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Tamils Will Punish Pro-Government Militant Groups That Support Sinhala Political Parties – JUSU

[EelamNation, November 06/2001]

The Jaffna University Students Union (JUSU) said in a statement in support of the protest staged by the Missing Persons' Guardians Association and the Jaffna Mother's Front on Monday, November 05, that Tamil pro-government militant groups should be held responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Tamil youths during the military occupation following the capture of the Jaffna peninsula during 1995 - 1996.

The Student Union said that the Sinhala Army, which captured Jaffna peninsula, killed hundreds of their brothers and sisters.  "Our sisters and brothers were tortured to death; our sisters were raped in front of their husbands, fathers, mothers, children and relatives by the Sri Lankan soldiers before killing them.  The remains were then buried in Chemmani where mass graves were discovered in 1998 after a convicted Sri Lankan soldier admitted to the crime in open court."

"The perpetrators of the crimes have been identified, but instead of punishing them, they have been given promotions and posted them as foreign diplomats by President Chandrika Kumaratunga.  These crimes against humanity cannot be stopped as long as the pro-government Tamil militant groups extend support to the ruling party.  The Sinhala political parties are gloating over our sufferings in order to hold on to state power" said the statement.

The Student Union added that the war has created thousands of widows and parentheses children in the Northeast.  Thousands of families have lost their bread- winners and as a result some of them have been forced to engage in anti-social activities such as screening blue films, boot-legging, which are encouraged by the Sri Lankan Army.

The Student Union said that the government is appointing inquiry commissions in order to hoodwink foreign and local humanitarian organizations and world governments.  "Is there any evidence that the Sinhalese governments have brought any of the perpetrators of crimes to book in the history of Sri Lanka? We will extend our full support if and when any organizations stage protests to obtain justice,” the Union added.

In the meantime in Jaffna, over hundreds of parents and family members of missing persons participated in the protest which began at about 6 a.m. in the morning on Monday and continued till 3 p.m. in the afternoon in front of the District Secretariat.  The protesters holding placards shouted slogans against President Chandrika's government.  They demanded to know from the government to tell them the whereabouts of their loved ones.

The protesters said, "the Sri Lankan President who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces has been going often to London to see her children.  But is there any way that we can see our missing relatives?  We are killing ourselves almost everyday by thinking about the missing persons; it is very painful to live without at least seeing the remains of missing persons."

According to Amnesty International 640 persons declared missing were believed to have been murdered after arrest by the Sinhala Army.  But the government is dragging its feet to bring to justice the perpetrators of the crime, because it does not want to touch the Army personnel responsible for the mass murder for fear of Sinhala backlash.

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