The tragedy continues for the family members whose loved ones are still missing

The second public meeting for “Expression of grief of the families and friends of the disappeared” was held on August 1st 2007 at Brighten Rest in Colombo 12. It was organized by the Civil Monitoring Commission (CMC).

The lights in the hall were dim. The loved ones of the missing men and women looked worried. The atmosphere was sorrowful. They tearfully demanded the captors to release their loved ones unharmed.Men ,women and children were holding portraits of their missing loved ones-fathers, brothers, husbands, fiances and friends who have disappeared, grieved and requested for their safe return home. Women wailed, children cried, men mourned in silence. The hall was packed with more than 300 people who wanted to show their support for the families in pain. Almost everybody was in tears, when women started to wail while explaining their hardships. “Help us to find our loved ones”, “Release our missing men”, “Let us go and find our missing members of the families”, “Spread the message to the world to help us find our loved ones”, and “How long can we go through this trauma?” were often used by the relatives, while some wailed in public.

The meeting was attended by human rights activists, peace activists, diplomats and politicians. Leader of Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe, Convener of the Civil Monitoring Commission Mano Ganesan , Chairman of the Civil Monitoring Commission Sirithunga Jayasooriya United National Party’s Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake , and United National Party’s Parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella and Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene participated in the public meeting.

“I plead the people who have abducted my husband, and two sons to release them. They are innocents. They have not harmed anyone. Our family was never divided, but now our family is torn apart. I cannot speak Sinhala, somebody please help me to find my missing loved ones” pleaded Sipporal Theivayanai Yogarajan she shook with emotions and fainted on the floor.

Her husand Emmanuel, and her two sons-David and Daniel have been missing since March 2nd 2007 from Negombo. Her husband is a Pentecostal minister. Her husband along with her two sons went to Colombo to get passports to go to India to live, as the situation was deteriorating

Family members hold portraits of their missing loved ones

Many of their questions are unanswered

Mohamed Riyaz was abducted on January 22nd 2007 from his travel agent office in Messenger Street, Colombo 12. His wife Farzana Riyaz (on extreme right) from Slave Island in Colombo says that she has not received any information about her husband's whereabouts while holding her husband's portrait along with her Mother-In-Law Sithy Thajudeen.

Officials from the diplomatic community in Sri Lanka

I was informed that my son is missing, and I travelled from Jaffna to Colombo on May 19th 2007.My son Kirubalan (23) is a final year Civil Engineering student at the Technical College in Kokkuvil, while working as a field officer for ASB.

He came to Colombo to seek visa to go to Cyprus for employment. He had been residing at the Ramakrishna Mission in Wellawatte, when he went missing.

I was told he had bread and left at 2pm on April 28th 2007, but never returned. I have lodged an entry at the Mutwal Police Station on arrival. I went to Boosa Detention Camp on May 25th 2007. The officials told me that my son is being held there, but I did not see him.Later they told me that, my son has been released. he never returned.

Therefore I went to the Boosa Detention Camp on June 23rd 2007 for the second time, and was told again that, he is not being held there.Money had been withdrawn from my son’s account for six times from ATMs.The first withdrawal was made from an ATM in Keyzer Street for a sum of Rs.20,005/=,the second withdrawal was made for a sum of Rs.2,005/=,the third withdrawal was made for a sum of Rs.5005/=, and the fourth withdrawal was made for a sum of Rs.1,005/=.The fifth withdrawal was made for a sum of Rs.10,005/= and the sixth withdrawal was made for a sum of Rs.2,005/= from an ATM in Mutwal.I cannot return to Jaffna without seeing my son” said Sivagnanasundarai Balasubramaniam of Thirunelvely (51) in Jaffna

They grieved together and comforted each other

"My son Jegatheeban (27) has been missing for more than one year. He is a trishaw driver.Two men got into his trishaw on July 4th 2006 according to witnesses. He has been missing since July 4th 2006. I have been to all offices in Batticaloa and Colombo to lodge complain. I rush to the spot, when I hear a news of an unknown dead body found in Batticaloa.I always pray that it should not be my son's body, whenever I rush to such spot. Recently I was told that my son was killed by an armed group. I will not believe it until I see by son's body and his belongings" said Rani Thevarajah of Batticaloa

