Subject:       AI appeal to LTTE

Amnesty International  appeal to LTTE


I. Introduction

Amnesty International is deeply concerned for the safety of 32
Muslims who were taken into custody by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE) in Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya Districts between 1989
and 1991.  The LTTE has provided no information about where they are
holding them or about their state of health.  It is not known whether
the 32 Muslims are still alive or not.  Amnesty International has
repeatedly called upon the LTTE to reveal their whereabouts and state
of health and to allow them immediate access to their relatives, a
doctor and members of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
We will continue to do so until we are satisfied that they are being
treated humanely in accordance with the Geneva Conventions.

Below is some background information, details of the 32 cases, and
an address of the LTTE for those who wish to join Amnesty's appeals.
For more information on Amnesty's work on Sri Lanka, please visit
http://www.amnesty.org/ or http://www.derechos.org/saran/lanka.html

II. Background 

The LTTE are an armed Tamil opposition group in Sri Lanka.  They are
fighting for a separate Tamil state - which they call Eelam - in the
northeast of the country.  Between mid-1987 and March 1990, security
in the northeast was the responsibility of the Indian Peace Keeping
Force (IPKF), which had entered the country under the terms of the
Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, signed in 1987.  The IPKF came into conflict
with the LTTE within a few months after their arrival.  Another Tamil
group, the Eelam Peoples' Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF), was
allied with the IPKF during their stay in the country.  The 32
Muslims were reportedly taken into custody by the LTTE because they
were suspected of being collaborators of the EPRLF.

Between the end of 1989 and March 1990, the IPKF gradually withdrew
from Sri Lanka.  As they left, the LTTE took control of the areas
vacated.  At the time, the LTTE was engaged in a ceasefire and talks
with the Sri Lankan government (both the LTTE and the Sri Lankan
government wanted the IPKF to leave); the Sri Lankan government
effectively allowed the LTTE to administer the vacated areas.  Sri
Lankan Army personnel in the northeast were confined to their barracks
and the police operated in a restricted manner.  During this period,
the LTTE reportedly carried out widespread arrests, tortured prisoners
and held them in incommunicado detention, caused prisoners to
"disappear" and committed deliberate, unlawful killings.  Hostilities
between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government resumed in June 1990.
Human rights abuses committed by the LTTE since then have included the
deliberate killing of hundreds of non-combatant Muslim and Sinhalese
civilians, the arbitrary killing of civilians in attacks on buses and
trains, the torture and killing of prisoners and abductions for ransom.
The LTTE has also executed prisoners accused of being "traitors."

Amnesty International concentrates on human rights violations
committed by governments, but also works against abuses of human
rights committed by armed opposition groups such as the LTTE.  Our
work on such abuses does not imply recognition of any special legal
status of the groups concerned, but is based on international
humanitarian law (also known as the "laws of war").  Humanitarian law
contains the minimum standards of humane behavior which all parties
to an armed conflict (whether government or opposition group) must
uphold.  In particular, Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions
requires that all parties to an armed conflict treat humanely all
those taking no part in the hostilities.  Such people must not be
murdered, mutilated, tortured or subjected to cruel, humiliating or
degrading treatment.  In February 1988, the LTTE announced that it
would abide by the provisions of the Geneva Conventions.  It claims
to comply with these standards but has consistently failed to do so.
Amnesty International is concerned for the safety of the 32 Muslims
because of the reports of ill-treatment and even torture of prisoners
in LTTE custody.

III. Details of the 32 Muslims

Below are the names, ages at the time of detention, and other details
concerning the 32 Muslims:

1. Naina Mohamed Roshan, 21, detained on February 3, 1990 in Jaffna
District.
2. Kamal Ajmayeen, 25, detained on May 28, 1991 in Vavuniya District.
3. Sameen Niyas, 18, detained at 9:00 P.M. on July 2, 1990 in Jaffna
District.
4. Abdul Wahab Ajward, 24, a tailor, detained on August 3, 1990 in
Jaffna District.
5. Abdul Gafoor Nakeeb, 28, a porter, detained near Thandikulam
checkpoint, Vavuniya District on May 28, 1991.
6. Jamaldeen Farook, 26, detained on May 28, 1990 in Vavuniya
District.
7. Abdul Majeed Jaleese, 32, a businessman, detained on September 25,
1990 near Muslim College Road Mosque, Jaffna.
8. Mohideen Abdul Cader, 39, detained on February 17, 1990 in
Vavuniya District.
9. Abdul Jabbar Subair, 39, a porter, detained on May 28, 1991 in
Vavuniya District.
10. Mohideen Thamby Sabarullah, 43, a porter, detained on May 28,
1991 in Vavuniya District.
11. Hamza Nawaz, 17, a tailor, detained on July 20, 1990 while on his
way home in Chavakachcheri, Jaffna District.
12. Ismail Rameeze, 22, detained on January 1, 1990 in Jaffna
District.
13. Badurudheen Siraj, 16, detained on July 1, 1990 in Jaffna
District.
14. Badurudheen Jaleel, 25, detained on July 1, 1990 in Jaffna
District.
15. Abdul Jabbar Firooze, 20, a textile merchant, detained on
February 17, 1990 opposite his house in Jaffna while returning from
the mosque.
16. Abdul Latheef Mohamed Rameez, 20, a laborer and fisherman,
detained on January 26, 1990 at the Velanai LTTE camp, Mankumban,
Jaffna District.
17. Abdul Majeed Najeeb, 36, a porter, detained on May 28, 1991 in
Vavuniya District.
18. Abdul Latheef Rajab, 19, a van assistant, detained on September
21, 1990 in Mankumban, Jaffna District.
19. Seeni Aliyar Inudeen, 27, detained on October 25, 1991 in
Karaiyoor, Jaffna District.
20. Seeni Aliyar Raleezkhan, 19, detained on January 27, 1990 in
Jaffna District.
21. