Hartal against abductions

By Jayampathy Jayasinghe

Several political parties have called for a hartal in Colombo on Tuesday (19) to protest the increasing number of abductions. The Western People’s Front, New Left Front, Tamil National Alliance and a group of Marxist political parties along with the Opposition leader of Colombo Municipal Council Vasudeva Nanayakkara, yesterday at a joint press conference protested at the increasing number of abductions of mostly Tamils.

“It may be Tamils today but it could be the Muslims and Sinhalese tomorrow. Due to fear of abductions several Tamil businessmen in Colombo have closed down their shops and gone abroad,” warned Member of Parliament (MP) for the Western Peoples Front, Mano Ganeshan. The Opposition Leader for the Colombo Municipal Council Vasudeva Nanayakkara said these days people in the City of Colombo are stricken with fear due to a spate of abduction in the recent past. People experienced a similar trend in the past, during the 1988-1989 insurgency in the South. People today experience a similar trend with abductions, disappearances and killing of several persons, according to reports published in the news papers.

He said although the political leadership of the country was not aware of such happenings, the involvement of security forces in such exercises cannot be dismissed according to allegations levelled against such establishments. Therefore all political parties should unite together to prevent such occurrences in future.
The Leader of the New Left Front Dr. Wickremabahu Karunaratne said that the government should take the responsibility for the abductions of persons in Colombo under broad day light despite security check points in every nook and corner of the city. TNA Member of Parliament N. Raviraj said during the last two months hundreds of Tamil people including innocent civilians were abducted and killed.

The President who is due to address the United Nations Assemble shortly has appointed a one man commission to investigate abductions to hoodwink the international community. He appealed to the President to take action against the security forces responsible for these abductions, More than 400 Tamil persons have been killed during the last 40 days, he said.

President appoints HC Judge

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed Mr. Mahanama Tillekeratne, retired High Court Judge to inquire into the increasing instances of abductions, disappearances and killings in Colombo and other parts of the country. This follows requests made to the President from concerned citizens, human rights organisations and media reports about the recent rise in abductions, disappearances and killings. President Rajapaksa had given instructions to his officers to inquire into abductions, says a media release.