AHRC says 'mysterious white van' has reappeared

Hong Kong based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) says in Sri Lanka forced disappearances has been treated by the state as a legitimate means by which to deal 'terrorism'.

"A white van without a number plate was commonly associated with the disappearances occurred in late eighties in Sri Lanka. Commissions on disappearances in the South have documented at some length about these abductions," a statement issued by the AHRC said.

White Van

White van has now reappeared and AHRC quoted one family in Jaffna as saying "the fear of the white van in the day and especially at night is killing everyone in peninsula".

According to reports from Jaffna, in Velvetithurai, Sivaprakashan Thayabaran was shot by two unidentified gunmen and wounded his 3 year old daughter. Thayabaran died on the spot and his child later succumbed to injuries at the Jaffna Hospital.

A white van without a number plate was commonly associated with the disappearances occurred in late eighties in Sri Lanka AHRC

Victims wife said that Thayabaran was called to work by the Army through a fellow villager Weera, but he refused saying that he does not want to work for either LTTE or Army.

"He was afraid that if he works for military, he will become a target of the LTTE" Reports from the area revealed.

She has made a complaint at local police station but did not name any suspects.

She also informed the AHCR about the shooting.

The reports from the North suggests that the most of the people in the area believe that military is behind these killings.

More disappearances

Another disappearance was reported from Uduppiddi on the 11th September. Vinayagamurthi Anandaraja (30) did not come home from his usual shopping trip.

His mother claims that, few people in black masks came asking for Anandaraja and when she said he was at the market they went looking for him. He was not seen since then.

She also informed the AHCR that a person who worked for Anandaraja had gone missing.

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) told bbcsinhala.com that there were 419 complaints on disappearances from Jaffna peninsula since December last year.

The Asian Human Rights Commission says in its press release that it has been pointing out for several years now, the deep impasse in the state’s criminal justice system which makes it impossible for any gross abuse of human rights to be credibly investigated or prosecuted.