By Colombo Telegraph –
“We request you to liberate our surrendered and disappeared relatives from the state of Sri Lanka through international pressure.” Relatives of the Surrendered and Disappeared Persons said. Issuing a press statement they further said “Our complaints to the government officials, politicians and NGOs have been futile. We went to the crime division of Vavuniya on 14th May 2012 as per the announcement made by the Ministry of Defense, Sri Lanka, on 13th May 2012. But we were disappointed that we could not find any details about them. We became subject to their intimidation.”
Below we give the full statement;
Collective Appeal
Kilinochi, Mullaitheevu District
2012.05.15
The Relatives of the Surrendered and Disappeared Persons
We, the members of the above organization, humbly make the following submission to you:
The arms of the LTTE were brought to silence on 16th May 2009. On 18th May 2009, hundreds of LTTE cadres surrendered to the army of Mullaitheevu under the guidance of Reverend Father Francis Joseph in our presence. We have hitherto not been informed about their whereabouts by the Sri Lankan state. They are being kept in secret detention centers and tortured. Many of the cadres surrendered with their families. We assume that the wives and children of the surrendered cadres are kept in these detention centers.
Our complaints to the government officials, politicians and NGOs have been futile. We went to the crime division of Vavuniya on 14th May 2012 as per the announcement made by the Ministry of Defense, Sri Lanka, on 13th May 2012. But we were disappointed that we could not find any details about them. We became subject to their intimidation.
Women came in numbers, broke 108 coconuts
Similar announcement had been made in 2011 as a result of international pressure but we returned with disappointment after visiting the same place. The brutal war had already rendered us physically and psychologically impaired. This frantic search has made our agony unbearable.
It has been three years since the unarmed cadres surrendered after the announcement of common amnesty had been made. We are at the verge of our limit of endurance. It is the duty of the government of Sri Lanka to be accountable to this.
Thus, in order to liberate our relatives from the state of Sri Lanka and to invoke blessing to the departed souls of our relatives who had been brutally massacred in their own country and to invoke wrath of the God to the state officials and the politicians who had taken the lives of our relatives and that they should endure the pain and agony that of us, we, the relatives of the surrendered and disappeared persons, have decided to commemorate the third year of the end of the war in temples by engaging in collective prayers on 18th May 2012.
We request you to liberate our surrendered and disappeared relatives from the state of Sri Lanka through international pressure.
Yours faithfully
The Organization of the Relatives of the Surrendered and Disappeared Persons
Ralf Sheldrake / May 19, 2012
…..they will simply be labelled as “MIA” or “POW” and nothing could be expected from the dirty Military who would’ve regarded them as the enemy at the time …. they would’ve used them in their celebrations…. but protected them no…. I’m not so sure …. they would’ve thought “what’s the use of ‘brave’ surrenderees on the other side anyway ?” …..
Anyway the LAW of KARMA is the most powerful natural Law of the UNIVERSE… and you know how it works …. we are gonna watch what happens too my dear …..
/
GG P / May 21, 2012
That is what war is all about. There are no clean wars. Bombs are not selective. Not the suicide bombers are diiferrent from army bombers. All mean to kill so do not cry. Six million Jews dies. Only 10,000 LTTE died.
/
DAS / May 20, 2012
Our thoughts are with you.
Your tears are an agony for all lankans who beleive in human rights..
This happened also in 1971 – orders were “not to take prisoners”.
And,later in 1987/88/89,many human rights lawyers including Liyanarachi who died of torture in two police stations,were killed among many others.An infamous SSP kept a row of severed heads in front of his office, as a warning.
The police & militarymen who were involved are now Top Brass due to seniority and a few may now be administraters and ambassadors.
They dared not warn the rank and file about humanitarian laws,as the latter knew what their officers did earlier,and have to ‘cover up’.
/
GG P / May 21, 2012
can make a lot of copra? Yes I think so. Gnanakoon will sell and make money to buy ammunition.
/