OMP as a complaint. I sent reminders on 13 November 2018 and again on 29 Jan. 2019. To the latter I got a prompt reply from Saliya Pieris: “Dear Prof. Hoole, There has been follow up on this. Unfortunately I cannot share the information with you for reasons of confidentiality as per the law. However we will be in touch with the family soon.”
No one has been in touch with Mullairani up to today, 7 months later. Today (20 Aug.) she said she had gone to the OMP’s Colombo office about 2 months ago and was told that there is no one like that at the prison she named. She responded “I brought you a witness who had seen him and you are denying having him. There is no point in coming to you.” There is no point indeed, it seems.
UNHRC Sessions
A pattern is clear. Sri Lanka is under pressure from the UNHRC to keep its commitments under Resolution 30/1 of 2015. The government is reluctant and every time the UNHRC sessions are round the corner, a charade is put on to escape solemnly undertaken obligations. The next sessions, the 42nd Regular Sessions, are scheduled for 09-27 September 2019. Isn’t the coincidental opening of the OMP Office on 24 August a part of the usual charade? It is merely one scene in a large drama being put on by our government. The AG has instructed that the cases against the accused of murdering the Trinco 5 be accelerated. After 27 September, the accused, I am confident will be discharged as before because that would garner votes at the presidential elections in November or December.
Should Saliya Pieris ruin his good name in participating in the charade that is OMP? A charade by the government to deny its own minorities news of people who were disappeared while seeming to comply with Resolution30/1.
Je me Souviens
Elections are round the corner. Je me Souviens is the motto of Canada’s French Province of Quebec, which is emblazoned on every motorcar number-plate. It means I remember my heritage, or I will not forget what you did to me as many French Canadians say. We – all Sri Lankans — must not forget who cheated us as we go to the polls.
Anpu / August 25, 2019
Thank you Prof. Well written.
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Anpu / August 26, 2019
Prof
What about asking Mr Sivagnanasothy to tell us what is going on? http://nirmin.gov.lk/web/index.php?lang=en
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / August 26, 2019
Opening of OMP office in Jaffna is an eye wash, made in time for UNHCR sitting in September, to say that they are progressing towards meeting UNHCR resolutions. Once the meeting is over, nothing will happen till the next sitting in February. Sinhala racism has lifted its head again after the appointment of the war criminal Shavendra Silva as Army commander.First thing done was to search the house of MP Sritharan for weapons, because he told in Parliament that the hands of Shavendra Silva is soaked in blood. The next was the arrest of DMO Palai for resurrecting LTTE joining hands with Tamils abroad, when it is well known that there is no LTTE. He was arrested purely to intimidate him as he is a witness to war crimes committed by Sri Lanka armed services commanded by Shavendra Silva. The bogey of resurrection of LTTE was a common thing during Mahinda regime to justify retaining large contingent of armed forces in Tamil areas, which has now returned under new Army commander. When there are several Tamils languishing jails for more than 15 years for minor crimes or no crimes at all merely on forced confessions, it is sad that war criminals like army commander are walking free.
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Good Sense / August 26, 2019
Prof! I commend you for the service you do towards your fellow beings. How come a man was held in the Anuradhapura prison all these years without any basis for admission or record for conviction? It also highlights that OMP is unable to function in a transparent manner due to the operation of the law. Just going by lists in this case won’t do. Some one must take the witness back to the Anuradhapura prison and do a thorough search and find the clues of the character whom he met in prison. This matter must be investigated thoroughly and in a transparent manner to safeguard the good name of Sri Lanka.
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Manel Fonseka / August 26, 2019
Can we even begin to imagine Mullairanee’s feelings when she learnt that her husband was possibly still alive after so many years? And that her children might finally see the father they scarcely knew? This case is horrendous. Even if Jeeva had some reprehensible dealings — of which his wife was unaware — to hide him from his family and in conditions one can only guess at, for 23 years, is absolutely abominable. And it seems very likely that he was actually one of the many innocents swept up in those terrible times.
