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The bus stopped. A white van came and three men with pistols came
inside. One guy took my son and pulled him out. I was crying and they
pushed me and I fell. 226
As of July 1, 2007, UNICEF had documented 145 cases of recruitment or rerecruitment
of children by the Karuna group since December 2006. Figures for the
individual months are as follows: December—16, January—37, February—19, March—
15, April—19, May—19, and June—20. 227
The actual number is likely to be higher because many parents are afraid to report
cases, and these numbers do not reflect the forced recruitment by the Karuna group
of young men over 18.
According to Sri Lankan human rights groups and some kidnap victims, the Karuna
group is also implicated in the kidnappings for ransom of dozens of Tamil
businesspeople and, increasingly, Tamil professionals (see Chapter VI, “Abductions
and Enforced Disappearances”). Such kidnappings have taken place in Batticaloa,
Trincomalee, Vavuniya, and Colombo. At first the victims were wealthy businessmen,
but over time the Karuna group targeted smaller businessmen and then
professionals, such as bankers and lawyers.
Human Rights Watch asked the Sri Lankan government what steps it has taken to
end kidnappings for extortion by the Karuna group. The government replied generally
that it “takes action on any allegations of abductions, disappearances and killings
who so ever may be the perpetrator, on the basis of a complaint filed.” 228
In late 2006 and early 2007, Human Rights Watch interviewed the family members of
more than one dozen abducted boys and men in the east, however, who said the
police had failed to accept their complaints. 229 According to Judge Tillekeratne, head
226 Human Rights Watch interview with mother of abducted young man, Batticaloa, February 27, 2007.
227 Information provided to Human Rights Watch by UNICEF, email communication, July 9, 2007.
228 Sri Lankan government response to Human Rights Watch, July 12, 2007.
229 See Human Rights Watch, Sri Lanka – Complicit in Crime: State Collusion in Abductions and Forced Recruitment by the
Karuna Group.
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Human Rights Watch August 2007