Name: Mariyanayagam Maruthanayagam (a.k.a.Christy)
Age: 31 Marital status: Single
Address: Periyavilan, Ilavalai centre, Elavalai
Occupation: Slightly handicapped and unemployed Christy’s own family home is in Vasavilan which is near the Palaly High Security Zone in Jaffna. The family was forced out of their home by the Sri Lankan military in the 1980s. Christy’s family has lived in Ilavalai for several years. They displaced to Mallavi in Vanni in 1995 and returned back to Ilavalai during the ceasefire period that started in 2002. Christy has some intellectual handicap and was staying at home. He did not start to walk until he was eight years old. He could not cope with the mainstream school curriculum, therefore he has stayed home ever since. His family has given him a mobile phone and his relatives would ring and talk to him on his mobile phone. He travels within his village on his bicycle. He is a very friendly person and has been in friendly terms with the Sri Lankan military personnel from the nearby military camp. The information below is provided by his family. Mother and brother move out of Jaffna Tamil civilians who have been killed, disappeared, and seriously injured by SLA and its paramilitaries over the last two months in Jaffna included families whose members are/were in the LTTE. One of Christy’s brothers was a member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who died in a battle. Christy’s mother took Christy’s younger brother and moved to Vanni a couple of weeks ago, fearing he might be at risk because he is the brother of a late LTTE member. She left Christy behind with his father because she was confident that the Sri Lankan military and its paramilitaries will do no harm to him due to his condition and nature. The disappearance On January 9th 2006 Christy went to his married sister’s home. He had lunch with his sister and brother-in-law and watched a movie on the television. When he wanted to leave to go his home late in the afternoon, his sister advised him that it is getting dark and he should not leave. Like almost everyone in Jaffna she was thinking of the prevailing level of violence. Christy insisted that he should leave because his father is alone at home. Sister begged him not to leave but Christy was too insistent that he must and he left for his home around 5.30 pm. Christy appears to have stopped at his favourite tea shop (see map) near his home on his way. His friends have told the family that they saw him near the tea shop around 6.45 pm. The tea shop owner confirmed that Christy had tea in his shop around 6.30 pm. That was the last sighting of Christy. Christy’s bicycle is also missing. His family tried to ring Christy on his mobile phone but it has been turned off. His family said that Christy does not turn off his mobile phone at all implying that someone else has turned it off. His mobile phone number is: 077-7179183. Soon after Christy’s disappearance, while his family was earnestly searching for him, his brother-in-law heard from his neighbours that people came in a “white van” looking for the brother-in-law as well. Note that “white van” in current usage among the people in Jaffna has a strong contextual meaning. These “white vans” are referred to by all families who have lodged complaints with us about abductions of their family members. These “white vans” do not have number plates and they have darkened windows so that one cannot see the passengers inside. The search The family has lodged complaints with, Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), ICRC, the Ilavalai police station, and the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission. Note by NESOHR: NESOHR is with holding the identities of the people who have provided us with information about the case for their own safety. NESOHR is ready to share more detailed information with any reputable international human rights organizations wishing to inquire into this case. | 
