ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-032-2008

15 February 2008
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SRI LANKA: Claymore mine kills and injures several children and civilians

ISSUES: Extrajudicial killings; impunity; rule of law
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ONLINE PETITION: Monitoring Mission for Sri Lanka
http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/monitoringsl/

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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is aggrieved to share the news of the continuing extrajudicial killings of civilian men, women and even children in Sri Lanka. A claymore mine targeted at a bus carrying civilians, most of whom were school children, killed 6 civilians and 12 children in Thatchanamadhu in the Mannar district in January. It also injured 8 civilians and 10 children. Earlier that month, MiG planes dropped several bombs near Kanagapuram Central School, killing one civilian and severely injuring 6 civilian women and children in Kanagapuram in Kilinochchi.

CASE DETAILS:

At around 2:30pm on 29 January 2008, a claymore mine detonated under a bus carrying civilians--mostly school children--in Thatchanamadhu, Mannar district. The bus carries children along this route daily at the noted hour of the incident, making it highly likely that the attack was premeditated, and its victims intended. According to witnesses, artillery shells also exploded in the area off-road where the bus veered after the original explosion. Of the victims, 9 children died immediately and three died on the way to the hospital. All of were aged between 10 and 16. In addition, six civilian men and women died, including the students' teacher. Of the 18 severely injured--eight civilians and 10 children (between 8 and 16 years old)--15 were admitted to the Pallamaghu and Mullankavi hospitals, and the three most critically injured were taken to Kilinochchi hospital. Children's limbs were seen strewn in the vicinity of the accident. Some children suffered serious eye damage, which could leave them blind. (See photo1, photo 2 and photo 3)

Less than two weeks before the above massacre, on January 17 at around 9:30am, 4 MiG air force bombers appeared in the skies above Kanagapuram village in Kilinochchi. The planes began dropping bombs without warning, some falling as close as 100 meters from the Kanagapuram Central School (Kanagapuram Maha Vidhiyalayam), where 800 students were studying. The school went into a great panic, and only a few students managed to get into the bunkers. Most children ran chaotically in all directions. (See photo 4 and photo 5)

The sudden onslaught utterly destroyed at least four houses and damaged several others. The owners of three of these houses were Chandrakumar Kalaimakal, Sivarasa Malini, and Packiyaluxmy. The owner of the fourth is unknown.

As a result of the attack, 1 person was killed instantly and 6 were severely injured. Their names are listed below.

The bombing has spread fear throughout the town, especially among children. There were 7,500 students at neighbouring schools, in addition to the children of five preschools. Any loud noise now causes them to panic. Some of the students were in the middle of a Grade One welcoming ceremony, as ordered by the Department of Education. These new students and others are now afraid to attend school, and their parents are afraid to send them. Schools were actually closed for a week following the incident. All these factors negatively affect the children's' chance to learn.

THE LIST OF VICTIMS on January 29:

1. Hudsan, 11, Student, died
2. Esman, 11, Student, died
3. Benard George, 16, Student, died
4. Jude Constan, 16, Student, died
5. Jhonny, 13, Student, died
6. Janarthan, 13, Student, died
7. Milsen, 16, Student, died
8. Bruno, 15, Student, died
9. Britto, 12, Student, died
10. Roshan, 14, Student, died
11. Samsan, 14, Student, died
12. One Student (Details unknown), died
13. Rajasooriyan, 37, Teacher, died
14. Rita, 39, School Employee, died
15. Jerard, 32, Bus Driver, died
16. Suresh, 25, Bus Conductor, died
17. Sundaram, 61, School Watcher, died
18. Mary Jhonsen, 31, Madhu Church Tractor Driver, died
19. Kirushanth, 8, Student, injured
20. R.Fiolin, 9, Student, injured
21. Jenittan Peris, 12, Student, injured
22. Jenosastika, 12, Student, injured
23. Tharshana, 13, Student, injured
24. Diyulus, 15, Student, injured
25. Mathusalini, 16, Student, injured
26. Anita, 16, Student, injured
27. Consita, 16, Student, injured
28. R.Tahnushika, 16, Student, injured
29. Lembert, 51, Principal, injured
30. Resitra, 38, Teacher, injured
31. Thusitha, 35, Teacher, injured
32. Nirmala Ranjini, 36, Teacher, injured
33. Kunaseeli, 45, Teacher, injured
34. Gnasooriyar, 35, Postman, injured
35. Gnasooriyar Jasintha (Details unknown), injured
36. Packiyanathan, 60, injured

LIST OF VICTIMS on January 17:

1. Murugaiyah Yogeswarn, 33, killed
2. Thanabalasingam Sarany, 6, injured
3. Thanabalasingam Maheswary, 49, injured
4. Sinnathurai Sivarajah, 44, injured
5. Suppar Sinnaiya, 82, injured
6. Sivarasa Suresh, 15, injured
7. Sivarasa Sabes, 18, injured
8. Chandrakumar Kalaimakal, displaced
9. Sivarasa Malini, displaced
10. Packiyaluxmy, displaced

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

The AHRC has published several lists of persons in recent months who have been victims of these continuing killings and disappearances; UP-166-2007, UP-162-2007, UP-157-2007, UP-151-2007, UA-318-2007, UP-123-2007, UP-117-2007, UP-061-2007 and UA-113-2007.

