• Sri Lanka Armed Forces murder 5 Tamils in Trincomalee & Lie Again - This Time, the Brazen Lie
  Executed: Thangathurai Sivanantha, Logithasan Rohanth, Shanmugarajah Sajeenthiran,  Manoharan Rajeehar and Yogarajah Hemachandran.

Comment by News Watch: On 19 December 2005, the Sri Lanka Army claimed that Sri Lanka troops shot in the air and Tamils on the ground suffered gun shot injuries. On 25 December 2005, the Sri Lanka Army adopted the technique of the big lie and claimed that the LTTE was responsible for the assassination of Joseph Pararajasingham. Now, [on 3 January 2005]  the Sri Lanka Army excels its own record of lying by alleging  that 5 Tamils who were shot dead in Trinco, in the back of their heads, died as a result of an 'accidental explosion of a hand grenade' in the victims hand. The Post Mortem report proves otherwise. The Sri Lanka army murders, breaches  the Ceasefire Agreement and then brazenly lies.

Tamil National Alliance  - "Five innocent Tamil youth deliberately shot and killed  by security forces "
BBC Report   "All five were shot in the head"
Sri Lanka Army Statement  "Five young men fall victim to their own hand grenade"
Medical Report - Trincomalee students died of gunshot wounds
International Federation of Tamils -  "Unarmed civilians need protection against a vindictive armed state"
கண்ணீர் அஞ்சலி
At the Funeral in Trincomalee, Tamil Eelam
Conversation with a Tamil boy on Christmas Island, Pamela Curr, 16 March 2007

" One hour ago I talked to a 20 year old Tamil boy who told me that he had witnessed 5 friends being murdered by the Sri Lankan army in January 2006. They were shot in the head at close range. He told me that he was beaten and kicked on the legs and imprisoned because he witnessed this event. He is now on Christmas Island after a frightening boat journey from Indonesia. Unable to sleep I opened my computer putting in the bare details of this murder, the time and place and instantly up came the confirmation of his story reported by international media including the BBC..." more

 " Five innocent Tamil youth have been deliberately shot and killed in cold blood by security forces around 7.45 p.m. on 2nd January 2006 on the road close to the beach abutting Dockyard Road and the road leading to Fort Frederick at Trincomalee. Two other innocent Tamil youths sustained serious injuries at the same time and place caused by a grenade explosion.

The Tamil youths killed are:
(1) Thangathurai Sivanantha (Engineering student-Moratuwa University
(2) Logithasan Rohanth
(3) Shanmugarajah Sajeenthiran
(4) Manoharan Rajeehar and
(5) Yogarajah Hemachandran.

Youth 2 to 5 have completed their GCE (Advanced Level) examination and were awaiting either admission to university or employment. The two Tamil youths grievously injured are Pararajasingham Kokilaraj who has completed the GCE A/L examination and Yogarajah Pookulanlon who has been admitted to the Engineering Faculty.

It is customary for people to assemble at the beach or close to the beach in the evenings. These youths were together engaged in a conversation and enjoying the fresh air.

From a three-wheeler which went past them a grenade was thrown causing an explosion and injuries to the youths. Following the grenade explosion an armed services vehicle arrived at the spot, from which armed services personnel alighted. The five youths  were severely assaulted, and though initially they were put into the vehicle, they were later pushed out of the vehicle and shot. Three of them sustained gunshot injuries on the head, while the other two sustained gunshot injuries to the abdomen and chest. The five youth killed came by their death as a result of gunshot injuries..." [The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Press Release, 3 January 2006]

Mr.V.Ramakamalan, Trincomalee Magistrate Tuesday ordered postmortem examination on the bodies of five students who were killed in front of the Dutch Bay sea beach in the eastern port town, Monday night around 7.50 p.m. The students were shot and killed by unidentified armed men, civil rights sources said. Earlier reports said they were killed in a grenade blast. Soon after the grenade explosion at the Dock Yard road, armed men arrived in a vehicle at the scene and the students were taken into the vehicle and were assaulted. Thereafter the armed men ordered the students to lie on the ground and shot at them on their heads, the sources said. [ TamilNet, 3 January 2006] 

Sri Lanka's army has denied involvement in the killing of five Tamil youths in the eastern town of Trincomalee.  Two survivors of Monday's attack said men in military fatigues had thrown a grenade at the group before dragging them into a truck and shooting them. Ceasefire monitors said the killings resembled executions. "All five were shot in the head," a spokeswoman said. It is the latest in a string of deadly attacks in the north and east linked to Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict. The two students who survived Monday's attack told a post mortem inquest they had gathered at a popular meeting point near the beach in Trincomalee, about 250km (150 miles) north-east of Colombo, when the truck pulled up. They could not confirm the identity of their attackers. The army has ruled out an inquiry into the killings, saying the police are conducting one. A statement on the army's website said the youths died when a hand grenade in their possession went off by accident. It accused them of plotting to attack security forces. Tamil Tiger rebels said Sri Lankan military special forces had killed the youths.

The Sri Lanka Army Website Reported on 3 January 2005
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"Five young men fall victim to their own hand grenade

THE ACCIDENTAL EXPLOSION of a hand grenade on the beachside at TRINCOMALEE, near the library last night (02) at about 8.00 p.m. killed five young men and injured two others. Those young men, suspected to have arrived there in order to carry out an attack on the troops or the Police, were on the beach at the time their grenade went off bringing death to five of them. Troops assisted by the Police rushed to the scene and recovered one more grenade, an abandoned motorbike and four push bicycles, believed to have been brought or used by the victims. Troops also detected the detonator pin of the exploded grenade from the location of the explosion. Four of the victims have been identified as D. ROSHAN (20), Y. HEMACHANDRAN (20), S. RAJENDAN (20) and S. THANGATHURAI, all of them from TRINCOMALEE area. The other dead youth is yet to be identified. Injured two victims, KOVULARAJ and KUVALAINDARAN were admitted to TRINCOMALEE hospital for treatment. The Police maintain that those youngsters would have been assigned to carry out an attack on the Security Forces on duty by LTTE men who have been using civilians as human shields. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) was to be informed. The TRINCOMALEE Police investigations are on. "

[TamilNet, January 04, 2006]

Dr.Gamini Gunatunge, Judicial Medical Officer who held the postmortem examination held in the Trincomalee general hospital on the bodies of five Tamil youths killed on Tuesday by the State armed forces in Trincomalee sea beach area, ruled that the students died due to gunshot injuries. The JMO's report has been handed over to the Trincomalee Magistrate's Court. Unidentified men who came in a three-wheeler threw a grenade at a group of students gathered at the sea beach first, and members of armed forces who followed the three-wheeler in a vehicle assaulted the students and shot them dead in an execution-style killing, according to student witnesses who escaped from the scene.

The Trincomalee Magistrate visited the scene of the crime later Tuesday and found bullet ridden bodies on the road, according to legal sources.Members of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) who probed the killing immediately after the incident also had found evidence that the five Tamil students died due to shooting.

International Federation of Tamils, 4 January 2006
18 Rue des Paquis,1201 Geneva, Switzerland

" In complete contrast to the statement made by the military spokesman on the killing of five teenage boys in Trincomalee that they were LTTE cadres killed accidentally in a blast while assembling an incendiary with an intent to attack a military installation, the autopsy made by the state medical officers on their bodies, has revealed that they were shot through their ears at a very close range. It was also subsequently revealed that they were all advanced level qualified civilian students from the same school on a normal evening camaraderie at the beach...

...Five were killed instantly while two are in hospital, critically wounded. A spokesperson for the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, Helen Olafsdottir, told BBC Sandesaya, that there was evidence that all five students had been shot in the head in a manner she described as resembling “executions.” This is naked State terrorism perpetrated on unarmed school children. The Tamil nation, both in Sri Lanka and belonging to the Tamil Diaspora appeals to the International Community to condemn the barbaric act of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and prevail on the President of Sri Lanka to take immediate and strong action against the perpetrators... Unarmed civilians need protection against a vindictive armed state."

This is the second urgent appeal the IFT, International Federation of Tamils is making to the IC, International Community within a week, for urgent measures to prevent the annihilation of Tamils in the government controlled areas of the traditional homeland of the Tamils in Sri Lanka, by the State Armed Forces. Vicious attacks on civilians, growing lists of missing persons, violence on women including rapes and murders, killing of school children and attacks on schools and universities, arson, increased checkpoints and harassing body searches are spiralling to intolerable heights.

In complete contrast to the statement made by the military spokesman on the killing of five teenage boys in Trincomalee that they were LTTE cadres killed accidentally in a blast while assembling an incendiary with an intent to attack a military installation, the autopsy made by the state medical officers on their bodies, has revealed that they were shot through their ears at a very close range. It was also subsequently revealed that they were all advanced level qualified civilian students from the same school on a normal evening camaraderie at the beach.

It has emerged that they were initially attacked by a hand-grenade thrown at them from a passing by auto-rickshaw, wounding one severely. As the strollers at the beach streaked in different directions in panic, the boys stood by their wounded colleague to load him in vehicle to rush for treatment when the State Armed Forces arrived as if in waiting, pulled them out of the vehicle, kicked, trampled and mauled them. The Seamen had strained their rifles at the ear of each boy sprawled on the ground at close range and pulled the trigger.

