NGO calls for list of surrendees

Since its almost seven years since the conclusion of the war in Sri Lanka, the names of the LTTE cadres who surrendered should be released, a global non-partisan movement, Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice demanded.

The demand was made following the Magistrates court session in Mullaitivu last month, which ordered the production of the list of names, however, Major General Chanakya Gunaratne, head of Division 58 of the Army was not present at the hearing. The court case was adjourned till July 14 with a calling for the Major General to appear before court and produce the list of names of those who surrendered.

In their demand, the Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice supports the Court’s order to produce the list of names.

Citing a statement produced in February 2009 by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Minister for Human Rights and Disaster Management Mahinda Samarasinghe (now Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training under Sirisena’s Government) they conclude that the government offered amnesty to several hundred junior LTTE cadres who voluntarily surrendered to the Army. However, the exact number of surrendees is unknown. The issue raised was that the majority of those who surrendered remain unaccounted for.

“The army must disclose this information as a matter of urgency. It is now incumbent on the judiciary and political leadership in Sri Lanka – as well as the international community at the ongoing Human Rights Council session – to apply pressure to ensure they do so,” the Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice Report read.

The military response will be viewed as a strong indication as to whether the new mechanism for investigating the disappeared is prevailing or not, it stated.