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PRESS RELEASE21 December 2011

Reference: Mary Aileen Bacalso (+63917-7924058)

AFAD demands investigation on disappearance of Sri Lankan human rights defenders

Regional human rights group, Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD),demands for an immediate investigation regarding the abduction of two Sri Lankan human rightsdefenders campaigning against enforced disappearance on December 9, 2011.

Lalith Kumar Weeraraja and Kugan Muruganandan were last seen leaving the residence of Muruganandan on Avarangal, Jaffna at 5:00 p.m. of December 9. Both men were organizing apress conference in time for the December 10 International Human Rights Day celebration atthe time they disappeared.

“The Federation strongly condemns the disappearance of Mr. Weeraraj and Mr. Muruganandan.The work of both human rights defenders is crucial in demanding justice for the victims of enforced disappearances of the Tamils in the North. The disappearance of Mr. Weeraraja andMr. Muruganandan was clearly an act to suppress efforts to uncover the truth behind cases of disappearances in the past.” AFAD Secretary-General Mary Aileen Bacalso said.

At 11:00 p.m. of the same day, the father of Weeraraja received threatening phone calls from anunknown caller claiming that they will kill his son, further stating “either you remove your sonfrom Jaffna or we will do it for you”.

Mr. Weeraraja serves as the Executive Committee member of the organisation “We Are SriLankans” and the Jaffna Coordinator of the Jana Aragalaya (People’s Struggle) movement whileMr. Muruganandan actively assisted Mr. Weeraraja in the conduct of his human rights work.Both defenders campaigned against enforced disappearances, promotion of the rights of theinternally displaced persons in the north and the release of political prisoners among others.

Prior to their disappearance, Mr. Weeraraja previously suffered from threats by the army and

police regarding his work.

In April 2011, Mr. Weeraraja and a colleague were arrested by the Vavuniya police andthreatened to be shot while putting up posters about enforced disappearances in the North.

On the 23rd of June 2011, he and another colleague were again abducted by officers of theKillinochchi army camp (Depo Junction) and were detained and interrogated in an abandonedice-cream factory.

On the 14th of November 2011, Mr. Weeraraja with other human rights defenders suffered fromsevere beatings by unidentified men during a protest with the families of the disappeared in

Asian Federation Against Involuntary DisappearancesRms. 310-311 Philippine Social Science Center Building Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, 1103 Quezon City PhilippinesTelefax: 00-632-4546759 Telephone Number 00-632-4907862 Mobile 00-63-9177924058Email afad@surfshop.net.phwebsite www.afad-online.org 

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Jaffna in front of the Jaffna town bus stand. The beatings happened in front of the military,surprisingly, did not intervene and stop the attack.

“AFAD is strongly urging the Rajapaksa administration to immediately launch impartial andtransparent investigations to determine the whereabouts of the victims and identify the peopleresponsible for the disappearance. All measures to discover the truth behind the abduction mustbe exhausted, the safety of Weeraraja and Muruganandanan must be ensured and thatperpetrators be held accountable by the Sri Lankan government.” Bacalso concluded.

Under Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) every person has “theright to life, liberty and security of person”. The UN Declaration on the Protection of All Personsfrom Enforced Disappearance further emphasized that enforced disappearance is an offense tohuman dignity and violates “the right to recognition as a person before the law, the right toliberty and security of the person and the right not to be subjected to torture and other cruel,inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” The International Convention for the Protection

of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPAPED) under Article 1 subsequently reiteratedthe right not to be subjected to enforced disappearance and that no circumstances can beinvoked to justify enforced disappearance.

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