Five were killed instantly while two are in hospital, critically wounded. A spokesperson for the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, Helen Olafsdottir, told BBC Sandesaya, that there was evidence that all five students had been shot in the head in a manner she described as resembling “executions.” This is naked State terrorism perpetrated on unarmed school children. The Tamil nation, both in Sri Lanka and belonging to the Tamil Diaspora appeals to the International Community to condemn the barbaric act of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and prevail on the President of Sri Lanka to take immediate and strong action against the perpetrators.

It has also come to light that the State Armed Forces had initially threatened the relatives of the killed to sign documents admitting the dead belonged to the LTTE, if they wished to remove bodies for burial and had finally relented when the bereaved stood their ground and socially prominent persons from locality prevailed on the authorities.

This type of terror and violation unleashed on Tamils in Sri Lanka is on the increase after the election of President Mahinda Rajapakse, with the support of extreme nationalists and Buddhist chauvinists. Joseph Pararajasingham, a peace activist and a civilian Tamil leader, was assassinated in a cathedral during midnight Christmas service. A paramilitary group attached to State Armed Forces has claimed responsibility. This is an act of terrorism and a violation of the Cease Fire Agreement. Yet, the International Community has not condemned it.

The number of persons reported missing in Tamil areas is on its increase. The National Human Rights Commission (Jaffna office) has admitted reporting of 35 people missing, more complaints of rape and murder by State Armed Forces and numerous army assaults within the last two weeks in Jaffna Peninsula. Similar condition had prevailed in Jaffna earlier in 1996 when more than 600 persons were reported missing and presumed buried in Chemmani area on the outskirts of the city. Sarath Fonseka was the commander of the Armed Forces in Jaffna, then. Ironically, he is now the Army Commander, appointed by President Rajapakse to execute his policy and the second wave of “persons missing” has just resumed.

Selvam Adaikkalanathan, Member of Parliament, in a letter addressed to the President this week, has brought to light a list of army atrocities on civilians in Mannar district, another Tamil area under Sri Lanka government control. This is the area where, during the week following Christmas, the State Armed Forces set fire to hundreds of huts belonging to war and Tsunami refugees and forced them to take refuge again in a church. The state soldiers had killed a father, mother and a 4 year-old child and a neighbour and fed the raging fire. The Member of Parliament has stated that fishermen of the area depending on their daily catch for living, have been ordered by State Military to replace their 30 hp outboard motors with less powerful ones, a replacement they could not afford; fuel they carry on board has been halved; this prevents fishing deep sea and often on return in strong currents, they burn more fuel and are left to drift unless rescue arrives. And on days they don’t return within stipulated time, they are beaten up by the armed forces.

In Colombo and other major cities, nocturnal searches on Tamil homes, desecration of family bedrooms, dragging them – men and women - in their night clothes to sites of interrogation, keeping them wait day and night in open spaces are indignities which are on the increase. New year eve alone saw more than one thousand Tamils subjected to this indignity in Colombo.

The IFT considers this a war declared by the Sri Lanka Government on the civilian population in the island. The unarmed civilians need protection against a vindictive armed state. The International Community must respond immediately.

தங்கத்துரை சிவானந்தா

2-12-2006 அன்று திருகோணமலை பெரியகடற்கரை காந்தி சிலையருகில் இலங்கை இராணுவத்தால் கொடூரமாகப் படுகொலை செய்யப்பட்ட எமது சக மாணவன் தங்கத்துரை சிவானந்தா ( கணிய அளவியல் - 1 ம் வருடம் ) அவர்கட்கும் அவருடன் மரணித்த சக நண்பர்களுக்கும் எமது கண்ணீர் அஞ்சலிகளை காணிக்கையாக்குகின்றோம். அன்னார்களது ஆத்மா சாந்தியடைய பிரார்த்திப்பதுடன் துயருரும் குடும்பத்தினர்கட்க்கு எமது ஆழ்ந்த அனுதாபங்களினை தெரிவித்துக் கொள்கின்றோம்.
குறிப்பு : அமரர் தங்கத்துரை சிவானந்தா அவர்கள் மொரட்டுவைப் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் கணிய அளவியல் துறையில் 1 ம் வருடத்தில் கல்வி பயின்று கொண்டிருந்தவர் ஆவார். கடந்த சனிக்கிழமையன்றே ( 31-12-2005 ) புதுவருடப் பிறப்பினை குடும்பத்தினருடன் கொண்டாடுவதற்காக பல்கலைக்கழகத்திலிருந்து தனது ஊராகிய திருகோணமலைக்கு சென்றிருந்தார். இவரும் இவரது பாடசாலை நண்பர்கள் நால்வரும் திருகோணமலை பெரியகடற்கரை காந்தி சிலையருகில் அளவளாவிக் கொண்டிருந்த வேளையிலேயே கொலை வெறியர்களின் துப்பாக்கி வேட்டுக்களால் படுகொலை செய்யப்பட்டனர் என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

அன்னார்களது ஆத்மா சாந்தியடைய பிரார்த்திப்பதுடன் துயருரும் குடும்பத்தினர்கட்க்கு எமது ஆழ்ந்த அனுதாபங்களினை தெரிவித்துக் கொள்கின்றோம்.

