Ilayathamby  Tharsini raped murder:
PWA(UK) send statement condemning the violence  to Srilanka Monitoring Mission. More

Srilanka Monitoring Mission
Headquarters
Earls Court
399 Galle Road
Colombo -3
Srilanka

21st December 2005

Dear Sirs

I write on behalf of the Pungudutivu Welfare Association (UK) to deplore and condemn actions taken by the Sri Lankan Authorities in relation to certain recent incidents in Pungudutivu.

The situation was initiated by the disappearance of Ilayathambi Tharsini on her way to her Aunt’s house on December 17th, the subsequent discovery of her raped body being found in a disused well, and the allegation that personnel from the nearby Sri Lankan Navy Depot were responsible. I would like to point out that there was also a similar incident five years ago as well.

When the people of Pungudutivu held a protest march against this alleged rape and murder, they were fired upon by the Sri Lankan forces resulting in a number of minor injuries and the admittance to hospital of Mr P. Varatharajah with gunshot wounds.

The situation has been further aggravated by the attack by Sri Lankan troops on peaceful demonstrators from Jaffna University on 19th December, injuring amongst several others, Prof N. Perinpanathan, who also comes from Pungudutivu.

This brutal suppression of peaceful demonstration is totally unjustified, particularly in view of the rape and murder allegedly carried out by personnel of the Sri Lankan Navy, leaving us very concerned about the protection of our peoples’ right to free movement, free expression and peaceful demonstration. We also request military authorities to respect our villagers’ right to their normal day-to-day life.

We ask for all the organisations involved in the Northern Province situation to support our protests and condemn the Sri Lankan forces for their unjustified violence.

PWA (UK) urges all parties to practice restrain and seek peaceful solutions to contested issues.

Yours faithfully ,

Sinnadurai Kirupananthavel

President

Tharsini raped before murder- Medical Report

[TamilNet, December 20, 2005 18:43 GMT]
Ilayathamby Tharshini (20), whose body was recovered from an abandoned well in Punguduthivu Saturday, was brutally raped before being strangled to death, according to postmortem examination conducted in the Jaffna Teaching Hospital. Dr.Balasubramaniam, Judicial Medical Officer, who conducted the postmortem examination later handed over the medical report to the Kayts Police. The funeral of Tharshini was held Monday amid intimidation and threat by the Sri Lanka Navy personnel in Punguduthivu, residents said.

According to the report several injuries were caused by fingernails and biting had been found on several areas of her body. One of her breasts had been severely bitten.

The deceased was reported missing on Friday and on Saturday her naked body tied to a stone was recovered from a well located close to the Sri Lanka Navy ( camp in Punguduthivu. The body was handed over to the mortuary of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital.

The body was taken to Punguduthivu Monday afternoon in a vehicle by her relatives.

In the meantime SLN soldiers conducted search operation in Punguduthivu. SLN personnel assaulted several persons during the search operation.

Proper funeral was not accorded to the dead woman, as selected people who were to conduct last rites did not come to site due to SLN intimidation of civilians in the area.

Hence the body was taken to Kerativu cemetery in the vehicle which brought her body from Jaffna Teaching Hospital. Thereafter burial took place.

Meanwhile, officials of the Jaffna regional office of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka held an inquiry into this incident in the house of the victim, sources said.

The Police submitted the medical report to the Magistrate Court Tuesday.

Punguduthivu Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society (MPCS) Tuesday said in a press release that Sri Lanka Navy should take the responsibility for the abduction and murder of a young woman Ilayathamby Tharshini as Punguduthivu is under full control of SLN. The press release further said the safety of Tamil women is in danger in the presence of SLN personnel who perpetrate crimes with complete impunity. They called upon civil groups and women's rights activists to raise the issue in local and international fora and ensure safety and freedom of movement to women in the islets.

Parents had reported Friday to the Kayts Police Station that their daughter who went out to do some errands did not return home.

Postmortem examination is being conducted to determine the cause of death. Villagers said they suspect foulplay by the soldiers of the SLN.

Tension prevails in Punguduthivu following the discovery of the body.

The wounded civilian was identified as Mr. P. Varatharajah, 55, from 7th division of Punguduthivu.

Protesters alleged that the Sri Lanka Navy soldiers had abuducted the girl who was on her way to her aunt's house Friday, raped her and dumped her into the abandoned well.

The body was discovered by civilians who set out on search inside the no-go HSZ area Saturday and reported troopers shoeprints around the well.

The protesters did not allow the troopers or the police to reach the well until acting judges from Kayts Mrs. Linga Thurairasja and Mr. M. Thirunavukarasu, acting judges from Kayts visited the spot and assured the protestors that the body will be safely transport to Jaffna Hospital mortuary for post mortem examinations, sources said.

Punguduthivu is an islet located 24 km southwest of Jaffna, next to Kayts.

The Kurikattuvan jetty located in Punguduthivu connects Nedunthivu, Nainathivu and Analaithivu. Traffic to these islets also remains cut as tension prevailed in Punguduthivu.