Right To Life Human Rights Center

Development protecting rights | අයිතිවාසිකම් සපිරි සංවර්ධනයක් | வளர்ச்சி, உரிமைகளைப் பாதுகாத்தல்

Enforced Disappearance of a Student age 18 at Kataragama

Kathiravelu Sathyawan,a 18 year old school boy attending Janadhipathi Vidayala,Kataragama, residing at No.108,Gothami Gama,Katharagama. has been taken away in a white colour van .

On the 1st of May 2008, when Kathiravelu Sathywan,was at a funeral house,some unknown persons had come to the funeral house in a white colour van and a red colour motor cycle  and had taken  Kathiravelu by force.   Some of Kathiravelu’s friends had seen  this..

Prior to this incident,on several occasions, about four or five times a  month ,some unknown persons identifying themselves as   members of the Intelligence service, had  come to  Kathiravelu’s house and had been  querying so many things, thus making this boy  uncomfortable.  Last time they visited was on the 10th of April  on a red colour motor cycle  That day they had asked Kathiravelu so many questions and had taken  Kathirvelu’s hand phone number too. On that occasion Kathiravelu supposed to have said that “Sir, the way you all are acting even the innocent people are being  treated as LTTE  members”  The parents suspect that Kathiravelu had been taken due to this remark.

Kathiravelu’s parents had  gone to Kataragam a Police Station,several times,   to make a  complaint, but  the Police  had  refused  to take down  an entry, instead had given  some silly excuses.    At last on the 5th of May  Police had  taken down a short entry.

Again on the 9th of May the Principal of Janadhipathi Vidayala  had informed Kathiravelu’s parents that two persons from the intelligence service  had come to the School and had querried about Kathiravelu.

Kathiravelu after his school  hours used to sell ornaments near the Kataragama Temple,with some  of his friends.    The intelligence officers had  gone to that place too and  had inquired about Kathiravelu from one Mrs.Lilee, and had asked her whether  Kahiravelu had any LTTE connections .  She had told them  that she was not aware of anything like that,but he is a very good boy.  Those Officers had got annoyed and had threatened her saying that they would take her too to the place where they burnt Kathiravelu.

Kathiravelu’s parent are born and bread at Kataragama.  Even though they are tamils they can hardly  speak  tamil.  Kathiravelu cannot speak tamil and all his friends are sinhales.

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