By A Special Correspondent –
January 29 and 30 (Wednesday and Thursday) mark eight years since the abduction and execution of seven humanitarian staff of the Tamil’s Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO). The abductions occurred in two separate incidents.
The seven TRO staff were travelling from Batticaloa to the TRO Headquarters in Kilinochchi for training on 29 and 30 January, 2006 when they were forced to stopped, in full view of a Sri Lanka Army checkpoint at Welikande on the Batticaloa – Polonnaruwa border, by a ‘white van’ without license plates. The TRO van travelling on the 29th contained five persons and the van on the 30th had 15. The other 13 staff members were released. The seven have never been heard from again and media reports state that they were raped, tortured, and executed. They were:
Abducted on 29 January 2006:
Mr. KASINATHAR GANESHALINGAM (53 years old)
Mr. THANGARASA KATHIRKAMAR (43 years old)
Abducted on 29 January 2006:
Ms THANUSHKODI PREMINI (25 years old)
Mr. ARULTHAVARASA SATHEESKARAN (23 years old)
Mr. SHANMUGANATHAN SUJENDRAN (24 years old)
Mr. THAMIRAJA VASANTHARAJAN (24 years old)
Mr. KAILASAPILLAI RAVINTHIRAN (26 years old)
Thangarasa’s Family at the TRO Kilinochchi Office after hearing the news of his abduction
All of the TRO staff were humanitarian workers: Mr. Ganeshalingam was a member of the TRO Board of Directors, Coordinator of Pre School Education Development Centre (PSEDC) and was married with two young children; Ms. Premini was the Chief Accountant of the TRO Batticaloa Office and a student at Eastern University; Mr. Thangarasa, the driver of the van on the 29th, was the father of 5; the other four young men were accountants or trainee accountants at TRO Children’s Homes (orphanages) who were going to Kilinochchi for in-service training. (For extended profiles and photographs of the TRO staff please click here )
What happened to the TRO 7?
In an article published over a year after the abductions, Canadian based blogger D.B.S. Jeyaraj reported the following:
“The fate of Premini was terrible. The dusky woman with attractive features and a slight squint was taken to another camp and raped first by Sinthujan himself. Thereafter it was a horrible gang rape with TMVP cadres taking turns to sexually assault her. Fourteen cadres raped the poor girl… Premini was heard to shout and cry at the start. Later she merely sobbed and whimpered. Premini was taken out before dawn by TMVP cadres to the jungles. She walked like a ‘nadaipinam’ (walking corpse) without crying or showing signs of emotion, said one ex-TMVP cadre. She was apparently hacked to death and thrown into the bushes.”
Jeyaraj continued:
“The four males were then given rice to eat and tea to drink. Afterwards they were blindfolded and put in a pick-up. It was driven into the interior. The men were then forced to walk into the jungle blind-folded. The blindfolds were removed and they were asked to dig a huge pit. When it was over the weeping men were lined up and shot.”
He also names those responsible for the abductions of the TRO humanitarian workers:
“The Karuna faction has a man called ‘Pillaiyan’ who is described as the supreme military commander of the TMVP military wing… He is said to be the main ‘link’ between the TMVP and its (GoSL) military intelligence handlers.”
The Aftermath
The abductions occurred soon after the current administration of President Rajapakse had first taken power (December 2005) and was to meet with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Geneva for ‘peace talks’ in February 2006. At the time the GoSL and others categorically stated that the abductions were a hoax staged by the LTTE so that they could bow out of the Geneva talks. Among those who claimed that the abductions never took place most were government stooges, and their media outlets, but of particular concern was the reporting of the University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna) (UTHR-J) and D.B.S. Jeyaraj on April 2nd and 5th respectively.
Jeyaraj reported that, “UTHR (J) in the special report No. 20 released on April 2nd… “But now UTHR(J) can confirm that the TRO abduction drama was staged by the LTTE immediately before the Geneva meeting to force the paramilitary issue to the forefront of the talks.”
Jeyaraj later printed a correction but the UTHR-J have never corrected their error. It seems that UHTR-J have ceased functioning. Their website does not have any reports after 13 December, 2009 and the front page states that it was “Last updated 2nd Jan 2010” .
