SUMMARY BEFORE AFTER EXECUTIONS
The United Nations Investigation said the 53 and 58 Divisions of the Sri BEFORE AFTER Lankan army, under the overall command of Jagath Jayasuriya, were involved in the “white flag” surrenders, which resulted in summary executions or disappearances of those who surrendered while they were hors de combat and in the custody of the security forces. BALACHANDRAN PRABHAKARAN Balachandran Prabhakaran was captured (12-YEAR-OLD SON or otherwise taken into custody by OF THE LTTE LEADER)4 the security forces who subsequently extrajudicially executed him5.” “In many cases the material “One gunshot wound with soot markings collected indicates that the indicate the weapon was fired from victims were shot from close range a distance of 60-90 cm… there are and were blindfolded and had their reasonable grounds to believe that hands bound when killed1.”
LTTE COL. RAMESH “…the images depict a killing in AFTER execution-style with a single gunshot "…was extrajudicially to the head3”. executed sometime between 18 and 22 May 20092."
BEFORE AFTER AFTER
BALASINGHAM NADESAN [LTTE be at least one and possibly three POLITICAL WING HEAD] AND gunshots to the front torso12.” SEEVARATNAM PULEEDEVAN [LTTE PEACE SECRETARIAT HEAD]10 “…the pattern of injuries indicates that Puleedevan was shot multiple “They all were unarmed and held times in the back, almost certainly white flags…11” whilst his arms were restrained behind his back13.” “…photographs of Nadesan’s body showed that cause of death would
ISAIPRIYA AND USHALINI6 gunshots to the head execution-style. BODYGUARDS beneath his face, and all bodies are Further, based on the images of facing down8.” Two ITJP eyewitnesses place 58 Division "Based on the video footage and Isaipriya’s dead body and “In several photos, five men seen Commander Shavendra Silva at the photographs along with witness those of many other women, OISL lying beside the body of Balachandran “In many cases the material collected surrender, shaking hands with the LTTE testimonies, OISL [Office of the believes that Isaipriya’s dead body (three in underwear, one wearing a indicates that the victims were leaders before they were murdered; one High Commissioner for Human Rights was desecrated7.” sarong and t-shirt, one in shot from close range and were insider witness says Jagath Jayasuriya Investigation into Sri Lanka] has short pants) appear to have been blindfolded and had their hands bound also crossed the bridge to receive the reasonable grounds to believe that shot dead (blood seen underneath the when killed9.” surrendering LTTE political wing security forces captured Isaipriya bodies and no other visible damage to leaders. alive and then killed her with the bodies). The men appear to have had their hands tied behind their backs and the cord taken off before the photographs were taken, one body has a loosened blindfold ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES
who was the commander for FATHER FRANCIS the Vanni at the time and OTHER BALAKUMARAN SURRENDERS also Shavendra Silva15.” DISAPPEARANCES PHOTOS
A large group of individuals from the The ITJP compiled a list of more than Families of the disappeared have been Balakumaran was photographed in custody LTTE’s civilian administration and their 100 surrendees seen by eyewitnesses in holding roadside protests in Northern with his son and helper and has family members, including children and army custody who have disappeared; the Sri Lanka, desperate to get some disappeared since. babies, surrendered with an elderly list includes many women and young information 8 years on, about their Catholic priest called Father Francis on children16. Attempts have been made in loved ones. The government has been slow 18th May 2009. They were loaded into vain in the Sri Lankan courts by the to respond to them. Two years ago, buses which disappeared along with the families of the disappeared to compel it promised to establish an Office of passengers and the priest. The priest the 58 Division to give the court a list Missing Persons to look into an had written a public letter a week of names of surrendees. estimated 20,000 cases of disappearance before criticising the Church and the dating back decades, but the office Sri Lankan Government and warning that is not yet operational and it is if he were captured he might be killed14. LETTER TO THE POPE unclear if it will ultimately have the ability to hold perpetrators Several ITJP witnesses, now safely “Last night’s toll of the dead is criminally accountable. abroad, testified that they saw Father 3318 and of the injured more than Francis collect the names of LTTE cadres 4000. It was a barrage of artillery, loaded on to buses. One such witness mortar, multi-barrel shelling and says he also saw Jagath Jayasuriya and cluster bombs, weapons, which Sri Shavendra Silva at the site during the Lankan government denies using on loading of the buses with surrendees: the civilians in the no fire zone. The cries of woes and agony of the 1 OISL, para 322 8 OISL, para 319 “Father Francis went to the babies and children, the women and army and got a paper and pen the elderly fill the air that was 2 OISL, para 310 9 OISL, para 322 polluted by poisonous and unhealthy 3 OISL, para 309 10 Also see www.white-flags.org . and wrote down all the names gases and pierced the hearts of 4 Balachandran Prabhakaran: Sri Lanka army accused over death, 11 OISL, para 301 and handed it over to an army fathers and mothers, of elders and BBC Online, 19 February 2013, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ major. I don't know his name peasants of old men and women of all world-asia-21509656, Handed a snack, and then executed: the last 12 OISL, para 304 walks of life. I am not unaware that hours of the 12-year-old son of a Tamil Tiger, Andrew Buncombe, but I recognized his rank. 18 February 2013, The Independent, http://www.independent.co.uk/ 13 OISL, para 301 this letter would arouse the wrath news/world/asia/handed-a-snack-and-then-executed-the-last-hours- The Major contacted his of the Sri Lankan government which of-the-12-year-old-son-of-a-tamil-tiger-8500295.html; Sri Lanka 14 Church accused of 'being silent', BBC Sinhala Online, 24 killings: Channel 4 reports ‘unlikely to be faked’, 20 October September 2011, http://www.bbc.com/sinhala/news/ superior over the telephone will resort to the revenge by 2015, Channel 4, https://www.channel4.com/news/sri-lanka- story/2011/09/110926_letter_to_pope.shtml killing me.“ killings-channel-4-reports-unlikely-to-be-faked and after that some landrover 15 ITJP Witness testimony. 5 OISL, para 312 came and many senior army FATHER FRANCIS JOSEPH 16 The ITJP has collected a list of the disappeared witnessed 10TH MAY 2009 6 A video also shows her surrendering to the army: https://www. surrendering which includes infants and children: http://www. officers came to that area youtube.com/watch?v=RUB6n6icWd4 fhr.org.za/files/9314/3210/3774/List_2_2009_Missing.pdf including Jagath Jayasuriya 7 OISL, para 316.