Saturday, March 17, 2012

‘35 abductions, disappearances within 5 months’

There have been 35 incidents of abductions and disappearances in the period from October 2011 to February 2012, said committee member of the Collective Against Abductions and Disappearances Surendra Ajith Rupasinghe.

Noting that 10 extrajudicial killings have also taken place during this period, he told the media that in Colombo yesterday (Mar. 16) that all these incidents made the path of the government very clear.

He said that the kidnappings of Jaffna political activists Lalith Kumar Weeraraju and Kugan Murugananthan was just one incident, while the latest is the aborted attempt to abduct the Kolonnawa mayor.

The kidnapping attempt was foiled due to the bravery and prompt action of the area’s people, which has now exposed the white van culture of the government, said Mr. Rupasinghe.

The group that had come to abduct the Kolonnawa mayor comprised Army personnel, but no record is there about him at Wellampitiya Police, and a top police official in the western province mediated in their release.

He stressed that the government can never be cleared of the culpability over this incident.

He went onto say that the Collective Against Abductions and Disappearances urges all citizens of the country break their silence and rally against this fascist, murderous system and come forward to restore democracy.
SLM