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Sivamaharaja – another Tamil leader killed by military intelligence wing

On the previous night, young people of the area reported seeing Sri Lankan military intelligence personnel near Sivamaharasa’s home. The military intelligence personnel quickly moved out when they noticed that people were observing them.

At the time of his death Sivamaharasa was the manager of a leading Tamil daily in Jaffna, Eelanadu. This daily has over the years exposed many of the human rights abuses of the Sri Lankan military.

Sivamaharasa had a long and productive career in community service. He was the president of the Tellipalai Multi Purpose Cooperative Society for 25 years. He has been an active member of the Co-operative movement holding many positions at local and national level. Cooperative movement is a non-profit making organization that acts as a distributor of basic commodities to small scale retail outlets. Sivamaharasa was also member of parliament in 1994 representing the major Tamil political party of that time.

Lately he has taken up the struggle of resettling internally displaced people back in their own land which the Sri Lankan military has claimed as military zone.

Sivamaharasa and other employees of the Eelanadu daily have discussed the security threats faced by them at various times. In a press release, Member of Parliament for Jaffna, S Kajendran, said that on request from Eelnadu staff, he raised with the senior officials at the Ministry of Communications in Colombo the threats faced by Eelanadu staff. He said that Colombo authority assured him that they will take steps to ensure the safety of Eelanadu employees.

22 August 2006

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