Breadwinners of the families are missing

Two minutes silence was observed to late Nadarajah Raviraj, who was an active mebre of Civil Monitoring Commission (CMC)

"My son Pushpathas is a lodge owner. He went missing from the office in July 2006. I got a call from his mobile after he went missing and demanded to pay Rs.10 million to release him. I paid Rs.4000,000/= to particular persons. I am unable to pay the balance, and I do not know the situation of my son" said Mary Regina Ariyadas

Elin Mathew went missing in February 2007 from his room in Colombo, where he was residing. Elin Mathew's (34) wife, mother-in-law and son live in Trincomalee expecting Elin to return home one day

Many waiting for miracles to happen

Thailanpillai Kunjupillai shows his missing son Svakanthan's photo to the Leader of The Opposition Ranil Wickremasinghe

Manoranjan Prasad (21) went missing on December 19th 2004 from Kochchikade. He was managing a telecommunication centre in Kochchikade. He and his Tamil friend who had come form Jaffna left for Wellawatte at 10 am by a trishaw.His mother Gnanasitham Vasanthi is afraid to send her two sons out after her other son went missing

Mathivathany Logendrarajah’s daughter Komathi Logendrarajah went missing on August 22nd 2006.She used to work as a Director at Aerolanka. Komathi Logendrarajah’s cousin and her husband are still missing along with her

“My son Karunakaran Rajkumar has undergone a kidney surgery recently before he went missing. Please show humanity and release him” pleaded Mariyamm Karunakarn of Kandy

Three year-old Sanjuka Subramaniam holds a portrait of her father who is missing for almost a year

Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe, Convener of the Civil Monitoring Commission Mano Ganesan at the second public meeting for ” Expression of grief of the families and friends of the disappeared”

Rasamany Subramaniam travelled from Jaffna to find out the whereabouts of her missing son. He hails from Jaffna, but has been living in Kochcikade for two years and was working in a mobile telephone repair shop, and a month long bridegroom when he went missing. He has been missing since January 28th 2007. She says that, I need to see my son dead or alive

Their tears were left alone on their cheeks to dry

The second public meeting for “Expression of grief of the families and friends of the disappeared” was held on August 1st 2007 at Brighten Rest in Colombo 12. It was organized by the Civil Monitoring Commission (CMC).

The lights in the hall were dim. The loved ones of the missing men and women looked worried. The atmosphere was sorrowful. They tearfully demanded the captors to release their loved ones unharmed.Men ,women and children were holding portraits of their missing loved ones-fathers, brothers, husbands, fiances and friends who have disappeared, grieved and requested for their safe return home. Women wailed, children cried, men mourned in silence. The hall was packed with more than 300 people who wanted to show their support for the families in pain. Almost everybody was in tears, when women started to wail while explaining their hardships. “Help us to find our loved ones”, “Release our missing men”, “Let us go and find our missing members of the families”, “Spread the message to the world to help us find our loved ones”, and “How long can we go through this trauma?” were often used by the relatives, while some wailed in public.

The meeting was attended by human rights activists, peace activists, diplomats and politicians. Leader of Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe, Convener of the Civil Monitoring Commission Mano Ganesan , Chairman of the Civil Monitoring Commission Sirithunga Jayasooriya United National Party’s Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake , and United National Party’s Parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella and Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene participated in the public meeting.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe is having a conversation with Niroshan Varatharasa and his mother Bathra Varatharasa.Vairamuthu Varatharasa, who is a driver from Grandpass went missing on January 4th 2007

Indragandhi Goodwin said that she has paid Rs.4,600,000/= as ransom to a particular person to release her husband, but he is still missing

A list of information about the missing persons (133) is being handed over to the Leader of Oppostion Ranil Wickremasinghe by Convener of the Civil Monitoring Commission Mano Ganesan

People gathered in hundreds to extend their moral support to the families in pain