The Human Rights Watch (HRW) in its latest report has slammed the Sri Lankan government for failure to make real progress in holding accountable those responsible for the execution style slaying of 17 aid workers on August 4, 2006 despite renewed international calls for action. Seven years have elapsed but the perpetrators responsible for the death of 17 aid workers have not been brought to justice. And this in a country which boasts about 2,300 years old Buddhist civilization and Buddhist values!
On August 4, 2006, gunmen executed 17 Sri Lankan aid workers – 16 ethnic Tamils, four of them women, and a Muslim – with the Paris-based international humanitarian agency Action Contre La Faim (Action against Hunger, ACF) in their office compound in the town of Muttur in eastern Trincomalee district. The killings occurred after several-days battle between the army and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for control of the town. The ACF team had been providing assistance to survivors of the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
The University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna) has published detailed findings on the Muttur killings based on accounts from witnesses and weapons analysis that implicate the Sri Lankan army in the area at the time. The group reported that two police constables and naval Special Forces commandos were alleged to be directly responsible and that senior police and justice officials were linked to an alleged cover-up.
In July 2007, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry, established after the Muttur killings to investigate 16 major human rights cases, exonerated the army and navy in the massacre and instead blamed LTTE forces or Muslim militia. Families of ACF workers who testified before the commission blamed the army for the shooting. The commission’s full report to President Rajapaksa has never been made public.
In March 2013, the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on Sri Lanka, reiterating the concerns of a 2012 council resolution, which focused on the lack of accountability for human rights violations. The council called upon the Sri Lankan government to “conduct an independent and credible investigation” into alleged rights abuses and “take all necessary additional steps” to meet its legal obligations to ensure justice and accountability for all Sri Lankans.
According to James Ross, legal and policy director of HRW, the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa in apparent response to increasing international pressure, took long overdue steps by directing state lawyers and investigators to review the case and prepare a comprehensive list of witnesses. This was one of several recent moves by the government to adopt previously disregarded recommendations of its Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) created in 2011 following the defeat of the LTTE in May 2009.
The UN High commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka towards the end of this month and HRW has repeated its call for the UN Secretary-General or other UN body to create an independent international investigation into violations by government forces and the LTTE. This investigation should make recommendations for the prosecution of those responsible for serious abuses during the armed conflict, including the ACF case.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government continue to resist taking meaningful steps to investigate and prosecute alleged war crimes by the armed forces during the last phase of the war that ended on May 18, 2009. During the last 4 years or more the human rights situation in Sri Lanka has gone from bad to worse. Though disappearances and abductions have decreased, crack down on dissenting voices and assault on media freedom have increased. The Northern Province is under tight occupation of the armed forces and the Sinhalese governor is behaving like his name sake during the colonial era. Both the Sinhalese governor and the army commander are exercising unlimited administrative power. The government has refused to restore civilian administration on grounds of non-existing security threat!
On May 13, 2013 Nicolas Beger, Director of Amnesty International (AI) urged the European Union to demand publicly an independent, impartial and internationally-led investigation which holds to account those responsible for crimes under international law.
While both the HRW and AI have been consistently urging the Sri Lankan government to investigate and punish those responsible for war crimes, no human rights group has articulated the fate of second rank LTTE cadres who surrendered to the army on May 17/18, 2009 and since gone missing and their fate unknown.
Sri Lanka under Mahinda Rajapakse is one of the worst violator of fundamental human rights and humanitarian law governing conduct of war. Not only LTTE leaders were killed when they surrendered to the army with white flags in the battle field, scores of others were killed after they surrendered to the army on May 17/18, 2009.
Here is a list of those LTTE cadres who surrendered to the armed forces on 17/18 May, 2009 but their whereabouts unknown.
(1) K.V. Balakumar and his son Sooriyatheepan
(2) V. Ilankumaran (alias Baby Subramanian) Head of the Thamil Eelam Education Department. His wife Vettrichchelvi and daughter Arivumathy.
(3) Yogaratnam Yogi in charge of ’Institute for Conflict Research’ in Vanni
(4) Poet Puthuvai Ratnadurai, Coordinator of LTTE Arts and Cultural Department
(5) K. Paappa, Coordinator LTTE Sports Department
(6) Rajah (Chempiyan) Assistant Coordinator LTTE Sports Department and his 3 children
(7) Ilanthirayan, LTTE Military spokesman
(8) Veerathevan, Coordinator LTTE Bank
(9) S.Thangkan, Political Wing Deputy Chief
(10) Aruna, Thamil Eela Education Department
(11) S. Naren, Asst. Executive Head of TRO
(12) Kuddy, Head of the LTTE Transport Department
(12) Piriyan, Head of Administrative Service Department and his family
(13) V. Poovannan, Head of the Administrative Service Division of the LTTE
(14) Thangaiah, Administrative Service Department
(15) Malaravan, Administrative Service Department
(16) Pakirathan, Administrative Service Department
(17) Reha, Head of LTTE Medical Division
(18) Selvarajah, Commander Manal Aru Head Quarters
(19) Bhaskaran, Commander Manal Aru Head Quarters
(20) Major Lawrance
(21) Major Kumaran
(22) Prabha, Batticaloa District Commander
(24) Rupan, Coordinator of Supplies
(25) Babu, Coordinator of Jewellery Business
(26) Ilamparithy, Executive Head of Political Wing
(27) Elilan, Head of Trincomalee Political Wing
(28) Vijitharan, Executive Secretary, Political Wing
(29) Major Veeman
(30) Sakthy, Coordinator Forestry Division and his family
(31) E.Ravi, Charge of Houses
(32) Sanjai, Mulliyavalai Divisional Political Wing Coordinator
(33) Para Ratha, Coordinator Justice Department
(34) Kumaravel, Coordinator Air Force Security
(35) Chithrankan Malathy, Commander Manal Aru District
(36) Suhi, Commander
(37) Arunan, Major Sea Tigers
(38) Manoj – Medical Department
(39) Lawrance, Finance Department
(40) Lawrance Thilakar, Coordinator TRO Planning Department
(41) Karikalan, former Commander, Eastern Province
The above list is by no means complete.
