{"id":84688,"date":"2013-04-29T15:50:29","date_gmt":"2013-04-29T10:20:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=84688"},"modified":"2013-05-05T23:26:02","modified_gmt":"2013-05-05T17:56:02","slug":"whose-remains-are-in-the-mass-grave-at-matale-26-cases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/whose-remains-are-in-the-mass-grave-at-matale-26-cases\/","title":{"rendered":"Whose Remains Are In The Mass Grave At Matale: 26 Cases"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Since this mass grave is in Matale we looked into the evidence given\u00a0to the Special Presidential Commission for Central and the Uva\u00a0provinces. We particularly looked into complaints of disappeared\u00a0persons from Orvilikanda, Ratthota, Aluviahara, Kaikavela, Udasgiriya,\u00a0Gurubabila, Matihakka, Mumandeniya and Alakolamada. Many complainants\u00a0from these villages told moving stories about persons abducted and\u00a0also about those who abducted them and further, particular reasons for which they were abducted. Shocking details of petty reasons which led to the arrest of several of them which took the form of abductions belies the version that all these persons were active fighters for the JVP who took up arms against the government.” says the\u00a0\u00a0Asian Human Rights Commission.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Issuing a statement AHRC says; “If details are collected from the complainants and other family\u00a0members the mystery about whose remains have been found can be\u00a0resolved. Perhaps much more information may be available with the\u00a0villages in the localities named above which may be helpful in\u00a0identifying the persons who were buried in this mass grave.”<\/p>\n

“Regarding the person under No. 16, W.A. Sirikumara of Mumandeniya, a\u00a0complaint of his abduction was made to Mr.\u00a0Gotabaya Rajapaksa<\/a><\/span>\u00a0who was\u00a0during this time in charge of the Gajabara Regiment. Regarding the\u00a0same person complaints were also made to S.P. Balasuriya who was in\u00a0charge of the area. A complaint was also made to one Mr. Nawalage who\u00a0was in charge of the \u2018I\u2019 Branch of the police at Matale.” AHRC further says.<\/p>\n

We publish below the statement in full;<\/p>\n

The publically known facts about the mass grave at Matale<\/a><\/span> is that the\u00a0remains of 154 persons were discovered in this grave, that the remains\u00a0show injuries which indicate that they were all murdered and that most\u00a0likely they were assassinated sometime between 1986 and 1991.<\/p>\n

However, the key question is as to whose remains these are.\u00a0Identifying the exact names of those whose remains are inside this\u00a0mass grave is of importance, not only for future initiatives relating\u00a0to justice but it is also important from the point of view of the\u00a0families who lost loved ones during this period. For many families\u00a0what happened to their loved ones who ‘disappeared’ is a vital\u00a0psychological and emotional issue. Besides the importance of this\u00a0information for the families the names of these persons are also\u00a0important from a political and sociological point of view. If the\u00a0question as to who they are can be established then through other\u00a0sources of information it is possible to establish how their remains\u00a0came to be there.<\/p>\n

In order to find clues as to who they are we looked into the records\u00a0of evidence given to the special presidential commissions of inquiry\u00a0to investigate into involuntary disappearances appointed by the\u00a0Chandrika Bandaranaike<\/a><\/span> government. These commissions recorded the\u00a0evidence of thousands of complainants who revealed to them various\u00a0information about the disappearances of members of their families, or\u00a0someone known to them or someone that they were concerned about.\u00a0Literally, hundreds of thousands of pages of this evidence is in our\u00a0possession.<\/p>\n

Since this mass grave is in Matale we looked into the evidence given\u00a0to the Special Presidential Commission for Central and the Uva\u00a0provinces. We particularly looked into complaints of disappeared\u00a0persons from Orvilikanda, Ratthota, Aluviahara, Kaikavela, Udasgiriya,\u00a0Gurubabila, Matihakka, Mumandeniya and Alakolamada. Many complainants\u00a0from these villages told moving stories about persons abducted and\u00a0also about those who abducted them and further, particular reasons for which they were abducted. Shocking details of petty reasons which led to the arrest of several of them which took the form of abductions belies the version that all these persons were active fighters for the JVP who took up arms against the government.<\/p>\n

From these complaints we were able to gather the names of the\u00a0following missing persons from these areas.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We have not included in this list those persons whose bodies were\u00a0found at the time.<\/p>\n

The details found in the statements made by complainants before the\u00a0Special Commission provided telling details of reasons for some of the\u00a0abductions. The persons listed from No. 2 to 15 were assisting at a\u00a0Piritih Maduwa at Polwatta Kaikawela. This Piritih Maduwa was\u00a0constructed by a gem merchant in the area. It was when these persons\u00a0where there when a Delica van and a Pajero arrived with 12 army\u00a0officers in commando kits and took them away. These persons had had\u00a0some political problem with the local politician, one Mr. Kavirathna.\u00a0According to the complaint made to the Special Commission this Mr.\u00a0Kavirathna later boasted that a number of persons who opposed him are\u00a0now under the earth. The complainants further said that when the dead\u00a0bodies were exhibited on the roads in those days Mr. Kavirathna\u00a0arrived to check as to whether his opponents were among the dead.<\/p>\n

Regarding the person under No. 16, W.A. Sirikumara of Mumandeniya, a\u00a0complaint of his abduction was made to Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa<\/a><\/span> who was\u00a0during this time in charge of the Gajabara Regiment. Regarding the\u00a0same person complaints were also made to S.P. Balasuriya who was in\u00a0charge of the area. A complaint was also made to one Mr. Nawalage who\u00a0was in charge of the ‘I’ Branch of the police at Matale.<\/p>\n

It is likely that the remains of the persons who are named above\u00a0could be among the bodies found at this mass grave.<\/p>\n

If details are collected from the complainants and other family\u00a0members the mystery about whose remains have been found can be\u00a0resolved. Perhaps much more information may be available with the\u00a0villages in the localities named above which may be helpful in\u00a0identifying the persons who were buried in this mass grave.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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