More than 300 Tamil young people have disappeared recently, and only a few have been found again. The police are not conducting any investigations. Now the residents are accusing the military special forces, in part because the kidnappings have increased greatly since their arrival, and are taking place above all in the areas that they control.

Colombo (AsiaNews) - More than 300 Tamil young people have been kidnapped in the area between Poththuvil and Vaazhaichcheanai, in the district of Batticaloa, in the recent past. The Batticaloa Human Rights Commission and the relatives of those who have disappeared are accusing the special forces of the army and paramilitary groups.

There were 11 kidnappings in January alone, 11 in February, and 14 in March, above all in the city of Batticaloa, in areas controlled by the government.  Only three of those kidnapped in January have been found, and the relatives say that the police are not carrying out any investigations.

The insecurity in the region is extreme.  Armed men break into homes during the night and take people away, saying they are going to interrogate them.  In other cases, people who leave for work or for errands disappear without news.  Those on motorcycles risk being stopped by armed groups, who take them away or arrest them, or steal their motorcycles.

The inhabitants say that the military special forces have abducted many Tamil young people, in Ka'luvaangchikkudi and in Chedipaa'layam, but the military denies this.  But the citizens insist that the kidnappings have increased since the special forces came to Batticaloa.  Many also accuse them of forcing young men to enlist.

• Sri
• Lanka
• kidnappings
• Tamil
• young
• youth
• paramilitary
• military
• special
• forces
• abductions
• interrogations
• forced
• enlistment