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Name: Mariyanayagam Maruthanayagam (a.k.a.Christy)
Age: 31 Marital status: Single
Address: Periyavilan, Ilavalai centre, Elavalai
Occupation: Slightly handicapped and unemployed
Christy’s own family home is in Vasavilan which is near the Palaly High Security
Zone in Jaffna. The family was forced out of their home by the Sri Lankan
military in the 1980s. Christy’s family has lived in Ilavalai for several years.
They displaced to Mallavi in Vanni in 1995 and returned back to Ilavalai during
the ceasefire period that started in 2002.
Christy has some intellectual handicap and was staying at home. He did not start
to walk until he was eight years old. He could not cope with the mainstream
school curriculum, therefore he has stayed home ever since. His family has given
him a mobile phone and his relatives would ring and talk to him on his mobile
phone. He travels within his village on his bicycle.
He is a very friendly person and has been in friendly terms with the Sri Lankan
military personnel from the nearby military camp. The information below is
provided by his family.
Mother and brother move out of Jaffna
Tamil civilians who have been killed, disappeared, and seriously injured by SLA
and its paramilitaries over the last two months in Jaffna included families
whose members are/were in the LTTE.
One of Christy’s brothers was a member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) who died in a battle. Christy’s mother took Christy’s younger brother and
moved to Vanni a couple of weeks ago, fearing he might be at risk because he is
the brother of a late LTTE member. She left Christy behind with his father
because she was confident that the Sri Lankan military and its paramilitaries
will do no harm to him due to his condition and nature.
The disappearance
On January 9th 2006 Christy went to his married sister’s home. He had lunch with
his sister and brother-in-law and watched a movie on the television. When he
wanted to leave to go his home late in the afternoon, his sister advised him
that it is getting dark and he should not leave. Like almost everyone in Jaffna
she was thinking of the prevailing level of violence. Christy insisted that he
should leave because his father is alone at home. Sister begged him not to leave
but Christy was too insistent that he must and he left for his home around 5.30
pm.
Christy appears to have stopped at his favourite tea shop (see map) near his
home on his way. His friends have told the family that they saw him near the tea
shop around 6.45 pm. The tea shop owner confirmed that Christy had tea in his
shop around 6.30 pm. That was the last sighting of Christy. Christy’s bicycle is
also missing. His family tried to ring Christy on his mobile phone but it has
been turned off. His family said that Christy does not turn off his mobile phone
at all implying that someone else has turned it off. His mobile phone number is:
077-7179183.
Soon after Christy’s disappearance, while his family was earnestly searching for
him, his brother-in-law heard from his neighbours that people came in a “white
van” looking for the brother-in-law as well. Note that “white van” in current
usage among the people in Jaffna has a strong contextual meaning. These “white
vans” are referred to by all families who have lodged complaints with us about
abductions of their family members. These “white vans” do not have number plates
and they have darkened windows so that one cannot see the passengers inside.
The search
The family has lodged complaints with, Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM),
ICRC, the Ilavalai police station, and the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission.
Note by NESOHR: NESOHR is with holding the identities of the people who have
provided us with information about the case for their own safety. NESOHR is
ready to share more detailed information with any reputable international human
rights organizations wishing to inquire into this case. |
