Bodies of 8 civilians found in Sri Lanka+

0 Comments | Asian Political News, Jan 1, 2001

COLOMBO, Dec. 26 Kyodo

A Sri Lanka army officer and eight soldiers face court marshal after the bodies of eight Tamil civilians, including that of a 5-year-old child, were unearthed from a grave in the Mirusuvil area several hundred kilometers north of Colombo on Monday, Sri Lanka Radio said Tuesday.

Police and hospital sources in Jaffna confirmed the discovery of the bodies and the grizzly find was also given wide publicity on the Tamil Net of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

The victims, displaced from Mirusuvil village, were detained by Sri Lankan soldiers Dec. 19 when they went to their homes to collect their personal belongings.

One of the missing, Maheswaran Ponnuthurai, managed to escape and alerted local authorities and relatives about the unlawful arrests.

According to Maheswaran, the soldiers blindfolded the villagers and assaulted them. Sources in Jaffna said the grave was discovered after the site was identified by two soldiers.

Hospital sources said the victims were identified as the missing villagers after their bodies were brought to the Manthikai hospital Monday evening.