குறிப்பு : அமரர் தங்கத்துரை சிவானந்தா அவர்கள் மொரட்டுவைப் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் கணிய அளவியல் துறையில் 1 ம் வருடத்தில் கல்வி பயின்று கொண்டிருந்தவர் ஆவார். கடந்த சனிக்கிழமையன்றே ( 31-12-2005 ) புதுவருடப் பிறப்பினை குடும்பத்தினருடன் கொண்டாடுவதற்காக பல்கலைக்கழகத்திலிருந்து தனது ஊராகிய திருகோணமலைக்கு சென்றிருந்தார். இவரும் இவரது பாடசாலை நண்பர்கள் நால்வரும் திருகோணமலை பெரியகடற்கரை காந்தி சிலையருகில் அளவளாவிக் கொண்டிருந்த வேளையிலேயே கொலை வெறியர்களின் துப்பாக்கி வேட்டுக்களால் படுகொலை செய்யப்பட்டனர் என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

Thousands of residents of all walks of life thronged the playgrounds of the Trincomalee Sri Koneswara Hindu College Thursday morning and paid their last respects to the slain five Tamil students.  Bodies of the five students were brought to college playgrounds from their respective houses from Thursday morning after religious rites. College Principal Mr.M.Rajaratnem presiding over the condolence meeting. Religious leaders of all faiths blessed the departed students. Bodies were thereafter taken in an open lorry decorated with plantains trees and black flags and banners condemning the killings, through Main Street via Madathady junction to the Trincomalee Hindu Cemetery for burial. About one km long funeral procession with thousands of people left Thursday noon from the college playgrounds. It took more than an hour to reach the Hindu Cemetery, which is located along the Ehambaram Road just behind the Trincomalee railway station.

One hour ago I talked to a 20 year old Tamil boy who told me that he had witnessed 5 friends being murdered by the Sri Lankan army in January 2006. They were shot in the head at close range. He told me that he was beaten and kicked on the legs and imprisoned because he witnessed this event. He is now on Christmas Island after a frightening boat journey from Indonesia.

Unable to sleep I opened my computer putting in the bare details of this murder, the time and place and instantly up came the confirmation of his story reported by international media including the BBC.

http://www.tamilnation.org/indictment/continuingwar/060102trinco.htm#BBC1
Medical report http://www.tamilnation.org/indictment/continuingwar/060102trinco.htm#Medical%20Report

I did this, not because I did not believe the trembling voice which told me these horrors but because I know how easy it is to corroborate his story and that Australia’s immigration department know it too. However tucked away on Christmas Island with no access to independent review, these young men’s stories will not be heard. The Minister does not want to recognise these men and boys as refugees no matter what the evidence so he will not do so. The officers may assess their claims but the Minister will silence that assessment. They will be hidden from public view and transferred to Nauru where they will be warehoused like bits of furniture- their pain and suffering ignored.

I asked this boy about the others. He told me that the 17 year old boy was with them today, crying and weeping all day because he is afraid of being sent to Nauru. He has been sent by his parents so that he might live. My 17 year old son sleeps safe upstairs in his bed – I can only weep for this other mother’s son fearfully awaiting his fate from the bureaucrats with no comfort or reassurance from loving parents.

This boy told me that many of the others have “bits of bombs inside their bodies”. What care will they receive on Nauru? The same sort of care which saw the 2001 asylum seekers removed from Nauru to Australia in 2006, broken and ill. Must we see these young men whose lives have been blighted by war, imprisonment, murder, disappearances of friends and family- in turn languish on Nauru with the 8 Burmese asylum seekers until they too are broken in spirit and health. This government knows what it is doing. They know full well the consequences of dumping refugees in limbo land and they have decided that the human consequences do not matter.

These boys and men are being hidden for a reason. Their stories are too compelling- their claims as refugees too strong to be denied. Our government does not want you to hear. We have only one day. The Sri Lankans are to be removed on Saturday to Nauru. Please deluge Kevin Andrew’s office with calls, faxes and emails tomorrow. On his website he says that he believes in “caring, responsive communities”- tell him you do too and that is why you are asking him not to transfer the Sri Lankan asylum seekers to Nauru but rather to fairly assess their claims and give protection to those judged to be refugees.

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