The fact that Saliya Peiris has still not got in touch with the family suggests that he does not have good news for them, but how can he, himself, carry much longer the burden of so much suffering — unless, of course, he has been able to restore at least some of the ‘disappeared’ to their loved ones?
While most of us are living “normal” lives again after so many years of war and fear, we must remember that thousands of families have been suffering for many years from the ‘disappearance’ of loved ones — and continue to suffer. It is not only the hardships, social and economic, but the awful, persistent pain of not being able to grieve properly, for one is never sure that the person is dead or still living, somewhere. And one is also afraid to make enquiries, to push against hard walls, for fear of triggering a killing that might not yet have happened.
What tales these long-interred victims must have to tell. No wonder they are held incomminicado.
When will this country have a leader, a government, that will seriously concern itself with such tragedies instead of continuing to protect those who are responsible for them?
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Manel Fonseka / August 26, 2019
I meant ‘incommunicado’.
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JD / August 26, 2019
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JD / August 26, 2019
At present, UNHCR resolutions are JOKES. Tamils are victimized in it. Dumb Tamils get caught and they write Stupid things even with the Dr. title. UNHCR resolutions are good for co-signer countries to get contracts from the Sri lankan govt. so, Tamils get caught. I think there will be more surprises. Just expect those. UNCHR BOSS is Venezulea born, a daughter of a military officer, but studied in the USA. She just fulfills what her job description says. Sri lanka listened to so many times. Israel quit UNHCR. Mangala is a CIA agent and he likes international recognition.
I heard Shvavendra silva is a target because of FALSE affidavit to the USA govt. He had come to the Sri lanka back had changed the name and had got even an ambassador post. another thing is Shavendra silva was in UN and he knows what is going on. So, they do not like him.
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JD / August 27, 2019
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kali / August 26, 2019
Ratnajevan,
If you have managed to trace Thuraisingham Jeeva it is good news but many others are not so lucky . There are all dead and buried and only Gotha the future President knows where hey are buried. He wont tell the mothers and fathers where they are buriried just like his Certificate which he wont show.
But Gotha recently made a startling statament without realising the implications of the statement from a future President. He said I know the identity of the two behind Lasnthas Murder ie ” ME & MY SHADOW” . Only Gotha had the MOTIVE & the MEANS to carry out the murder. Motive because Lasantha was getting too close to ” Avant Garde” and means he was the Defence Minister who had the killer squad under him..
No doubt the world had taken note of his statement who is about to be crowned as the President by the vast majority of Racists Electorate. Sri Lanka will be saddle with a President who has either been responsible for the killing or was aware of the identity of the killers but chose to do nothing. It was a Dereliction of Duty. How will such a man safeguard the lives and interest of his people as a President. The World has to answer this.
Gotha will no doubt give evidence at the Trial in the USA. Gotha will be a DISASTER for Sri Lanka
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shankar / August 26, 2019
wonder who is funding this OMP.Its been there so long and no results at all.Saliya pieris also and other staff must be getting big fat salaries for doing nothing.The missing persons are being harvested to get funds,not to see what has happened to them.This is a age old trick in international circles to harvest somebody to collect funds.Sometimes it is animals sometimes humans,sometimes environment.
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Anpu / August 26, 2019
“On 05 July, 2019 Responding to a Right To Information (RTI) Act request, the Information Officer of the Sri Lanka Military, Brigadier Sumith Atapattu claimed “LTTE members have not surrendered themselves to the Sri Lanka military during the last stages of the war and they have handed themselves over to the Sri Lankan government”. Ironically, Information Officer of the Sri Lanka Military, Brigadier Sumith Atapattu during the war was part of the Mechanised Infantry regiment himself.”
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/ltte-cadres-surrender-army-brigadier-atapattu-is-lying-through-his-teeth/
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Peacelover / August 26, 2019
Constitutional Council did not include Saliya Peiris in OMP members list or as Chairman, when it submitted the list for Presidents approval. It was President Sirisena wanted to include Saliya Peiris in the list and appoint him as Chairman for purposes known to him only. No wonder SP follows President’s directions to hoodwink the families of victims, faithfully. We don’t know what other members of OMP are up to?
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John / August 27, 2019
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