2009   2008   2007   2006   2005   2004   2003

SLA brutality of civilian assaults

Assault of Tamil civilians by SLA has become a common occurrence in Northeast. Under the terror cloud of extrajudicial murders by SLA many Tamil civilians are forced to brush off assault that yet leaves them alive.

A Hindu priest was assaulted Tuesday 3 May 2006 in Jaffna. After the assault, the priest was in pain, his face was swollen, and he had beating marks on his thighs and chest. His experience in his own words:

“I am a Hindu priest. On 30 April, I went to Jaffna for an urgent personal reason. On that day there was a grenade attack on an army sentry point. I was initially unaware of this. As I neared the location someone stopped me and told me not to go that way. While the person was updating me, a Sri Lankan army person saw us talking and he signaled me to come near and I went. He asked me what the person was telling me. In order to save that person from Sri Lankan army atrocity, I told the army that the person was simply inquiring after me.

The army then made me sit there for 30 minutes while they checked other passersby. I was then dragged by my belt into a room in a house nearby. There five army men severely assaulted me. They kicked me with boots. Beat me on the head and face with their gun. They were about to hurt my private parts and fought back to save myself.

I know three of the five army men who assaulted me. They used to come to the shop that I own nearby. Once they finished beating me, they brought me out of the house and forced me to hold a hand grenade. I put my hands behind my back and refused to touch it.”

We invite the readers to reflect on the state of the poor Tamil folk if this is the treatment meted out with impunity to respected community members.

11 May 2006

Print this

Email this