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Sixth anniversary of 'Trinco 5' killings

Photograph Tamilnet

Six years have now passed since the execution of five Tamil students by Sri Lankan Security forces, while they spent an afternoon on the beach in Trincomalee. As of yet, no thorough investigation has been conducted into the murders and no-one has been arrested.

The struggle for justice however, has not been given up on.

Earlier this month, Amnesty International launched a “Write-for-Rights” campaign, highlighting the case of the “Trinco 5” and called for genuine investigations into this and the countless other human rights violations on the island.

See the video below to hear Dr Manoharan, father of one of the victims speak about the campaign.

"personally believe[s] that these murders were carried out by the STF [Special Task Force] under the supervision of Superintendent of Police [SP] Kapila Jayasekara."

Speaking to TamilNet, he also said,

"The case embodies my fight to seek justice for my son, and we have reached an important milestone in this effort. Our attorney has navigated the legal obstacles and have forced Mahinda Rajapakse, a sitting head of state, to court for complicity in the extra-judicial killings."

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse is currently facing a $30m civil case in the US, for damages through violations of the Torture Victims Prevention Act, which relates to the Trincomalee murders.

Also see Amnesty International’s film on the murders entitled “Sri Lanka – Tell the Truth” below.

Shortly after the murders, journalist Subramaniyam Sugirdharajan was shot dead after publishing photos showing the bodies of the 5 students with point-blank gunshot injuries, disproving government claims that they were killed by a grenade explosion.

The five slain students are:

Manoharan Ragihar (22.09.1985)
Yogarajah Hemachchandra (04.03.1985)
Logitharajah Rohan (07.04.1985)
Thangathurai Sivanantha (06.04.1985)
Shanmugarajah Gajendran (16.09.1985)


Dr Manoharan has said in an affidavit collected by Tamils Against Genocide and submitted to the Dublin Tribunal that he,

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