As any and all observers of the human rights situation in Sri Lanka will agree, though the war with the LTTE has ended there is still a desperate need for human rights investigators as the ‘ethno-political conflict’ continues unabated. Strange then that such a prominent so-called ‘human rights’ organisation as UTHR-J should cease to operate so soon after the defeat of the LTTE.
The abduction and execution of the TRO 7 was the beginning of the crackdown by the current administration on Sri Lankan Civil Society and the international organisations operating in the country in the lead up to the return to war. This intimidation of civil society, the media, and those who oppose the administration continues to this day.
In a speech to international and national humanitarian organisations and UN Agencies at the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA) on 3 February, 2006, a few days after the abduction of the TRO staff, a TRO representative warned these organisations that if they did not speak up and take action on behalf of the TRO humanitarian staff that they would be next:
“The CHA and civil society in general must not be naive to the implications of this specific incident on their own operations, programs, and staff. If a strong unified face is not shown to the outrages of the past week our fear is that it will be “open season” on international and local NGO’s… What is especially troubling to TRO has been the reaction of the media, civil society, the government and the law enforcement authorities to the two kidnappings TRO has been the victim of this past week. The question, however distasteful must be asked, “Would all of these actors’ responses be the same had Sarvodaya, Sewalanka or any other “southern” NGO been the victim of these crimes.” ( Click here )
These words would prove prescient in the next months and years as August 2006 saw the execution of 17 national staff of the French NGO Action Contre La Faim (ACF), numerous other attacks on TRO staff and offices, the expulsion of the UN from the Vanni on 16 September 2008, and the slaughter in the final stages of the war with the LTTE, which were conducted without any international witnesses as a result of the expulsion of the UN and denial of access to the international media.
No real investigations of the case were pursued by the GoSL and the case of the TRO 7 was not included in the 16 cases that President Rajapaske referred to the “Presidential Commission of Inquiry” (November 2006) and the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) (February 2007).
Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SL HRC) did appoint a Special Rapporteur to investigate the TRO 7 case, as well as four other cases, but unfortunately this report was never published even though it was submitted to Ms. Coomaraswamy near the end of her tenure as Chairperson.
Ms. Coomaraswamy left the SL Human Rights Commission (SL HRC) to take up the post of United Nations Under-Secretary-General, Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict. For the complete report and a more in-depth analysis of this controversy see:
Articles
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/hr-communities-ignore-burial-of-2006-trinco-5-report/
TRO knew of the report, as the Special Rapporteur had interviewed TRO staff. A TRO press release raised the issue of the unpublished report in March 2007: “The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka investigated the case and made a report to its head that has never been released.”
The case of the TRO 7 that we pause to remember today is only one case among hundreds of thousands of human rights abuses over the 66 years of Sri Lankan independence. Some Sri Lankan and international observers and commentators like to pretend that the culture of impunity that engulfs Sri Lanka is a product of the current administration, unfortunately this is not the case.
The breakdown of the ‘rule of law’ in Sri Lanka is not a recent occurrence and neither is the all- pervasive impunity with which the state and its agents operate. Not only is it common place for people to disappear and/or be extra-judicially executed, but it is also standard operating procedure for no serious investigation, arrests, or convictions to take place.
In Sri Lanka the only thing that is a constant is the culture of impunity that engulfs the state and its supporters. This ensures that the human rights abuses of the past continue unabated. And so the ethno-political conflict continues…
Fathima Fukushima / January 29, 2014
Good riddance!
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Sandy / January 29, 2014
Do you have a mother?
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chuti / January 30, 2014
TRO was a front organisation for collecting money for LTTE for destruction of Sri Lanka and their people.
They used these money to kill Sinhala, Muslim and Tamils for their separatist agenda.
Supporting Terrorism is an offence and they also should treat as terrorist.. We don’t see anything wrong in that… If the USA can do this kind of killing for the sake of their own people in other countries , Why Sri Lanka can’t do this at his own country??..
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Native Vedda / January 30, 2014
chuti
“They used these money to kill Sinhala, Muslim and Tamils for their separatist agenda.”
The chief of International Finance and Arms procurer has already surrendered to the Sri Lankan state.
