Baby at four months, 4-year-old child, among 9 killed by SL Navy in
Jaffna islet
http://news.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=18118
[TamilNet, May 13, 2006 16:10 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) troopers from Mandaithivu Sri Lanka Navy camp
surrounded a civilian house in Allaipiddy in Mandaithivu islet, west of
Jaffna, around 8:30 p.m. Saturday and opened fire killing 8 civilians,
including a four months baby and a four year old son, and their parents
on the spot. Three persons with serious wounds were rushed to Jaffna
hospital after Jaffna district magistrate ordered the Police to provide
security to an ambulance from Jaffna hospital, medical sources said.
One of the wounded succumbed to his wounds at Jaffna hospital. 13
civilians were killed in Jaffna islets on Saturday alone.
Palachamy Ketheeswaran, 25, his wife, Ketheeswaran Anex Ester, 23,
four-years old Ketheeswaran Thanushkanth and the baby at four months,
Ketheeswaran Yathursan, were the victims of a family in the massacre.
Abraham Robinson, 28, father of three, Sellathurai Amalathas, 28,
father of one, Kanesh Navaratnam, 50, father of four, and Joseph
Anthonymuttu, 64, father of five, were the other victims killed on the
spot.
Sinnathurai Sivanesan, 46, succumbed to his wounds at Jaffa Hospital.
The wounded persons were identified as S. Mohanambikai, 46, a female,
and T. Sellathurai, 61.
Sri Lanka Navy sources in Mandaithivu claimed Saturday night that they
were attacked with grenades and opened fire at the attackers. Only four
have died according to the SLN.
This claim was later denied by the SLN sources in Colombo.
However, civilian sources said, 8 persons, including the baby and the
four years old child were massacred by the Sri Lanka Navy troopers. The
was no grenade attack, according to them.
Relatives said that SLN troopers had harassed the joint-famility and
demanded their 2 story building, for military use, a few weeks ago. The
request was politely turned down by the family.
Allaipiddy is located on the causeway from Jaffna towards islets of
Velani and Kayts through Pannai bridge. After Mandaitivu, past the
abandoned alluminum factory, lies the large Sri Lanka Navy garrison,
500 meters from Allaipiddy.
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