On May 31, 2009, Lankafirst.com website quoting Government Information Department sources, reported that some top Tiger leaders under the custody of the military were going through series of serious investigation by the security forces.
“Former eastern province political wing leader and subsequently in charge of the economic division Karikalan, former spokesman of the LTTE Yogaratnam Yogi, former EROS MP turned advisor to the LTTE V. Balakumar, a former spokesman of the LTTE Lawrence Thilakar, former Deputy political section leader Thangkan , former head of the political section for Jaffna district Ilamparithi, former Trincomalee political wing leader Elilan, former head of the LTTE Sports Department Paappa , former head of the administrative division of the LTTE Puvannan and deputy international head Gnanam are in custody,” it said.
The UTHR-J report mentioned the names of top leaders who surrendered to the army. Karikalan (former eastern province political wing leader and subsequently in charge of the economic division), Yogaratnam Yogi (former spokesman of the LTTE), Lawrence Thilakar (a former spokesman of the LTTE, a one time head of LTTE office in Paris and later in charge of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation), Thangkan (former Deputy political section leader), Ilamparithi (former head of the political section for Jaffna district), Elilan (former Trincomalee political wing leader), Paappa (former head of the LTTE sports division), Puvannan (former head of the administrative division of the LTTE), Gnanam (deputy international head) and Tamilini head of the Women’s political wing.
On June 12, 2009 The Asian Tribune, a mouth piece of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government, reported that “LTTE Senior V. Balakumar and seven other hardcore Tigers are in the police net, Asian Tribune learns. They are Yogaratnam Yogi, former LTTE spokesman, Baby Subramanian, LTTE stalwart of long years, Lawrence Thilakar, a former head of the LTTE’s International Secretariat, Ilamparithi, Jaffna political leader, Karikalan of the Eastern Province and three others whose names are not immediately available.”
On August 06, the Lanka Guardian published a photograph taken in the army controlled area detention centre showing V. Balakumar and his son seated on a bunk under a tree. The background of the photograph shows army soldiers moving around the area. According to Lanka Guardian V. Balakumar came to surrender to the Army with white flags together with other senior leaders of the LTTE. The photograph was taken in the army-controlled area.
A senior Sri Lankan minister wittingly or otherwise has confirmed that some of the top Tamil Tiger leaders, including V. Balakumar and Yogaratnam Yogi, who had surrendered to the government troops during the final days of the war in May 2009, have been killed while in protected military custody.
Former Minister of Rehabilitation and Prisons Reforms, Dew Gunasekera undertook a visit to the north in July, 2010 and met groups of war widows told a Colombo-based newspaper on record that among the ‘widows’ whom he had met in Jaffna were wives of Balakumar and Yogaratnam Yogi.
The Minister’s statement indirectly confirms that some of the top leaders of the Tamil Tiger rebels have been killed while in military custody by the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, which is already facing international war crime charges for allegedly executing top unarmed Tiger leaders who surrendered with white flags.
It is not known whether Balakumar, Yogi and others were killed in an execution-style murder or tortured to death.
The wives of Elilan and Ilanthirayan gave evidence before the LLRC claiming they saw their husbands bordering an army bus along with Rev. Fr. Francis Joseph, but have never heard of them since.
Ananthi Sasitharan (40) wife of Elilan, former Trincomalee political head of the LTTE in her testimony before the LLRC said that her husband Mr. Elilan, and other senior LTTE officials Yogaratnam Yogi and Lawrance Thilakar, both of whom took part in negotiations earlier, and LTTE Political Wing Deputy Chief Thangkan, former Jaffna Political Head Ilamparithi, Head of Administrative Unit Poovannan, Piriyan, Theepan, Sports Wing Chief Raja and his 3 children, Kuddi and Holster Babu were among those surrendered in front of her eyes to the Sri Lankan forces under the coordination of a Catholic Priest at Vadduvaakal in Mullaiththeevu on 18 May, 2009. In addition, the list of names of missing is Poet Rathnathurai, V. Balakumar, LTTE strategist, Karikalan, Head of the Political department, Batticaloa and Ilankumaran (Baby Subramanian) Head of the Educational Department.
Ananthi Sasitharan’ s evidence before the LLRC was corroborated Mrs.Punitharuban Vanitha the wife of Ilanthirayan who said her husband was taken away by the army on 17 May 2009, just before the Tigers suffered their final defeat. She was told, she said, that her husband would be returned after treatment for minor injuries. Mrs. Vanitha told the LLRC that she has not seen her husband since then. Bobitha Prabhakaran, the wife of Prabha, also said her husband was detained in May last year, and has heard nothing from him since.
Bearing witness in front of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s LLRC in Maanthai West in Mannaar on Sunday, Mrs R. Mironio, the wife of LTTE’s former Mannaar commander Antony Rayappu alias Yaan, said she has not heared from her husband or not told of the whereabouts of him after he surrendered in front of her in SLA controlled territory in Mullaiththeevu on 18 May 2009. The surrender was facilitated by Catholic Priest Rev. Fr. Francis Joseph, she said. The priest was also taken with her husband, but none have heard about them, she said.
On September 18 (Saturday) Mrs. Ananthi Sasitharan was interviewed by BBC (Tamil Oosai) following her testimony before the LLRC. She told BBC (Tamil Oosai) that she and her three daughters witnessed her husband and hundreds of other LTTE members surrendering to the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers on 18th May 2009, after the war has come to an end. “I have been trying to trace my husband and have not been successful to locate his whereabouts. I have no doubt that Sri Lanka’s president knows where my husband and others who surrendered are being held,” she told the BBC.