Arest him and charge him for aiding and abetting terrorism, money laundering, arms smuggling,………………………
The LTTE man who caused the death of 700 policeman is a minister and wise president of SLFP.
What are you going to do about him.
Pillayan, Karuna’s one time sidekick is now holding the post of presidential adviser. Would you charge him for terrorism?
Members of Pottu Ammans department are said to be working directly under Gota.
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RuwanL / January 30, 2014
One reason for winning the war was due to these two crossing over to join the Government! How can the Government prosecute them now? Will you do it differently?
In politics you find strange bedfellows! One looks after the other for their survival!!
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shankar / January 30, 2014
Ruwan L you may be right that now that you have accepted them you have to have them with you at your dinner parties and even in your family lounge now,but you can’t be moaning about the atrocities committed by the LTTE at the same time.The worst atrocities were committed in the east and guess who was the eastern commander.
So now you can’t talk about the LTTE atrocities when the international investigation into the war crimes begin because the judges will ask you why you are having strange bedfellows who ordered and organised the crimes in the first place.You will have to limit the investigation to the last few months of the war only because due to your blunder of exonerating these chaps you have no other choice really.As for me i would not have accepted them into my fold but told them the law will have to take its normal course.
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Liberal One / January 30, 2014
I for one is completely ok with shedding the painful past and moving forward if eelamists and their dollar hungry backers give up their disastrous quest for an illegitimate tamil nation in this island.
KP, Karuna and Pillayan have given up on these illegitimate demands haven’t they? Maybe the government also thinks along that line?
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Burning_Issue / January 30, 2014
Illibral,
Have you been paying attention to events since the end of the war? It seems that you are stuck in the past! The TNA fought and won the NPC election on a manifesto; have you bothered to study it? The Tamils overwhelmingly voted for a political solution within one country. Why don’t your leaders embrace it and honour the promised that they made? Isn’t it the way to move forward?
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kali / January 30, 2014
Foreign:
Have you lost your senses. That is what you call Struggle for FREEDOM from Sinhalese Tyranny spanning over 64 long years. .
1) Killing Sinhalese Combatants who uphold atrocities by the Racist Sinhalese like you lot 20 million of you.
2) Getting rid of Tamil Traitors like your Karuna, Douglas and others .
3) Finally also getting rid of those Muslim Traitors who spy for your barbaric soldier brothers.
So don’t talk rubbish. We killed to survive and you kill for a living.
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kali / January 30, 2014
Foreign:
My apologies. I didn’t realise you were copying and pasting. Sorry mate.
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Native Vedda / January 31, 2014
kali
“My apologies. I didn’t realise you were copying and pasting. Sorry mate.”
Of course you are so driven by hatred your reflex is being muted.
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kali / January 30, 2014
Chuti,
MR the Criminal is a front Man for the 20 million Racists Sinhalese like you who has been mandated by you lot to kill Innocent Tamils so don’t talk rubbish.
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Maveeran / January 30, 2014
Fathima came out of a pig’s [Edited out] didn’t you know Sandy?
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Tamil from the north / January 30, 2014
@Sandy, fatshitma was born between a pig and a buffalo. So he thinks like one. Don’t worry too much about this low life fatshitma too much.
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Oma Yang / January 30, 2014
It’s a pity the human race has to include people like you who in all probability should have been nothing but a stain on your poor parents bed sheets but instead of found a way to drip down into a womb and born a human. Don’t you have an ounce of sympathy for these people, or is it that you just try to prove through thoughtless words that you are a superior Sri Lankan? Shame on you and hope that some day you repent your posts.
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Nimalasiri Hewage / January 30, 2014
[Edited out]
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Ben Hurling / January 29, 2014
In Sri Lanka these are called brutal abductions or disappearances. There are thousands since Independence. Appalling record.
Americans, our “Human Rights Minders” called them extra-ordinary renditions during Bush era.
Obama does not even bother to conduct renditions. He just whacks them from Drones. Remote controlled from Arizona desert.
PS: TRO was no humanitarian outfit. They were cunningly managing LTTE Finances. Period.
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / January 29, 2014
so its ok to kidnap them since they are managing LTTE finances as you claim without a proper trial?
