Prime suspects

MYSTERIOUS murders in the Army-controlled Vavuniya and Batticaloa towns suggest that death squads are again becoming active. The bodies of two women - Kumarasamy Sujitha, 24, of Neerveli in Jaffna and Meganathan Jayasutha, 22, of Rambaikulam - were found near Vavuniya market on 12 March. Both had been shot dead. According to reports Sujitha had obtained a pass at the Thandikulam checkpoint police station. Earlier in the month the bodies of two men were found in the town. Tamil group PLOTE’s Vavuniya MP Shanmuganathan says all parties must unite to prevent murders in an area where thousands of troops are stationed. Sources say the security forces and the Tamil group PLOTE are prime suspects in a number of murders in Vavuniya which remain uninvestigated. Earlier in the month, mother of five children Murugiah Kanmani, 38, was killed by a gunshot while she slept at home in Samayapuram. Her family had been displaced from Punnalaikadduvan in Jaffna. In Batticaloa, Thavarajah Anthonyrajah, 25, who went to church on the morning of 7 March was later found dead with gunshot wounds. Mervin Thikas, 54, killed by gunmen in mid-March at her home in Iruthayapuram. Tamil MP Joseph Pararajasingham says that according to local people a gang in police uniform was responsible for the killing. The bodies of Seenithamby Koneswaran, 28, and Muthiah Arul, 23, arrested by men in Army uniform on 12 March at Thalavai in Eravur were recovered ten days later at Palacholai. Sivanesarajah Amaladas, 19, was found dead on Notaries Road in Batticaloa town on 17 March. Former LTTE cadre Amaladas had surrendered earlier to the security forces. He had been shot in the head.

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