LTTE massacres 10 Muslim civilians

Rafik Jalaldeen

POTTUVIL: Ten Muslim youths who were returning home after constructing a sluice gate have been hacked to death by the LTTE early morning yesterday near Irathal Kulam, Paanama.

"There is one survivor. He had told that the killers were speaking in Tamil and wearing shorts and t-shirts," STF DIG Nimal Lewke said.

The victims, all residents of Paanama, had been repairing the sluice gates so that the local community comprising mainly Muslims and Tamils could receive an uninterrupted supply of water. They had been hired by a local contractor on a daily wage basis.

The LTTE had warned the workers involved in reconstructing the Irathal Kulam sluice gate. LTTE cadres were roaming in the area and two STF personnel were killed last week, he added.

The Police launched an immediate investigation into the massacre on the directive of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who telephoned the relevant defence officials immediately after hearing the news.

"The survivor Meera Mohideen will tell the truth to the world," IGP Chandra Fernando said. A special CID investigations team is being sent to Pottuvil, he added.

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader Rauff Hakeem called for an impartial probe inclusive of a forensic investigation on the lines of the Muttur incident.

He said the innocent villagers had been killed ruthlessly and the culprits should be brought to book. Justice should be served to the villagers. Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana and Minister Hussain Bhaila condemned this inhuman act of terror. "Whoever did it, the murderers should be brought to justice," they said.

The local workers were reconstructing the Irathal Kulam sluice gate on Sunday. Six of the workers had returned by motorcycle. Eleven workers were returning by a tractor from sluice gate around 5 p.m. on Sunday.

When they did not turn up, families of the 11 workers searched for their loved ones. The villagers went to search for them and when they approached the sluice gate they found only the tractor but not the youth.

The bodies were found by a villager who went to the sluice gate early on Monday morning. He said the victims' throats have been slit and they had multiple injuries on their bodies. The critically injured survivor was taken to the Kalmunai hospital and later transferred to the Ampara hospital.

The bodies were kept at the Pottuvil Jumma mosque. The deceased have been identified as Farook Shiyam (23), Majeed Farook (20), Abdul Rahman (18), N.Anardeen (18), M.Nawas (15), M.Ajmir (20), R.Anees (18), A.Rishad (22) and K.Jaufar (26).

Minister Mervin Silva and Felix Perera also had visited the scene yesterday.

The initial investigation was conducted by the Pottuvil OIC M. Karunaratne.

The incident caused outrage among the local population with a hartal declared in the Muslim dominated areas of Pottuvil and Kalmunai where all shops and businesses were closed and transport paralysed.

The anicut provided water to thousands of civilians. They were to be supplied with water by repairing the anicut.

The Government will grant Rs.30,000 to each family of the deceased.

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Muslim political leaders condemn massacre

Rajmi Manatunga

COLOMBO: Muslim political leaders yesterday vehemently condemned the LTTE's massacre of a group of 10 Muslim civilians in Pottuvil, Ampara.

Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Minister A.H.M. Fowzie denounced the massacre which was uncovered yesterday as a most inhumane act.

"The people who have been killed in the attack are innocent Muslim civilians of the East. They were not militants fighting against any party, but common people who wanted to live peacefully. We deplore these cold blooded murders whoever committed them," he said.

General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Hassan Ali also unequivocally condemned the killings and called upon the Government to strengthen the security provided for Muslims in the East.

"The SLMC is very much disturbed by the incident and concerned about the security of the people in the area. This is similar to the unfortunate situation which civilians in Muttur had to face a few months back. The only difference is that this happened in the other end the Eastern province," he said.

Ali said the 10 victims were unarmed civilians from Akkaraipattu, 12 kilometres away from Pottuvil and were working at a construction site.

He also said that SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem discussed the issue with President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday requesting him to give additional protection to Muslims in threatened areas in the East.