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Taraki / January 30, 2014
He’s not claiming that it is ok. He is just pointing out that the TRO were managing LTTE finances. What’s the matter with you? No wonder he hasn’t even bothered to reply.
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sach / January 30, 2014
How can you win a war without destroying LTTE front organisations?
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shankar / January 30, 2014
Before destroying you must first ban it.why didn’t you?
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sach / January 31, 2014
I dont know whther it is banned in SL or not. It is banned in west as well.
And what logic is this than a gov must ban it before destroying?
The real story is TRO crept into SL with Norwegian funded NGOs after tsunami. SO the UNP government that was in power then was bending to the LTTE (because the liberal humanitarians believed bending to the maximum limit to the ltte is the way to stop war).
If SL gov didnt ban TRO it just points out how callous they had been with regards to national security.
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shankar / February 1, 2014
Sach,my point is when the government does not ban it,how do you expect the employees to know that it is wrong to work for that organisation.They may have gone to it just for the salary.Is it fair to then suddenly butcher them like that/
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Ben Hurling / January 31, 2014
TRO was tolerated. Though everyone knew it was scam to fund LTTE terrorists.
It was not banned coz’ everyone very naively believed in the peace farce with maximalist LTTE terrorists.
It was a grave mistake. Not the only one. As we now know.
TRO was not banned in an attempt to appease VP “The Sun God”.
Any questions?
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Native Vedda / January 29, 2014
Ben Hurling, sach, and others
FYI
TRO was not banned until 21 November 2007 and not in On 29 & 30 January, 2006.
Both of you continue to complain about absence or violation of law and order yet tone and content of your comment speak volume about your double standard and hypocrisy.
Due process of law should be applied to all people all time without exception, you can’t pick and chose at your convenience whom the state is going to brutally execute, when, where and how.
It is for the judiciary to determine.
Ben
You have a fascistic tendency.
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Ben Hurling / January 30, 2014
Native,
I do not approve extra-judicial killings under any circumstances.
TRO was an outsourced front that used to perform back office functions for LTTE terrorists.
Law enforcement in Sri Lanka was duty-bound to keep an eye on them. Arrest them where necessary.
Picking them up at road blocks never to be returned again is not an arrest. A crime. Any questions?
PS: Even VP should have been given a fair trial. He could have answered just one question from all us Sri Lankans. WHY?
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Native Vedda / January 30, 2014
Ben Hurling
“TRO was an outsourced front that used to perform back office functions for LTTE terrorists.”
Hence arbitrary arrest and extra judicial killing is acceptable, is that what you are alluding to?
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Ben Hurling / January 30, 2014
Native,
As you have admitted, you are a bit thick.
“Picking them up at road blocks never to be returned again is not an arrest. A crime. Any questions?”
Cheers!
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sach / January 30, 2014
Ok due process needed, still TRO is an LTTE front organisation.
US or anyother countries fighting guerilla terrorism doesnt wait for due processes, because these things are only in books. In practical world such things are normal.
And again TRO is an LTTE front.
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Native Vedda / January 30, 2014
Ben Hurling
“TRO was no humanitarian outfit. They were cunningly managing LTTE Finances. Period.”
Presidential election rigging funds were paid to LTTE through a TRO official in Colombo.
How convenient it was.
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Ben Hurling / January 30, 2014
Native
That was an operation run by “Birds of feather”.
LTTE, TRO, SLFP etc. All the same scum. Any ileagal, corrupt activity to win the election.
Election of the current King was utterly corrupt. Should have been declared null & void long time ago.
Current King has no mandate to remain in office. Deep down he knows it.
Thus all the insecurity he and his clan display. Which often manifests itself in violence unleashed on people.
Cheers!
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sach / January 29, 2014
Even US banned TRO in 2008 as an LTTE front organisation.
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Burning_Issue / January 29, 2014
So it was ok to abduct and summarily execute them? You need to really examine your democratic credentials if you have any!
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John / January 30, 2014
What democracy LTTE had ?? other than killing mercilessly ?? So what’s wrong with killing LTTE front members on the same account ?? It’s LTTE way, your God’s way . isn’t it ? burning idiot.
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Burning_Issue / January 30, 2014
John the Baptist!