“If my husband has disappeared during the war, then there will be reason to think that he may have been killed during the heat of the battle, but having seen him surrender after the fighting has stopped, there is absolutely no reason for me to believe that he is dead,” Ananthi told the BBC.
When asked if she did not fear for her life [from Sri Lanka Government] after talking candidly before Sri Lanka’s commission, Ananthi said, she has never been afraid of death, and that her resolve to live has long been disappeared. She added that she will continue to her efforts to find her husband.
“All countries have betrayed us,” she told BBC (Tamil Oosai) after complaining to the LLRC that SL President should know the whereabouts of her husband and fellow LTTE officials surrendered through a Catholic Priest in Mullaiththeevu on 18 May 2009.
When asked whether she was concerned about repercussions for stating her views publicly from Vanni, the mother of three responded: “I am not afraid. I am prepared to face anything since we don’t now live with the zest for life.”
She further said that, while her three daughters were psychologically traumatised from seeing death and destruction, she is managing to bring them up as best as she can from the income from her employment.
“I had complained by a letter to the Vavuniya, Colombo International Red Cross Society and in person. I had complained to Vavuniya Human Rights Commission regarding my husband, but I did not receive any reply. Several months had lapsed, but my husband’s whereabouts is still not known.”
A remarkable feature of her interview is her spirit of defiance in the face of adversity and despair. She did not mince her words and always spoke in terms of collective self, as “we” and not “I.” This Eezham Tamil psyche that is seriously concerned more about the sufferings of the nation than individual miseries.
Mrs. Ananthi Sasitharan appealed to the media to bring to light her plea to the attention of world leaders and media outlets to exert pressure upon the Sri Lankan government to release her husband. Despite the pleas from people like Mrs. Ananthi, international media and world diplomats have taken little or no attention to their pleas.
Mrs. Ananthi Sasitharan said he and her three daughters witnessed her husband and hundreds of other LTTE members surrendering to the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers on May 18, 2009, after the war came to an end.
Mrs. Ananthi Sasitharan, in a letter addressed to Ms. Sooka Yasmin (Executive Director) of Foundation for Human Rights and a Member of UN Experts Panel, on September 15, 2010, wrote: “My husband Sinnathurai Sasitharan on 18.05.2009 at Vanni Mullaiththeevu District in Vadduvaakal Division on the Head of Church Father Francis Xavier with many hundred Tigers surrendered to Mullaiththeevu Sri Lankan Army.
When the LLRC went to Batticaloa many Tamil civilians testified before the panel about missing relatives. Among them were wives of LTTE military spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan and Prabha head of the Tiger intelligence wing in Batticaloa. Both have not been seen since being detained by the army.
The government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa should come clean as to the fate of these LTTE cadres who surrendered to the army on May 17/18, 2009. If they have been summarily executed then details regarding the execution.
Human rights groups like the HRW, AI, International Crisis Group and others should press the Sri Lankan government for an answer. Executing soldiers who surrender to the victors amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity. These acts violated international human rights and international humanitarian law; some of them may constitute as war crimes. It is vital that those responsible for these atrocities be brought to justice. Failure to do so would send a message that the international community will allow war criminals to escape accountability and justice, and encourage other countries to follow the “Sri Lanka model.”
Soft diplomacy is not knocking any sense into the head of Mahinda Rajapaksa. He in act defiance has rejected the US sponsored resolution adopted on the 22nd March, 2013 claiming his government is not bound by it. By rejecting the resolution he is making a mockery of the UN system itself. According to Failed States Index of the Foreign Policy publication, Sri Lanka is fifth in the second league of twenty failed states for the year 2010.
The question now is how long countries like US, EU, UK and Canada will tolerate Sri Lanka’s nose thumping? So far the government has failed meaningfully to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the armed forces. There must be a limit to tolerance.
Fathima Fukushima / August 18, 2013
Most of them were last seen travelling in unseaworthy boats towards Australia.
The perilous journey to Australia took most of them without a trace.
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manel fonseka / August 19, 2013
What an unstable character you are! Maybe an appropriate surname to adopt as u seem keen to stoke the fires of communalism * bring us to an end of OUR history.
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selvam kumar / August 19, 2013
death to rajapakse
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Native Vedda / August 20, 2013
selvam kumar
“death to rajapakse”
Why?
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selvam kumar / August 19, 2013
THE SINGALESE AND THE SINGALESE ARMY ARE THE MOST DEADLIEST TERRORIST ARMY IN THE WORLD. THEY ARE SPECIALISED AND TRAINED HOW TO RAPE, HOW TO KILL INNOCENT CIVILIAN, HOW TO TORTURE tHE TAMILS, HOW TO KILL CHILDREN AND MANY MORE BY THIS TERRORIST SINGALESE GOVT OF MAHINDA RAJAPAKSE. THE FIRST QUESTION NAVEETHAN PILLAY MUST ASK RAJAPAKSE IS WHERE ARE THE LTTE MEMBERS WHOM HAVE SURRENDERED ?.MOST OF THE LTTE MEMBERS WERE SHOT DEAD WHEN THEY SURRENDERED. WHERE ARE THE FEMALE LTTE CADRES SURRENDERED?. NAVANEETHAN PILLAY MUST CHARGE RAJAPAKE FOR WAR CRIMES. RAJAPAKSE MUST BE CHARGED IN THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE. THIS MAN RAJAPAKSE IS MASTER BUTCHER.
