Return to War - Human Rights Watch
Return to War - Human Rights Watch Return to War - Human Rights Watch
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. 103 Human Rights Watch August 2007
of the government commission looking into “disappearances,” the police did not always record complaints. 230 The accounts of a Colombo businessman abducted in Colombo—he believes by members of the Karuna group—and of a Vavuniya couple who fled the town after getting demands for money from individuals who identified themselves as from the Karuna group are included in Chapter VI. The couple told us, “We are afraid to go to the police. The police are attached to this. If we file a case in court the Karuna group will throw a grenade at my house,” one of them told us. 231 Vavuniya businesspeople who were threatened into giving money frequently did so to a person near the Joseph Camp, the Sri Lankan army’s largest camp in the area, the couple said. Sea Street in Colombo is the location of many Tamil-owned businesses and shops. Since mid-2006, the Karuna group has been implicated in the abductions of Tamil businessmen and holding them for ransom. © 2007 Fred Abrahams/Human Rights Watch 230 Susistha R. Fernando, “Majority of ‘Abductees’ Found to Have Returned,” Daily Mirror, June 29, 2007. 231 Human Rights Watch interview with couple from Vavuniya, Colombo, March 4, 2007. Return to War 104
- Page 55 and 56: The Valvettiturai police registered
- Page 57 and 58: would send him by bus or train to T
- Page 59 and 60: wife tried his cell phone several t
- Page 61 and 62: then that his brother had paid, alt
- Page 63 and 64: as the disseminators of “LTTE pro
- Page 65 and 66: It is evident that many of the [dis
- Page 67 and 68: The government’s lack of commitme
- Page 69 and 70: A lodge-owner who had 29 out of 36
- Page 71 and 72: arguing that evicting Tamils from C
- Page 73 and 74: VII. Emergency Regulations In Augus
- Page 75 and 76: Given the wide ranging powers provi
- Page 77 and 78: Large-scale arrests of Tamil youth
- Page 79 and 80: held, how many had been charged wit
- Page 81 and 82: Various United Nations principles i
- Page 83 and 84: In addition, the regulations establ
- Page 85 and 86: individuals and groups working to r
- Page 87 and 88: At a public meeting on April 6, 200
- Page 89 and 90: On April 30, 2007, unidentified gun
- Page 91 and 92: “We have blocked it as per a gove
- Page 93 and 94: conference said they had already ca
- Page 95 and 96: astards with the law we need to use
- Page 97 and 98: humanitarian worker with direct kno
- Page 99 and 100: The government dismissed the allega
- Page 101 and 102: With the change of administration i
- Page 103 and 104: IX. Karuna Group and State Complici
- Page 105: stating that it “has no complicit
- Page 109 and 110: Over the past 18 months, the govern
- Page 111 and 112: Lack of witness protection A key pr
- Page 113 and 114: president cannot appoint any commis
- Page 115 and 116: Watch asked the Sri Lankan governme
- Page 117 and 118: persons and refugees, and SLMM in r
- Page 119 and 120: 7. Death of 51 persons in Naddalamo
- Page 121 and 122: Members of the IIGEP have also expr
- Page 123 and 124: In the current context, in particul
- Page 125 and 126: domestic and international criticis
- Page 127 and 128: To the Liberation Tigers of Tamil E
- Page 129 and 130: • Urge the Sri Lankan government
- Page 131: H UMAN R I GHTS WATCH 350 Fifth Ave
of the government commission looking in<strong>to</strong> “disappearances,” the police did not<br />
always record complaints. 230<br />
The accounts of a Colombo businessman abducted in Colombo—he believes by<br />
members of the Karuna group—and of a Vavuniya couple who fled the <strong>to</strong>wn after<br />
getting demands for money from individuals who identified themselves as from the<br />
Karuna group are included in Chapter VI. The couple <strong>to</strong>ld us, “We are afraid <strong>to</strong> go <strong>to</strong><br />
the police. The police are attached <strong>to</strong> this. If we file a case in court the Karuna group<br />
will throw a grenade at my house,” one of them <strong>to</strong>ld us. 231 Vavuniya businesspeople<br />
who were threatened in<strong>to</strong> giving money frequently did so <strong>to</strong> a person near the Joseph<br />
Camp, the Sri Lankan army’s largest camp in the area, the couple said.<br />
Sea Street in Colombo is the location of many Tamil-owned businesses and shops. Since mid-2006, the Karuna<br />
group has been implicated in the abductions of Tamil businessmen and holding them for ransom.<br />
© 2007 Fred Abrahams/<strong>Human</strong> <strong>Rights</strong> <strong>Watch</strong><br />
230 Susistha R. Fernando, “Majority of ‘Abductees’ Found <strong>to</strong> Have <strong>Return</strong>ed,” Daily Mirror, June 29, 2007.<br />
231 <strong>Human</strong> <strong>Rights</strong> <strong>Watch</strong> interview with couple from Vavuniya, Colombo, March 4, 2007.<br />
<strong>Return</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>War</strong> 104
Change language