The Uthayan newspaper has reported that the Tamil youth who were arrested last Tuesday following a clash on Monday between people in Navanthurai and military personnel had been stripped and attacked by the military and they were receiving treatment at the Jaffna Hospital.
It has been reported that military personnel have allegedly sexually abused the wives of the arrested persons who had visited the camp to secure their spouses’ release.
Sources from the Jaffna Hospital say that some disabled people have also been attacked by the military.
The people of Navanthurai in Jaffna clashed with the military on the 22nd night. Persons who have been attacked by the military had given statements saying that angered by the attack, military personnel had visited a large number of houses in the area and gathered the men to the St. Nicholas Ground at 3 a.m. and attacked them. Two persons have given statements saying that even the women police constables had attacked them with their shoes.
The 102 persons who had been admitted to hospital for treatment following a court directive had given statement to the judicial medical officer (JMO). Some are still receiving treatment at the hospital. JMO Dr. S. Sivaruban says that some are suffering from broken bones while some have sustained injuries to their heads.
Dr. S. Sivaruban notes that the injured persons had also had marks of being attacked by boots, poles and even the butt end of guns. The complete medical report is to be handed over to courts.
Sepamalai Antony Quinn (33) and Merish Rotti have been attacked by women police constables. T. Antony (23), A.R. Soosai and Palathurai Sakyaraja (33) have been stripped and attacked by the military. They have given statements that their sarongs had been removed and tied around their eyes before they were attacked.
Palathurai Skyaraja had been stripped and assualted in front of his mother. His mother had also been attacked by the army when she had tried to come to his rescue. Albert Yurin (28) who has no proper control of his right leg and arm had also been assaulted. Another person, Gunarasa who suffers from eye sight had also been assaulted. His mother had also been attacked by the military.
The wives of the persons who had been apprehended have allegedly been sexually abused by the military when they had visited the camp to see their husbands.
Most of the women who had been abused have received treatment from the Jaffna Hospital. The doctors at the hospital have asked get themselves admitted to hospital for treatment. However, they had refused to stay back saying they could not leave their children alone at home when their husbands were also apprehended by the military.
The women have said the military personnel have tried to tear their clothes and molest them. They have said the injuries to their chest areas were due to the attempts made to remove their clothes. However, the women have refused to speak about the incident.