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kk / August 20, 2013
pillay was waiting for your advise to punish Rajapakse
Ltte and Ltte terrorist are the most innocent terrorist in the world
Pillay already got the list of LTTE carders travel by boats to Australia and all their new Australian names
If you want to change the your name go to Australia or UK by boat
Sorry not Australia anymore now PAPUA NEW GENIA
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selvam kumar / August 20, 2013
I DONT HAVE TO GO TO AUSTRALIA, I HAVE MY OWN COUNTRY THAT IS SINGAPORE. EVEN MY FORMER PRIME MINISTER, THE HON.MR LEE KUAN YEW SAID “MAHINDA RAJAPAKSE IS A MASTER ETHNIC CLEANSING BUTCHER”. THIS ROGUE RAJAPAKSE BASTARD IS A COWARD. HE CANT FIGHT THE LTTE ALONE. HE CALL INDIA AND OTHER COUNTRIES TO FIGHT THE LTTE. THIS SINGALESE BASTARD IS A ROGUE COWARD RASCAL.I WILL ONLY CELEBRATE DEEPAVALI WHEN THIS SINGALESE RAJAPAKSE BASTARD DIES.
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M.SIVANANTHAN / August 20, 2013
I heard some Tamils from Singapore arrange boats to Australia. Are you one of them because Singapore thrives on transshipment business?
Tamils of Sri lanka celebrate the death of Prabhakaran and LTTE as their second Deepavali! That is on May 19.
War is not your Kodampakkam cinema. Go and eat a dosa in the Indian bazzar!
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kk / August 28, 2013
Don’t celebrate deepawali ,celebrate Christmas or Sinhala new year
then you will understand difference between Praba and MR
If you live in Sin, shut your mouth and look after your own affair
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kali / August 21, 2013
klu klux,
It is a pitty you are still around. Have you shaved your black head.
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kk / August 28, 2013
Yes we are around, don’t you know that everyone knows where is Karuna and KP (KK) only you idiot don’t know
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ishi / August 20, 2013
i can’t imagine why HRW is so silence on LTTE terror activities did against all Sri Lankan nationalities including Tamils. Only thing i can imagine is HRW is paid by LTTE diaspora in Europe. LTEE killed thousands of innocent people, robed there wealth and food, even medicine intended for civilian. Killed may moderate Tamil politicians. What currently Tamils in N&E are suffering is as a result of these so called freedom fighters. They destroyed everything, education of young generation, life
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kali / August 21, 2013
Fat “mama” you scum bag. We know you are a bloody Sinhalese hiding under a muslim name and trying to offer a piece of garbage.
But if you are indeed a Muslim you should be ashamed of you yourself and who can blame the BBS for treating you with utter contempt and any sympathiy I had for your race has gone up in flames and I hope you rot in hell.
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jansee / August 28, 2013
Fathima:
Thank you for paying for their perilous journey in UNSEAWORTHY boats. Thank you for being the witness to their journey. Thank you for being with them when they perished and thank god that you, and you alone, survived. Or, are you no talking from the seabed as a dead corpse?
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Thiru / August 18, 2013
They have joined the others in the land of the disappeared.
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K.A Sumanasekera / August 18, 2013
Looking at their titles, one can only conclude that they are no simple Tigers.
They seem to be the cream of the crop and the most loyal leiutennnts of the Leader.
Why did they run away leaving the Leader behind ?.
Did they wear the Capsule, which was handed over personnaly by the Leader,and adorning their neckline for thirty years for nothing?.
If their intention was to run to the Sinhala Forces with a White Rag, why didn’t they do it before the Leader barricaded himself among the 300.000 odd captives?
Did this lot help the Leader first to muster the captives and guard them until their SOS was answered?.
Because the real fighters and the Leaders had already perished in Puddithikuruppu. most likely by biting the Capsule.
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lal / August 19, 2013
The LTTE cadres ran away leaving the leader behind, why? Simple explanation – the so called leader was preparing to dump the cadres and take off to a safe location abroad. The leader also either dumped or shot “his son”, certainly dumped mother and father to save his skin. As for the moron who wrote the above article, he should have demanded from his racist, genocidal terrorist friends to disclose the circumstances of 600 unarmed, surrendered policemen who were murdered in cold blood. Thangavelu is not a suitable candidate to demand justice!
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jansee / August 28, 2013
lal:
The moron who murdered the 600 policemen in cold blood is now your minister, sleeping in the lap of Mahinda Rajapaksa. Aren’t you going to do something to revenge that act or are you going to be a pussycat with an ostrich head deeply stuck in the sand?
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R. Varathan / August 20, 2013
Mr. Sumanasekera,
Just because they may have held positions in the now defeated LTTE are you suggesting it is OK they have been slaughtered to death while in army custody? The way they were handed over to the army suggests this was in accordance with Geneve and other conventions governing the laws in the safety of prisoners. Many of them had surrendered to Christian priests in the vicinity who made a record of the hand overs. It is reported some of these priests are also not heard of since.
Are you still suggesting what happened is right? The army and the regime must realise at some point some of these things will come to light – like the instance of the 5 Tamil youth butchered in Trinco
and the Matale killings (1989)
Varathan
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jansee / August 28, 2013
These were based on testimonies to the LLRC, unlike a dickhead like you who shied away from it to give your version of the events. Now that some of the army henchmen have been blacklisted for alleged warcrimes by the USA to whom they have gone begging for training, the nation is in desperate need of your services to represent them in their appeal to the US. Looking at your credential, undoubtedly you are the right person.
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Jim softy / August 18, 2013
“Tamil LTTE Carders killing Sri lanka Army soildiers CNN BBC broadc “
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uphj8Vohec
Check above how LTTE killed surrendered sinhala soldiers.
Why you are so worried about maaveeran and maamanithars who carried cyanide capsules. You did not believe in LTTE heroism ?
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David Blacker / August 19, 2013
They are killing the wounded, not surrendering soldiers.