You are a shining example of what is wrong with Sri Lanka
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XXX / January 30, 2014
What did the “right” way bring except bombs, killings and economic stagnation? At least the “wrong” way of sri lanka brought peace and we are prospering ever since.
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sach / January 31, 2014
ever thought what is wrong with your side?
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kali / January 30, 2014
John you IDIOT:
Why haven’t you killed Minister KARUNA who single handedly killed thousands of your Soldier Brothers.
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sach / January 30, 2014
well that is how every country acts including your white masters. Extra judicial killings is a reality in WAR, especially when dealing with terrorists. SL is not the only country who did it.
The fact is SL needed to destroy LTTE funding network to win a war so that you can act like victims in a internet forum.
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Burning_Issue / January 30, 2014
The problem is that you defeated the LTTE and then you do not know what to do with the peace! The white maters are manifold better than your cutthroat murdering robbers! I will choose every time the white masters if you give me a choice between the Rajapaskas and the white masters; it is a no briner!
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sach / January 30, 2014
white masters will leave you as long as you are not a threat to their defence and security of their respective countries. The day you become a threat to them you will think these cutthroat murdering robbers are angels. (For more infor ask that from Guatanamo detainees, iraqis, afgans and any arab muslim :D)
These TRO abduction is recorded in 2006. So your argument that “The problem is that you defeated the LTTE and then you do not know what to do with the peace! ” has no relevance here.
Defeating funding networks of terorists is a must in winning a war. That is exactly what defense establishment in SL has done. (That is if they are truly guilty.)
Between do you have a moral right to point at SL gov , given you are extremely reluctant to acknowledge the wrong doings from your part?
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Burning_Issue / January 30, 2014
Such,
Of course, stopping the funding network is a must in defeating the LTTE. I never questioned it! The issue in question is abduction and summary execution; you justified it!
SL could have prosecuted and jailed them but decided to execute them summarily. This kind of undemocratic acts feeds terrorism.
You also need to show me examples of summary executions that the western countries carried out that you mentioned.
“Between do you have a moral right to point at SL gov , given you are extremely reluctant to acknowledge the wrong doings from your part?”
How many times i need to repeat? Please read my posts objectively; I have critiqued the Tamil leaders for pandering to the militancy. Many times before here and on Groundviews I have explicitly critiqued that the Tamil leaders fed the Tamil nationalism to fester.
Now tell me, you as a Tamil leader, how would you have approached in terms of obtaining due rights for the Tamils when dealing with the intransigent Sinhala Buddhist leaders? I would like to hear views!
Please read the link I gave you; it will go long way to dealing your questions and will enable you to see things in different perspectives!
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Liberal One / January 30, 2014
That is what is wrong with you. Whites didn’t make Tamil language a national language, state language was English, you didn’t have a federal state let along democracy, they brought state Tamils and used them as slaves. Yet you are ok with them and against the democratically elected SL government when much much more were given to you. Alas if Sinhalese had a lighter skin there would not be an ethnic issue here. How unfortunate?
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Burning_Issue / January 30, 2014
All this while I have been responding to a complete imbecilic; I need to introspect on my own sagacity!
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Liberal One / January 29, 2014
These things should not be justified ever. Specially allowing another para-military to take the law into their own hands. I do understand the practical difficulties when confronting a deadly enemy like LTTE but in the end of the day more is expected from a democratically elected government. They should have just banned TRO and put all members in jail to rot.
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M.Sivananthan / January 30, 2014
TRO is an LTTE front made its way during the time of UNP. LTTE built 14 luxury condos in Colombo during the time.
The head of TRO Regi and his family are hiding in South Africa now. He is wanted by Interpol.
Further TRO staff were all Tiger Terrorists and they must be killed by any one because they caused many Tamils disappeared.
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shankar / January 30, 2014
sivananthan,so you are justifying the gang rape by 15 fellows on a poor woman who was just handling the finances of a organisation that was not banned by the government.As a student at the eastern uni she would have most probably badly needed that salary for hers as well as her family.
What if she was your daughter?Still okay for gang rape and hacking?
Are you a civilised man?
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Native Vedda / January 30, 2014
shankar
“Are you a civilised man?”
What do you mean by civilisation?
