9th Anniversary of STF killing of Trincomalee students
[TamilNet, Friday, 02 January 2015, 00:01 GMT]
Dr Kasippillai Manoharan and four other families will be commemorating the nineth anniversary of the murder of their sons extra-judicially executed by the Special Task force (STF) of the Sri Lanka Government on the 2nd January 2006. The high school students, all then nearly 20-years old, were spending an afternoon at a seafront in Trincomalee when the allegedly planned crime took place. Dr Manoharan told TamilNet that the STF officers Kapila Jayasekera and Vas Perera, part of the STF contingent sent to Trincomalee on the orders of the Defence Secretary and President's sibling, Gothabaya Rajapakse, and Udawatte Weerakody, a naval officer, were the key players in the planning and execution of the murders.
Dr Kasippillai Manoharan and four other families will be commemorating the nineth anniversary of the murder of their sons extra-judicially executed by the Special Task force (STF) of the Sri Lanka Government on the 2nd January 2006. The high school students, all then nearly 20-years old, were spending an afternoon at a seafront in Trincomalee when the allegedly planned crime took place. Dr Manoharan told TamilNet that the STF officers Kapila Jayasekera and Vas Perera, part of the STF contingent sent to Trincomalee on the orders of the Defence Secretary and President's sibling, Gothabaya Rajapakse, and Udawatte Weerakody, a naval officer, were the key players in the planning and execution of the murders.
 Post-Trinco-massacre photo album |
Another key player in the massacre is alleged to be the
Sinhala extremist and former DIG, H. Kotagadeniya, now reported to be
residing in the U.S.
As part of the war-crimes investigation being carried out by the UNHCR, Dr Manoharan provided witness statement to the UN investigation committee on his son's murder.
As part of the war-crimes investigation being carried out by the UNHCR, Dr Manoharan provided witness statement to the UN investigation committee on his son's murder.
While
the Sri Lanka Government promises to take action in international human
rights fora when the the Trincomalee-murder is brought up for
discussion, observers note no movement in the investigations related to
the massacre, or in the judicial proceeding languishing in Trincomalee
courts (DR-11/1-2006).
Culpability chart
Speaking March 15, 2013, before the
Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report on Sri Lanka was adopted, Dr
Manoharan demanded justice for his son’s murder. Sri Lankan Minister
Mahinda Samarasinghe who spoke later, asked why no one is speaking about
the LTTE and instead targeting only the Sri Lankan government.
Samarasinghe told the forum that the Colombo is investigating the
incident and it needs time and space. Samarasinghe added that following
the recommendations of the LLRC, the Attorney-General reviewed the cases
relating to the five students and has directed the Police to commence
Non-Summary Judicial proceedings.
Dr Manoharan says, Colombo is only interested in deflecting international attention when needed, and has no intention of punishing the culprits. "Culpability goes up the the Presidential sibling, Gothabaya Rajapakse," Dr Manoharan adds.
The STF team was sent to Trincomalee with the approval of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse before Christmas 2005, and Kotagadeniya was acting as an advisor to the Defence Ministry in Police matters. "Judging by events there is hardly any doubt that the attack on the students in a public place was conceived as teaching the Tamils a lesson...If not the details, the general form of the atrocity was planned at the highest level," the Rights organization UTHR concluded in its investigations. (UTHR, 1/2/10, pg. 14)
A commission of inquiry was established in November 2006 to investigate the incident along with 11 other deaths. However, the commission report, delivered directly to the Sri Lanka's President, was never made public.
No thorough investigation has ever been conducted and no one has been brought to justice for Ragihar’s murder, according to Amnesty's report.
In a classified memo written by US's Sri Lanka Ambassador Robert Blake in October 2006 to Washington, ten months after the extra-judicial execution of five students, Basil Rajapakse, another Presidential sibling, had told Ambassador Blake that Special Task Force (STF) was responsible for the killings, according a Wikileaks document.
The names and the dates of birth of the five students killed at the big harbor town are: (i) Manoharan Ragihar, DoB 22.09.1985, (ii) Yogarajah Hemachchandra, DoB 04.03.1985, (iii) Logitharajah Rohan, DoB 07.04.1985, (iv) Thangathurai Sivanantha, DoB 06.04.1985, and (v) Shanmugarajah Gajendran, DoB 16.09.1985.
Related Articles:
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05.07.13 Twelve STF arrested for 2006 killing of five Trinco students
17.03.13 Kapila Jeyasekara, alleged killer of Trinco-5 students, appo..
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12.03.12 Dr. Manoharan rejects Colombo's proposal, demands release of..
29.01.12 STF killed Trinco students, Basil Rajapakse told Blake
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14.04.11 SLA killed my son - Dr. Manoharan
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External Links:
Dr Manoharan says, Colombo is only interested in deflecting international attention when needed, and has no intention of punishing the culprits. "Culpability goes up the the Presidential sibling, Gothabaya Rajapakse," Dr Manoharan adds.
The STF team was sent to Trincomalee with the approval of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse before Christmas 2005, and Kotagadeniya was acting as an advisor to the Defence Ministry in Police matters. "Judging by events there is hardly any doubt that the attack on the students in a public place was conceived as teaching the Tamils a lesson...If not the details, the general form of the atrocity was planned at the highest level," the Rights organization UTHR concluded in its investigations. (UTHR, 1/2/10, pg. 14)
A commission of inquiry was established in November 2006 to investigate the incident along with 11 other deaths. However, the commission report, delivered directly to the Sri Lanka's President, was never made public.
No thorough investigation has ever been conducted and no one has been brought to justice for Ragihar’s murder, according to Amnesty's report.
In a classified memo written by US's Sri Lanka Ambassador Robert Blake in October 2006 to Washington, ten months after the extra-judicial execution of five students, Basil Rajapakse, another Presidential sibling, had told Ambassador Blake that Special Task Force (STF) was responsible for the killings, according a Wikileaks document.
The names and the dates of birth of the five students killed at the big harbor town are: (i) Manoharan Ragihar, DoB 22.09.1985, (ii) Yogarajah Hemachchandra, DoB 04.03.1985, (iii) Logitharajah Rohan, DoB 07.04.1985, (iv) Thangathurai Sivanantha, DoB 06.04.1985, and (v) Shanmugarajah Gajendran, DoB 16.09.1985.
Related Articles:
02.01.14 Trincomalee students killing - 8th Anniversary
05.07.13 Twelve STF arrested for 2006 killing of five Trinco students
17.03.13 Kapila Jeyasekara, alleged killer of Trinco-5 students, appo..
02.01.13 Extra-judicial killings of Trinco-5 students by SL military ..
12.03.12 Dr. Manoharan rejects Colombo's proposal, demands release of..
29.01.12 STF killed Trinco students, Basil Rajapakse told Blake
02.01.12 Extra-judicial execution of Trincomalee students, Sixth anni..
14.04.11 SLA killed my son - Dr. Manoharan
30.01.11 US legal effort to seek justice for son's killing - Dr Manoh..
28.01.11 Rajapaksa sued in US Courts over war-crimes, plaintiffs seek..
02.01.11 Fifth Anniversary of Trincomalee Students execution
02.01.10 Fourth Anniversary of Trinco Students' extra-judicial killin..
External Links:
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