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R. Varathan / August 20, 2013
“They are killing the wounded, not surrendering soldiers”….
Is this David Blacker, who we understand is a former soldier and now SL Army apologist and lackey, saying it is fine to kill the wounded??? We hope a time will come when Blacker is hauled up before an international Commission to come out with his justification of savagery and the desecration of dead bodies
on which we have read him many times. What sick minds we are fated to share this destroyed island with?
Varathan
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David Blacker / August 21, 2013
Where and when did I say it was fine to kill wounded? Don’t display your idiocy in public. I was simply pointing out that there were no surrendering soldiers in that clip. Both sides routinely killed POWs and wounded, and the Tigers in fact set the precedent by massacring hundreds of soldiers, sailors, and policemen in the ’90s, from Pooneryn to Muillaitivu and throughout the NE.
As for desecration, both sides routinely stripped the dead for search, be they Tigers or SL Army, so don’t get your jungies in a knot.
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R. Varathan / August 22, 2013
“….They are killing the wounded, not surrendering soldiers…”
(Aug 19 – 12.29pm) is what you wrote Blacker. The ink has not dried from your falsehood. This is not the first time you are caught lying. Ideal apologist for a lying regime and army – now under international spotlight again.
Varathan
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David Blacker / August 28, 2013
I can’t help it if your English is still at the kindergarten level, or you’re too retarded to comprehend a simple sentence. Before you call me names, learn to read basic English. I repeat, where in what you have quoted have I said that it is fine to kill the wounded, you moron?
If I were to tell you that the sun is hot, does that mean that I am approving of the sun? :D
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Donald J Gnanakone / August 18, 2013
Thangavelu is the former Vice president of the WTM who supported the boycotting of the Presidential elections by the LTTE to install the Rajapakse regime in2005. Now he is moaning the death of many LTTE’ers.
Thangavelu claimed that Ranil was responsible for the Karuna split from the LTTE. How stupid?
As for the list, I was made aware that Baby Subramaniam’s wife and lovely daughter was alive. I may be wrong in this information. Trincomalee commander and TECH’S head Thilak was murdered in cold blood. his wife is Usha is alive. Tamil Net carried the photographs long years ago.
Who were the LTTE advisors and cheer leaders Thangavelu?
Donald Gnanakone
Tamils For Justice.
Founder.
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Waran Vaithilingam / August 18, 2013
Ohhhhhh……Donald Ganakone is mumbling again,waging the ranil tail again, you have become a joker lately aren’t u ? What a joke , you don’t know what your are talking about Donald , F.Y.I : Thankavelu Iya have never been VP of WTM.
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M.SIVANANTHAN / August 19, 2013
You lied here.
You are an MP of TGTE. I dont know your faction. Rudrakumaran or Thiruchelvam or nediyavan or Vinayagam!
Thangavelu was the VP of WTM and Suresh Manickkavasagan was the president of WTM.
During that time Canada Tamil EELAM society was under the control of WTM and Suresh was arrested by the police at the Tamil Eelam Society when he was involved in sex with two employees of the same society.
This Thangavelu was part of the looting of the funds of the same society as well.
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Jim softy / August 19, 2013
Canada Tamil EELAM society was under the control of WTM and Suresh was arrested by the police at the Tamil Eelam Society when he was involved in sex with two employees of the same society.
– they were having fun.
I heard similar stories with church priests in the North. Some church priests, while giving them a lift to some where, had sex with the wives of some tamils who were away from the country for a few days. Church employee had observed that peeping through the roof and standing on the ladder.
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M.SIVANANTHAN / August 20, 2013
Catholic/Christian priests participated in bank robberies in Jaffna. The sex scandals are public. When LTTE kidnapped young Tamil girls, these “fathers and brothers” were the first ones to “taste” the virgins! Then only other LTTE bulls!
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Native Vedda / August 20, 2013
M.SIVANANTHAN
“When LTTE kidnapped young Tamil girls, these “fathers and brothers” were the first ones to “taste” the virgins! Then only other LTTE bulls!”
Were you peeping through the hole?
If you were, you are a dirty old peeping Tom.
So why didn’t you stop fathers, sons and brothers doing what they did?
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Native Vedda / August 20, 2013
Jimmy
“Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo.”
― H.G. Wells, The Wife of Sir Isaac Harman
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kali / August 21, 2013
It is the same old story from you Cross Breed
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Kalaweddage Malli / August 18, 2013
USA or UK [Edited out]. The leach cant keep on the bed.[Edited out].We want Obamaa type President in Sri Lanka
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M.SIVANANTHAN / August 18, 2013
LTTE is a killer squad of Tamils. Who cares the LTTE bastards?
This Thangavelu is another useless fellow. He cried for EELAM but he and his co-LTTErs in Canada were unable to run a society honestly. They swindled the funds and declared bankruptcy.
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cleofernando / August 18, 2013
His name reminds us of Thangavelu, the South Indian comedy actor, so another Thangavelue joker?
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Jim softy / August 19, 2013
Some of them were Tamil families newly arrived in Canada; did not have any employment because they were working full time for LTTE and when they bought hugh houses, those who gave into the funds were furious.
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kali / August 21, 2013
Cross Breed as above
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Lakmal Kulasekara / August 18, 2013
Mr thangawelu,
Were you daydreaming and suddenly got up?
I am a sinhala buddist and not a fan of mahinda rajapakse.
But, the list you have comeup with is full of criminals.they are responsible for killings of both sinhala and tamils in my country..they are not bankers, postmans, farmers etc….as tou are trying to interpret.
They gave a cyanide capsule to tamil youngsters and asked to swollow..I think you know that.so why did they surreender..for what?..to die another day?