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kali / January 30, 2014
Shankar ( the head talking to the Torso) you Muslim:
This is why people call you lot ” Thopi Piraddi”
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shankar / January 30, 2014
Do they allow you to keep laptop in “ankota”.
BTW,when is the TNA army coming.By the time they come siva and myself would have ditched islam and become hindus again.We did not have a haircut on the pecker yet as long as we are in TDC.
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kali / January 30, 2014
Shankar you Muslim:
Now people know why you are a “THOPI PIRADDI”
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M.Sivananthan / February 2, 2014
Killing LTTE is not a sin. They deserve it. LTTE killed many bread winners in poor Tamil families. No one is talking about them. TRO is a terrorist front and it must be destroyed.
TRO funneled millions to LTTE and not even built a Kakoose to Tamils!
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kali / January 30, 2014
Sivananthan you Muslim:
Man if you hadn’t spied for the Sinhala Army the LTTE wouldn’t have driven you out of Kolumbuthurai and from a Canadian Ghetto you wouldn’t be pouring scorn on Freedom Fighters.
You could have carried on your Smuggling Business ( which I know is a lucrative money making business which you have been deprived of) from Kolumbuthurai. But I hope you are now making some money by flipping your hat.
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Citizen / January 30, 2014
After all we are all souls emanated from the Supreme Soul. As such do we have a right to torture other souls and humiliate them. They have got to answer for all their sins.
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Maveeran / January 30, 2014
Fathima, M. Sivanaatham, Sach, Liberal all these bastards came out of monkey’s arse so they wont have any human feelings which normal people have.
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shankar / January 30, 2014
You seem to be obsessed with monkeys.
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rewa / January 30, 2014
because you are one such moneky
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sach / January 30, 2014
You talled you want to eat my heart when i am alive and you tell i am the one without human feelings! LTTE logic?
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BBS Rep / January 30, 2014
We can forget this episode of whitevanning as one more incident amongst hundreds, at a time in the past, a time of suspicion, fear and lawlessness.
But should we do that?
Those who committed this atrocity and those who sanctioned it and actively covered it up are still in power. They got away with that act of evil and they can get away again and again. They are still in the driving seat of the white vans.
Watch out – you could be next.
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Liberal One / January 30, 2014
whitevanning was illegal and wrong. Tamil diaspora funding LTTE to kill Sri Lankans was also illegal and wrong. I have never seen you having a problem with those criminals getting away with their crimes and still trying to bring resolutions against Sri Lanka. Are one of those criminals who funded the LTTE?
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Kremmer / January 30, 2014
The UTHR (J) clarified about the TRO abduction in the special report 23
http://www.uthr.org/SpecialReports/spreport23suppl.htm .
The above report dealt with some cases where there were doubts about who did involve in the killings.
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Bruz / January 30, 2014
How did this so called blessed land of Buddha become a criminal nation of the world ? How some people are justifying these heinous crimes even today after all the massacres, mayhem. atrocities committed against lives ?
Why so much of hate is allowed to grow and why no action of any sort still not taken to stop this continuing cruel madness..? Rape and all kinds of crimes are growing fast at hectic speed. Another tourist student from Australia was brutally raped in Ambalangoda recently. Hikkaduwa church vandalized. What’s going on in this unlawful country ? The now infamous Lakshman Hulugalle tried committing suicide and forcibly admitted to Lanka Hospitals ! Sri lanka has become the worst country in the world and it is not going to change in the near future. Just going in reverse gear at top notch speed without any break. No hope !
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kali / January 30, 2014
Special Correspondent:
Jeyaraj reported that, “UTHR (J) in the special report No. 20 released on April 2nd… “But now UTHR(J) can confirm that the TRO abduction drama was staged by the LTTE immediately before the Geneva meeting to force the paramilitary issue to the forefront of the talks.”
We all know that Jeyaraj is a GOSL Stooge and he gets paid to write a lot of rubbish so we can ignore the above which belongs in a bin.
As for the killing of the 7 TRO staff this is nothing new in Sinhala Lanka which has been the order of the day for the Last 64 years. But with the grace of God the World has seen people like the Criminal Mahintha for what they are and that is why they are reaching out to the members of the LTTE and MR will not escape the Long Arm of Justice.
