A court has once again held the Army accountable for all those who had surrendered during the final stage of the war.
The Vavuniya high court ordered on February 23 to either produce three missing LTTE members before the court at the next hearing on March 22 or if not, explain reasons for the failure to do so.
It took up three habeas corpus petitions filed by the wives of Kandamman, Elilan and Columbus, who had been unaccounted for after they gave themselves up in May 2009.
Ananthi Sasitharan
Ananthi Sasitharan, the wife of Elilan, described the court order as a victory, saying it was given on the basis that the missing men could be in the Army custody or were victims of its enforced disappearances.
On December 16 last year, the Vavuniya high court ordered the Army to produce an LTTE member who had surrendered at the end of the war, in court by next year.
It was taking up a habeas corpus petition filed by the wife of Selliah Vishwanathan.
Her lawyer K.S. Ratnavel described the order as a landmark instance in the country’s judicial system.
Previously at the Mullaitivu magistrate's court, the Army said it had a list of the surrendees, but failed to submit any document.
The Vavuniya high court accepted the petitioner's allegation that those who had surrendered were in the Army’s custody.
They should be produced before the court by March 2023 or reasons relating to their enforced disappearances must be explained, said the court.
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Court orders Army to produce surrendered LTTE member