It is because people lyk you ,sinhala extremists can flourish.you must be living in some western country and doing this dirty work..it is because of people lyk you, moderate sinhala people cant make their case…
At least now accept.it was a war..people got killed from bothsides..now it is finished..now we have to march forward..we are srilankans living in srilanka..it is what you racists cant digest.
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Native Vedda / August 19, 2013
Lakmal Kulasekara
“I am a sinhala buddist and not a fan of mahinda rajapakse.”
That says lot about you.
“responsible for killings of both sinhala and tamils in my country.”
It is my ancestral land.
“They gave a cyanide capsule to tamil youngsters and asked to swollow.”
You gave arms, fund and political cover to fight the IPKF.
You paid a large sum to LTTE to win the Presidential election.
“It is because people lyk you ,sinhala extremists can flourish.”
Sinhala/Buddhists do not need a reason to be extremists. They are natural born extremists and racists.
“At least now accept.it was a war..people got killed from bothsides..”
Ask yourself a simple question how and why did the wars start, three in total 1971, between 1987 and 1991 and 30 year war?
“now it is finished..now we have to march forward..”
All three wars may have ended, the struggle for justice, accountability, democracy, ……….will continue one way or another.
“we are srilankans living in srilanka”
We are not Sri Lankans, there was no referendum when the name was changed. The state didn’t obtain a verdict from the people. I don’t have to remind you that you are living in a stolen property, twenty million squatters in all.
“..it is what you racists cant digest.”
Please check your face in a mirror.
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Lakmal Kulasekara / August 19, 2013
If you are not a srilankan why are you so worried native wedda.it is obvious you dont have the backbone to come in your real name and that says a lot about you too..
So you accept your poor prabhakaran accepted money from sinhala politicians no..pathetic figure to follow..
If you cant forget and move forward dat is your problem.problems have been solved in the history by forgetting..forgiving..I am telling dis to both sides..both sides commited atrocities..we hav to accept dat..dis is the difference between me n you
no war was fought without attocities..dis Iis the truth.
You always can runaway from dat.
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Native Vedda / August 19, 2013
Lakmal Kulasekara
“So you accept your poor prabhakaran accepted money from sinhala politicians no..pathetic figure to follow..”
Whats the matter with you stupid man? That is what I wrote. He was your man in LTTE on and off.
Out of sympathy you say he was a pathetic figure to follow. I say he was a psychopath who should not have been entertained by the stupid Sinhala/Buddhist state and its rulers.
You teenagers are too lazy to write complete words this, that and other which are shortened and become dis dat, yet you think cool. It is not, go learn spelling.
This irritates me more than your stupid comments.
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Lakmal Kulasekara / August 20, 2013
Native wedda,
You are suffering from amnesia..it is normal for a senile person.
If you dont believe in reconciliation dont try to argue with me..you will die dreaming of your ancestral land in venegence..people lyk you have what is called concrete thinking.
you are trying to teach me spelling.before that check whether you have balls intact.because you not only dont have a country but a name too..
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Native Vedda / August 20, 2013
Lakmal Kulasekara
“you will die dreaming of your ancestral land in venegence..people lyk you have what is called concrete thinking.”
If I am dreaming for a better country to live in, it is still worth dreaming and dying. However much you kick and scream, the fact remains that the island is my ancestral land.
“you are trying to teach me spelling.before that check whether you have balls intact.”
My partner believes she owns my b…s. Is it a problem for you? Your (Tamils/Sinhalese) people grabbed my ancestral land now you are eyeing for my b…s too. What sort of people are you?
“because you not only dont have a country but a name too..”
That’s right when your people return my stolen property I will let you know who I am.
Are you proud of collectively being hora, Kallan, thief?
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Taraki / August 18, 2013
Veluppillai Thangavelu
The soldiers, policemen and civilians Who Surrendered To The LTTE: Where Are They?
You will probably find the LTTE cadres you are searching for in the same place. But these will mostly be adults, as thousands of Tamil children were rescued from the LTTE human shields by the much hated genocidal racist Singala Budhists with their Mahavamsa mentality.
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Plato / August 18, 2013
Any civilised government has a duty to protect even the worst criminals and charge them according to law.That is the reason there are prisons,justice system,police and prosecutors established by law. Summary executions and wanton killings by the state or its agencies are abhorent and uncivilised practices.Even the constitution of Srilanka prohibits arrest or execution of persons unless sanctioned by an independent Court after a fair trial.Only the worst chauvinists,racists and blood thirsty hounds will approve of such killings.The victims may be terrorists in the eyes of Sinhalese people brain washed by systematic and orchestrated propaganda by the state and chauvinist media for the last three decades or more.For the Tamil people these rebels are freedom fighters waging a courageous struggle against the racist regime.Srilankan government is answerable to these victims and more than 100,000 civilians who were murdered in cold blood by the state armed forces.The perpetrators cannot hide for long after committing the worst form of ethnic cleansing that this world has ever seen.
For the record,the families of the disappeared have filed Habeas Corpus applications in the High Court describing their harrowing experience at the hands of the Srilankan armed forces.
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punchinilame / August 18, 2013
Gota knows the answer to Thangavelus question, but Gota is challenging
UN to prove that they exsited – which can be done by those concerned
ONLY at an International hearing.
The Trinco. 5 and 17 Aid workers cases are still being jugled and I do
not expect the diaspora to come up with evidence in advance, for MOD
manipulation. The Matale graves too appear to take the same direction –
the CID not publishing the required advertisement. Adding to the misery
is the skeletons in wells in HSZ – probably LTTE rebels gone missing?
What Sri Lankans are asking for is Justice, and the Chief Justic (SB)
included.
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Jim softy / August 19, 2013
this case of dead can be used by the Sri Lankan govt to show the Tamil arrogance and how they challenged the Sri Lankan security forces, as well as the 17 aid workers were Tamil INTEL for foreign organizations.
