Enforced disappearances in Mandaithivu, Part-3

12/08/2024 2 Comments

26. S.Sivaruban (AP19) was 17 and was studying at school when he was taken in. He is one of five children of three boys and two girls. His mother Thangaludchumi says, “My eldest son died of asthma in 1985. LTTE arrested my second son in 1985 and released him after one year. Indian army arrested him and released him in six months. He was later killed during the fight between LTTE and IPKF. IPKF informed us about his death.

We were allowed to go and see the body but they would not give the body to us. So we did the last rites for him. His body was taken to Yalppanam hospital. There was a post mortem and coroner’s inquiry and a death certificate given saying he died of gunshots. Army said they will release Sivaruban in 24 hours but they never did.

27. S Ranjithkumar (AP20) was only 15 and was studying at Jaffna Central College when he was taken away. He is one of twins. They took his twin brother as well but released him because he was much smaller than Ranjith.

28. K Rasasekaram (AP21) was 19 years old when he was taken away. He is the eldest in the family of 6 children. Father Rasasekaram says, “They took my younger son as well and released him on the fourth day. I asked Douglas when we were standing at the Allaipiddy junction. I told him that if he needs people for help I will come and to let my son go. They were giving welfare on the road. About 15 or 20 days after our children were taken he said that they are all there. We heard that they were taken to Manalaru”.

29. Pathinathar Dias (AP22) was 17 years old when he was taken away. His brother Pathinathar SenJude (A35n) was 26 when he disappeared from Yalppanam town. Their brother Julian says, “I went to Saudi Arabia 1986. I wrote to my home in Allaipiddy in 1990. There was no reply. My mother, younger brother and sister were living in Allaipiddy at that time. My Elder brother had married and was working in the Yalppanam post office.

My Elder brother’s wife met someone who was working with me in Saudi Arabia by accident in Thirukonamalai and got my phone number. She rang me and told me about what has happened. When my Elder brother was returning from work in May 1990 the army took him in. My younger brother was taken in with others in Allaipiddy in August 1990. My home in Allaipiddy is all destroyed. I came back from Saudi Arabia in 2003. People told me that they saw my younger brother being taken in a helicopter.

30. Y Edward (AP26) was 26, and married with two children aged 4 and 6 when he was taken away. His wife Uthayakumari says,

“I am from Urumpirai. My husband’s parents are from Mandaitivu. He visits them regularly and he also goes there to do fishing. He went there to look up his parents when he was taken away with several others. He was released in seven or eight days. He got back to Urumpirai. His younger brother aged 10 also came with him.

Army was shelling heavily from Palaly, which was not far from our home. Younger brother started to cry for his mother. So my husband took him and our elder daughter to Mandaitivu. His parents were in Mankumban school at that time. When he went there army was there. They took our daughter from his hands and took him away. When I heard the news I came. Everyone was hopeful that army will release all of them. I waited and within days army left. After a while I came back

31. Madutheen Antonit (AP29) was 19 when he was taken away. Antonit was earning a living fishing. His sister Marymerilyn met NESOHR. She is a widow with a seven year old child.

32. George Sylvister (AP34+) was 20 when he was taken away. He was a fisherman. Their father S Thiruchelvam (AP36n) died in1991 when army shot him while he and his wife were walking through the sea trying to go from Koutharimunai to Yalppanam. His son Edman says, “Sylvister broke his leg in an accident and had just recovered when they took him. Sylvister was taken first on 25-08-90 with the others.

He had a stab wound on his head when he came back after a few days later. He said the army stabbed him on the head because he did not walk fast. They took him again on 23 –09-90. My father was also killed by the army. Army came on helicopter and shot at people. There was constant shooting and no one could go to check about appa lying on the shore. We later searched for him but couldn’t find his body. When people found the body buried in the shore one year later they informed us. We were living in Navaly by then. We were able to identify him by his chain and his clothes”.

33. S Indrakumar (MK04) was 20 when he was taken together with his brother S Vijayakumar (MK05) who was 19. Both brothers were farming. Both brothers were taken on 25-08- 90 and later released. They were again taken on 23-09-90. In the affidavit of their father he says that when he later pleaded with the army to release them the army promised to do so when they leave Mandaitivu. The brothers’ younger brother Uthayakumar met the NESOHR team.

34. S Jeyakumar (MK07) was 25 when he was taken away and was a fisherman. His brother S Uthayakuar (MK13n) was also taken and later released with a serious stab wound on his head. His sister Vimaladevi says, “They took all my four brothers. We ran behind them screaming. They told us not to cry and that they will release them. My older brother was hit with shoes. They tied their hands with rope when they took them. They released three of my brothers later. Our brother Uthayakumar was released with a stab wound (cries). He is married and suffers from mental disease because of the stabbing in his head. We took him to Tellipalai hospital for mental illness.

Douglas came. We begged and cried to him. He told us “Amma your boys are not with the army. We are keeping them. We will let them go soon”. His men then gave rice and other dry rations to us at the junction. We told them that we do not want anything and to just give us our children back. To this he consoled us by saying, “Amma did I not say that they are with me. Why are you still asking? I will relax when I give them back to you. I will give them before the 24th of next month”. We were confident that our boys will be released. So we took the rations and went back. This happened two or three times. But nothing happened.

35. Charles Anthony Annathas (MT12) and the case of the two brothers below though entered in the original list did not disappear under the circumstances that are common to the remaining disappearances listed. His mother Edlizamma speaks, “Anton was aged 27 when he disappeared. His occupation was fishing.

He said in October 1990 that his friends are going to India and he too wants to go. So I sent him to India. Then on the 16th of November I heard that the Navy captured him while he was trying to return from India because he did not like staying in India. We went to Karainagar Navy camp and inquired in January 1991. They said that they did capture some boys and that they will be released.

But they refused to let us see them. In the mean time my husband became very ill and we went to Colombo for treatment. Two other boys were returning with him from India. One of the boys came back and we inquired about Anton from him. He said that he was also captured and was in Anuradhapura jail. He said Anton was also in the same boat and that he will be all right. This boy’s name is Kasipillai Suthaharan. He said that Red Cross got him out with the efforts of his mother. We have checked Kaluthura prison but we did not find Anton”.

36. V Anton Arulthas (AP31-) was 26 and his brother V Donbosco (32-) was 19 when they disappeared. Their father Vencheslas says, “My sons went with their female cousin from Thirukonamalai to worship at the Kochchikadai St Anthoy’s temple in Colombo on May 13 1990. They were to return home to Allaipiddy on May 26th but they did not. I went to Thirukonamalai to the cousin’s house on May 27th. This cousin and the two brothers were taken in at Nochchikadu. The cousin was released one month later. The two brothers are missing. All my efforts are to no avail”.

37. Michael Stanis (AP38n) disappeared while travelling in the sea with three others. Two of the four are missing. Mother Adaikalam says, “We were displaced in Palai. My husband said that he will not move out of Palai because he was tired of being always displaced. We were 15-20 displaced families staying there. Our son was married and was in Vanni. He came to see us and found that we were doing all right in Palai.

He said he will go back and bring his wife, her sister and her husband. This sister’s husband was also with my son and he is the other person who disappeared in the sea with my son. One of the person who came back said that they jumped into the sea and swam when the Navy boat started chasing their boat”

38. Pakianathan Varothayarasa (AP39n) was 18 years old when he disappeared and he is from Allaipiddy. He was in sea fishing with three others. When they saw the Navy they all jumped into the sea. They have done this many times previously to escape from Navy. The other two men came back but Varothayarasa did not.