MR will be pleading for Clemency from the Dock just like Milosevic and Sadam and that day of reckoning is getting closer by the minute.
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sach / January 30, 2014
Oh you people forgot and forgave LTTE for burning 200 tamil youths alive in the street of Jaffna after IPKF left.
So why ponder upon these TRO people? Are only the crimes committed by LTTE are pardonable?
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kali / January 30, 2014
Sach you Idiot:
Don’t distort facts. LTTE never killed 200 Tamil Youths on the Street and this is what happened in Jaffna Fort.
“Tigers stormed an army base in the north, killing at least 200 soldiers”
If you want proof send and SOS to Minister Karuna and he will confirm.
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Sandy / January 30, 2014
‘But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving,slanderous, without self control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God –
having a form of godliness, but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.’
(Godlessness in The Last Days.2.Timothy.ch.3.Holy Bible)
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Sandy / January 30, 2014
‘The little daughters on the mattress,
Dead.How many have been on it..
A platoon, a company perhaps?
A girl’s been turned into a woman
A woman turned into a corpse…’
(‘Prussian Nights’- Alexandr Solzhenitsyn )
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Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah / January 30, 2014
Whilst the TRO volunteers should be given full credit for working tirelessly to alleviate the human suffering that resulted in the aftermath of the Tsunami that hit the NorthEast coasts harder than the rest of the island, guess who embezzled, it is said, 83 million of the Tsunami Relief Fund contributed by foreign donors and fraudulently deposited the money in his own private “Help Hambantota” fund!!!!!!!!!
ABSOLUTE SHAME!
Thank you CT for helping remember these forgotten humanitarian workers: Hundreds of letters were written through AI to President Rajapaksa and the Army Commander to trace their whereabouts, sadly with no avail!
ABSOLUTE SHAME!
I commend the correspondent who wrote this piece.
I salute the supreme sacrifice made by these and other unsung heroes from TRO; their mission was to simply do their utmost, under very trying circumstances, as first respondents in any disaster relief and rehabilitation type situation. They were always there for the people!
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sach / January 30, 2014
Is it because of their tireless service after tsunami that they were banned for collecting money for terrorists and still in interpol list?
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Punitham / January 30, 2014
Do
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Ben Hurling / January 30, 2014
Usha,
You have a point. King embezzled Tsunami funds. True & shameful.
TRO too manipulated Sri Lankans and people around the world. Collected funds with a humanitarian front. Then channeled funds to Vanni War Lord’s War Chest. Vanni War Lord went on to massacre Sri Lankans for 30 years non-stop.
Until a bullet from SLA put an end to the killing spree.
Very shameful that you cannot admit it. You are blinded by Tamil racism and Ealam pipe dream.
Cheers!
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kali / January 30, 2014
Ben Hurling you Idiot:
Man after March you and your Criminal Boss will be laughing ( Cheers) all the way to the HAGUE.
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Ben Hurling / January 30, 2014
BTW, it is an absolute shame TRO people were abducted and have since disappeared.
Many thousands have suffered the same fate at the hands of Police & Military in Sri Lanka. Both Sinhalese and Tamils.
It is an equal opporutnity provided by corrupt and brutal politicians. Available for all races in Sri Lanka.
We need a leaders who can put an end to this fine Sri Lankan tradition.
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Citizen / January 31, 2014
Usha S.Sriskandarajah,
I totally agree with you. Absolutely shameful act.
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Fathima Fukushima / January 30, 2014
No publicity is bad publicity!
TRO is a banned terrorist organization.
That says it all.
Terrorists come in all shapes and sizes and genders. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
We have peace today because they died!
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n.ethirveerasingam / January 21, 2015
I remember the humanitarian work TRO did immediately after the tsunami. I had met some of those who were killed during my humanitarian work in the Northern and Eastern coasts. Many whom I meet now remember the work of TRO during the tsunami period.
It is only human to moan their death and remember their work. Such remembrance for all the lives lost during this 30 year brutal war is only natural. We hope the issues that lead to the war is solved and we will not repeat the bloody history.
Thank you Special Correspondent to remind us to remember. Hope sanity comes to this Island soon.
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