http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2007/2486

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ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal

13 July 2007
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UA-221-2007: SRI LANKA: Young woman brutally stabbed to death by
members of Armed Forces

SRI LANKA: Extrajudicial killing; fear to complain; fear of reprisal;
lack of witness protection and security
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information
about the gruesome stabbing unto death of a 27-year-old woman by Army
personnel or members of the Special Task Force (STF) in Paduwankarai,
in the Batticaloa District. Accordingly several personnel in military
uniform had come to the house she was staying and shouted her name.
When she failed to respond they stormed inside, and escorted her out.
There, they had brutally stabbed her about 12 times in the presence of
her mother. The Victim succumbed to her injuries shortly.

CASE DETAILS:

On 7 July 2007 Balasuntharam Thavamani (27), her mother and about 20
other persons displaced by the ongoing armed conflict were seeking
refuge in a single house at Paduwankarai in the Batticaloa District,
in the Eastern province. This area has been a stronghold of the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) until last week when state
security forces wrested the area from the rebels.

Around 9.30 pm that night, several men in military uniform suddenly
stormed into the house and shouted for the victim by name. As the
victim failed to respond due to intense fear, the personnel entered
the home and forcibly escorted her out.

When the victim's mother followed them wailing and shouting, they
stabbed the young woman in the presence of her mother-a distance of
about 100 meters from the home. She succumbed to her death on the spot
after being stabbed about 12 times.

Subsequent to this killing about 35 families in the village, fearing
for their lives, fled the village and went to a nearby area.
Thereafter they related details of the story to their Member of
Parliament, Mr. Ariyanthiran. They are reluctant to report the
incident to the authorities due to fear of reprisals. However, some of
the witnesses to the incident insist they can recognize the alleged
perpetrators if they are seen again.

Therefore AHRC urges all relevant state authorities to (a) cause an
inquest to be conducted by the Magistrate, (b) conducted an impartial
investigation and inquiry into the circumstances of the death-
including an identification parade, (c) provide witness protection and
security to potential witnesses to enable them to come forward and
give evidence and (d) take immediate disciplinary and legal
proceedings against the perpetrators.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the relevant authorities listed below and urge them to
take an immediate action into the case and also urge them to provide
compensation for the deceased' family without more delay. The AHRC
separately will report this case to the UN Special Rapporteur on
Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions to call for his
intervention into this case.

To support this appeal, please click:

Sample letter:

Dear _________,

SRI LANKA: Young woman brutally stabbed to death by members of Armed
Forces

Name of victim/deceased: Balasuntharam Thavamani (27) of Paduwankarai
in the Batticaloa District, Eastern province, Sri Lanka
Alleged perpetrators: Members of the Sri Lanka Army or Special Task
Force (STF-Police)
Date of killing: 7 July 2007
Place of killing: Paduwankarai in the Batticaloa District

I am deeply concerned about the brutal stabbing unto death of 27-year-
old Balasuntharam Thavamani of Paduwankarai, in the Batticaloa
District on 7 July 2007-allegedly by members of the Sri Lanka Army or
Special Task Force (STF).

According to the information I have received when the victim, her
mother and about 20 others were seeking refuge in a single house at
Paduwankarai (Batticaloa District) about 9:30pm several men in
military uniform suddenly stormed into the house and shouted for the
victim by name.

I am also informed that when the victim failed to respond the
personnel entered the home and forcibly escorted her out. When the
victim's mother followed them wailing and shouting, they stabbed the
young woman in the presence of her mother-a distance of about 100
meters from the home. She succumbed to her death on the spot after
being stabbed about 12 times.

I am further informed that subsequently the villagers related details
of the incident to their Member of Parliament, Mr. Ariyanthiran.
However it is indeed disturbing to hear that they are reluctant to
report the incident to the authorities due to fear of reprisals.
However, some of the witnesses to the incident insist they can
recognize the alleged perpetrators if they are seen again.

I therefore urge all the relevant Sri Lankan authorities (a) cause an
inquest to be conducted by the Magistrate, (b) conducted an impartial
investigation and inquiry into the circumstances of the death-
including an identification parade, (c) provide witness protection and
security to potential witnesses to enable them to come forward and
give evidence and (d) take immediate disciplinary and legal
proceedings against the perpetrators.

Yours truly,

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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTER TO:

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

2. Nimal Lewke,
Director, Special Task Force
Police Head Quarters
Colombo 01
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 588499

3. Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka
The Army Commander
Army Headquarters
Baladaksha Mawatha
Colombo 03
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 243 2682
Fax: +94 11 243 4862
E-mail: commandantstf@police.lk

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. Professor Philip Alston
Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions
Attn: Lydie Ventre
Room 3-016
c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9155
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTN: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR EXECUTIONS)

Thank you.

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