Giving evidence to the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), relatives asked the commission to return their husbands, sons and relatives.

LLRC received 383 complaints during its three day hearing in Trincomalee district and eighty percent of the complaints were about abductions and disappearances, reported RG Dharmadasa.

Witnesses said "when people were abducted security forces turned back on the victims".

The commission heard from witness that paramilitary groups belong to Karuna and Pillayan in addition to the Sri Lankan Navy are responsible.

Vinyagamurthi Muralitharan also known as Karuna is a deputy minister of the central government and Sivanesathurai Chandrakanth known as Pillayan is the chief minister of the eastern province.

Land issues

Witness charged that the groups belong to Karuna and Pillayan kidnapped people for ransom.

Adam Bawa Thaufik, the Chairman of Kuchchaweli Pradeshiya Sabha welcomes the government initiative to start hotel projects in the area but cautioned that local residents must give priority in land distribution.

Local government member points out that the archaeology department and a Buddhist monk claim that they own 450 acres and the temple at Thiriyai claims it has 2500 acres.

"But the majority of the people living in this area are Muslims and Tamils and there land issues must be resolved before allocating land to others" he added.