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Thanga / August 18, 2013
Former UNP Batticaloa District Parliamentarian Ali Zaheer Moulana said yesterday that UNP leader Ranil Wickremasinghe had betrayed and let him down after he had done so much for the party and the country.
He was addressing a press conference at the Mahaweli Centre, where he pledged his support to President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the forthcoming Presidential elections. “I was solely responsible for bringing Karuna Amman safely to Colombo when his life was threatened by the LTTE, at great risk to my own life,” he said.
Ranil Wickremasinghe lost the elections in 2005 not solely because of LTTE’s unofficial boycott of the elections. He lost the elections because he failed to poll enough Sinhalese votes. Many stalwarts of the UNP, including Lakshman Kiriella has claimed on the floor of the house that the UNP was responsible for the defection of Karuna. United National Party (UNP) stalwart in Nuwara Eliya district, Naveen D.S.Senayake, has said that a situation was created to make the renegade LTTE commander Karuna to get dissatisfied with his leadership during the period covering his trips to Europe.(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=16275)
Be that as it may be Karuna’s defection did not weaken the LTTE. The LTTE re-took the east from Karuna’s faction with hardly any resistance. Pillayan and his fighters fled with tails between their legs when LTTE formations marched to re-capture territory. But what is the situation after 2005? Ranil Wickremesinghe and his UNP had lost a string of elections both nationally and locally. He has now become an object of ridicule within and outside. Is the LTTE responsible for the UNP debacle? In fact since 2007, Wickremasinghe has lost more than 60 MPs to Rajapaksa’s machinations. Shortly after Ranil established a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Mahinda Rajapaksa government agreeing to UNP’s collaboration with the government on issues of national interest, 17 of the UNP’s 60 members in parliament, including the group who had challenged Wickremesinghe’s leadership, led by deputy leader Karoo Jayasuriya crossed over to the governing UPFA ranks in parliament and were given ministerial portfolios. The group consisted of senior members of UNP and many of them were former ministers of Ranil Wickremesinghe’s 2001–2004 government: Karu Jayasuriya (Deputy Leader of UNP), M. H. Mohamed (former speaker of the parliament), Milinda Moragoda, G. L. Peiris, Bandula Gunawardane, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Gamini Lokuge, P. Dayaratna, Mano Wijeyeratne, Rajitha Senaratne, R.A.D. Sirisena, Mahinda Wijesekara, Naween Dissanayake, Hemakumara Nanayakkara, R. M. Dharmadasa Banda, Neomal Perera and Chandrasiri Sooriyaarachchi. However in late 2008, Jayasuriya crossed over once again to the opposition and was given back the deputy leader post.
The defection of the party stalwarts to join the government continued unabated. Susantha Punchinilame, Mahinda Rathnathilaka and Nandimithra Ekanayake joined the government. S.B. Dissanayake, a senior UNP leader, joined the government in December 2009. He was the national organizer of the party and the opposition leader in Central Provincial Council. S.B. Dissanayake obtained the highest number of votes in Kandy District in 2009 Provincial Council Elections.
The exodus did not cease. Members of Parliament Johnston Fernando and Indika Bandaranayake joined the government. The most recent turn-coat is Dayasri Jayatilleka, UNP MP Kurunagala. But to be charitable I support Ranil’s present stand on the Thamil National question. Had he taken the same stand in 2001 and not burnt the draft constitution presented by Chandrika Kumaratunga, history probably would have taken a different road.Gnanakone should lend his brain, he fancies he has plenty, to Ranilwickremesinghe to climb out of the political quackmire!
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abhaya / August 19, 2013
They are all alive and well in heaven . I saw them personally .
St Peter .
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Jim softy / August 19, 2013
What do you say about the following ?
“Karuna Amman a former Tamil Tiger militant in Sri Lanka, now a government minister, has admitted that his comrades killed more than 600 policemen 20 years ago in the part of the country he then controlled as a Tiger leader. “
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Hela / August 19, 2013
As we understand, security forces has a list of about 11,000 names of surrendered combatants and more than 10,000 have been released to the society.
If the aforementioned names of terrorists are not in the security forces list, then it is better to give the last rites and pray for a better afterlife.
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Saroja / August 19, 2013
Alas, is anyone living in Sri Lanka concerned about illegal detention of members of Tamil community? Why are the civil societies still leaving this grave HR issues to the international community without addressing the issues locally. Comments by both sides of the ethnic divide indicate the insensitive attitude and the conviction of the HR community. These missing persons are very important people and answerable for war crimes and also the answerable for the political cause of the Tamil campaign. They are answerable for so many lives and so much of sufferings. I am so thankful for Mr. Velupillai Thangavelu to detail with required depth and vital pertinent questions at all decent human beings and all state parties. All cadres especially from the vanguard surrendered to the forces in Vaduvaikaal that it was facilitated by made-to-belief International community in addition to stern warning to choose between a surrender that will facilitate even a Ministerial position in government or criminally charged. Not knowing what happened to B.Nadesan and his wife at another location, their wives willingly handed over their husbands in Vaduvaikaal while some wives even wanted to join their husbands! It was a time when these persons had been dismissed of all duties and relieved of all responsibilities to make their own decision. So these willingly surrendered. Many like V.Balakumar wanted to flee very much earlier and was in conflict with VP. Later when they fled, his step-daughter was shot and injured. But instead of getting better of them, it is shameful SL state simply treated them as common criminals! Though we have confirmed deaths of some detainees who surrendered at other location, those who boarded the bus were blind-folded and taken by CTB bus. In one bus at least one person was brought down by Karuna. We can rely on the willingness of the military to expose these matters sooner or later and have to have convincing mechanism for their inputs and rewards for their risks. Many other names have not been included in the list and some have been released. Praba had been released with Ram and Nagulan only 3 days ago from Welikande. Reha had been released much earlier. But let us not forget over 100,000 killed prior to Eelam war-4. Let us not forget the Sinhala brethren murdered by the same perpetrators. One of action can be initiated without any delay against Minister Muralitharan alias Karuna ammaan against killing of 600+ surrendered police officers! How will this culture of impunity prevail?