Please also see the statements concerning the continuing incidents of violent abductions and forced disappearances: AS-285-2007, AS-245-2007, AS-216-2007, AS-214-2007, AS-082-2007, AS-027-2007 and AS-025-2007.

No circumstance should be allowed that sees innocent civilians and children targeted. In addition, the government is responsible for thoroughly investigating and prosecuting those involved. Several cases of extrajudicial killings and disappearance case have been reported, yet the government has so far failed to prosecute those responsible or protect its civilians.

We have launched an online petition campaign to call for the government to accept an invitation by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to establish a human rights monitoring mission in Sri Lanka, which to date, the government has refused. To sign the petition, please visit http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/monitoringsl/.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the authorities listed below and urge them to investigate this incident and prosecute those responsible.

The AHRC is also writing letters to the UN Special Rapporteur calling for an intervention on matters concerning extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.

To support this appeal, please click here:

SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear _____________,

SRI LANKA: Claymore mine kills and injures several children and civilians

I am writing to express how disturbed and horrified I am that the extrajudicial killing of innocent civilians, especially children, continues to happen in Sri Lanka. I am appalled that the government of Sri Lanka neither acts to prevent such killings, nor acts to properly investigate them in the aftermath.

I have learned that at around 2:30pm on 29 January 2008, a claymore mine detonated under a bus carrying civilians--mostly school children--in Thatchanamadhu, Mannar district. The bus carries children along this route daily at the noted hour of the incident, making it highly likely that the attack was premeditated, and its victims intended. According to witnesses, artillery shells also exploded in the area off-road where the bus veered after the original explosion. Of the victims, 9 children died immediately and three died on the way to the hospital. All of were aged between 10 and 16. In addition, six civilian men and women died, including the students' teacher. Of the 18 severely injured--eight civilians and 10 children (between 8 and 16 years old)--15 were admitted to the Pallamaghu and Mullankavi hospitals, and the three most critically injured were taken to Kilinochchi hospital. Childrens' limbs were seen strewn in the vicinity of the accident. Some children suffered serious eye damage, which could leave them blind.

I have also learned that less than two weeks before the above massacre, on January 17, at around 9:30am 4 MiG air force bombers appeared in the skies above Kanagapuram village in Kilinochchi. The planes began dropping bombs without warning, some falling as close as 100 meters from the Kanagapuram Central School (Kanagapuram Maha Vidhiyalayam), where 800 students were studying. The school was in a great panic, and only a few students managed to get into the bunkers. Most children ran chaotically in all directions. As a result of this attack, 1 person was killed immediately and 6 were severely injured.

In light of above, I urge you to investigate this incident without delay. Prosecution of those responsible must follow in order to prohibit the climate of 'impunity' which puts innocent citizens in the danger. Even though the prime responsibility of the government is to protect its citizens and prevent them from human rights violations, it has yet succeeded in prosecuting those responsible. This is beyond disappointing. The government must provide adequate medical treatment for the injured and redress to all victims, at the least.

I take this opportunity to draw your attention to the fact that the government should seriously reconsider the proposal from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to establish a human rights monitoring mission in Sri Lanka. This mission will help innocent citizens, victimised by both sides on the pretext of 'war'. It will also assist the government in reinforcing the policing system.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse
President
Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka
C/- Office of the President
Temple Trees
150, Galle Road
Colombo 3
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2472100 / +94 11 2446657
E-mail: secretary@presidentsoffice.lk 

2. Mr. Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
Prime Minister
Temple Trees
Galle Road, Colombo 03
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 575317-8 / 370 737-8
Fax: +94 11 2 575454

3. Hon. Amarasiri Dodangoda, MP
Minister of Justice
Ministry of Justice and Law Reforms
Superior Courts Complex,
Colombo 12
Tel: +94 11 2384837 / 2324681 / 2392932
Fax: +94 11 2325354 / 2445446

4. Hon. Rohitha Bogollagama, MP
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mnistry of Foreign Affairs
Republic Building, Colombo 01,
Sri Lanka
Tel: +94 11 2325371 / 5
Fax: +94 11 2446091
E-mail: publicity@formin.gov.lk 

5. Secretary
Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order
15/5, Baladaksha Mawatha
Colombo 03,
SRI LANKA
Tel: + 94 11 2 430860-9 / 430878-9 / 435879 (for the secretary)
Fax: +94 11 2 446300 / 421529
E-mail: secdef@sltnet.lk 

6. Mr. Victor Perera
Inspector General of Police
New Secretariat
Colombo 1
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 440440 / 327877
E-mail: igp@police.lk 

7. Mr. Neville Piyadigama
Chairperson
National Police Commission
3rd Floor, Rotunda Towers,
109 Galle Road
Colombo 03
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 395310
Fax: +94 11 2 395867
E-mail: npcgen@sltnet.lk 

8. Mr. C.R. De Silva
Attorney General
Attorney General's Department
Colombo 12
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 436421
E-mail: attorney@sri.lanka.net 

9. Secretary
Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka
No. 36, Kynsey Road
Colombo 8
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 694 925 / 673 806
Fax: +94 11 2 694 924 / 696 470
E-mail: sechrc@sltnet.lk 

10. Hon. Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe
Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights
2, Wijerama Mawatha
Colombo 7
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 269 3282
Fax: +94 11 269 3284 (ATTN: P. Dias Amarasinghe, Secretary)
E-mail: info@dmhr.gov.lk 

Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrchk.org)