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Longa / August 19, 2013
Sad to read the above comments. It is not about what they did but how should they be judged. In a country where summary executions happen so often, it is easy to understand impunity with the judgements and minds expressed by the commentators of this article. Sad to notice there is a majority of weak minded people.
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / August 19, 2013
Some better questions might be “what happened to their cyanide capsules?” and “who gives a toss?” :)
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selvam kumar / August 19, 2013
THE SINGALESE SRI LANKAN ARMY IS THE MOST DEADLIEST TERRORIST ARMY IN THE WORLD. THIS ARMY IS SPECIALISED AND TRAINED HOW TO RAPE, HOW TO KILL THOSE WHO SURRENDER, HOW TO KILL INNOCENT CHILDREN, HOW TO RAPE CHILDREN, HOW ABUSE THE FEMALES SEXUALLY AND MANY MORE BY THE EXTREMIST SINGALESE LEADER MAHINDA RAJAPAKSE. THE UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS MADAM NAVANEETHAM PILLAY IS, MUST ASK WHERE IS THE LTTE MEMBERS WHOM HAVE SURRENDERD TO THE SINGALESE TERRORIST ARMY ? IF HE CAN’T PRODUCE THE LTTE MEMBERS ALIVE, THEN RAJAPAKSE MUST BE CHARGED FOR WAR CRIMES. WE WANT TO SEEK JUSTICE FROM MADAM NAVANEETHAM PILLAY IN DUE COURSE.
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lal / August 20, 2013
If, as you say the sinhalese army is “the deasdliest, terrorist army …” in the world, then the Racist Tamil Terrorists were the most stupid and iinferior bunch of sub humans to have started a fight with them. And they the Racist Tamil Terrorists lost. How stupid? Take a look at the picture of their leader, resting in a pool of muddy water, hole in the head and no brain. Missing Terrorists? I don’t miss them. I enjoy the peace.
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Peace Lover / August 19, 2013
Mr Thangavelu while i dont support crimes of any sort be it war crime or petty crime i wish to ask you the following questions
i)why did the LTTE kill the surrendered army men in jaffna in Oct 1987 after promising their release
ii)why was the Jaffna Police SP a very decent bloke killed in 2005 when he went to mediate between the LTTE and Army and he went un-armed too?
iii)why was Police inspector Jeyaratnam kidnaped takem to Wanni and then killed?
iv)why were the innocent Policemen numbering 600 who were butchered in 1990 after surrendering?
Why did you morons keep quiet when the LTTE did all that and now act like cry babies?
I hope you will answer my questions
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KK / August 28, 2013
Totally agreed, this punde ande velupillai Thangavelu woke up from dream
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Kettikaran / August 19, 2013
Whoever says what tens of thousands of people were openly slaughtered and large numbers who surrendered to the forces in May 2009 while their families were witnesses too are said to have been killed while in custody of the armed force. The regime has reason to fear things can go against them during the visit of Mrs Navi Pillay next week.
GLP’s visit to Delhi is to give further bogus assurances to placate Delhi from Karunanidhi’s anger. CHOGM is in the balance if the Indian PM pulls out. There is still a chance the NPC polls will be cancelled.
Kettikaran
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lankaley / August 20, 2013
THEY ALL REALESED [Edited out]
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Thondamanaru / August 20, 2013
Adey Selvam Kumar………… get your polips treated.
As for Ananthi Sasitharan is pining. hence Vaiko or Seemen would do for her as Sampanthan is too old and Sumanthiran will be only talking & suresh Premachandra is dangerous as he betrayed the EPRLF higherachy.
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CW / August 20, 2013
Hey buddy, Where are the security forces personnel surrendered to the Tamil Tigers- LTTE?
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KK / August 28, 2013
They all suicide eating cyanide in side the army camps, go and blame your paraba for giving them cyanide neclesses
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Sri Shanthan / January 29, 2014
I believe none of the mouners above have seen a real event which occured front of you that your sisters and friends have raped by 10 to 15 morans and brutialy killed or seen your little brother or son got put top of hot plate and toasted to die or seeing even your 52 year old mother got naked and raped front of your eyes by these sick mens which you all so call “Heros” and there were more incidents that you can’t even explain.. All i want ask all of you guys… so you think that 52 yr old mother, 4 yr old son nor the 12 yr old sister were L.T.T.E and they deserve to die like that??? this is not just one event that i experince and there were many and there are lots of ppl like me have seen and witnessed. because you were not there it doesn’t meant it never happend.. and I see someone saying that the war over and we all srilankan tring forget the past live the future so then are you promising that nothing moral like were in past happening now ??? Please come to north see how many young girls are missing now?? or how many were still getting raped? Come on you morans if you ever want to have that real feeling to experience yourself and i am sure most of you have sister and mother please take them to a nice vacation to india specially to Mumbai or Delhi let some of those animals rape your sister and mother trust me there re lots and worst sick mens there waiting and they loves to taste your sister and mother, i bet you will have the real experience and come and leave your comments…
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Vichara / October 27, 2015
Three things could have happened to Missing Persons.
1.They would have been killed in battle.
2.They have escaped the camps by bribing the guards and have migrated to the West and have become their citizens. Another group is in India trying a comeback. A third group is in Thailand and other East Asian countries waiting for an opportunity to migrate to Australia.
3.If the the host countries harboring these absconding LTTE associates could provide information on them it would be easier to resolve this issue of psuedo disappearance.
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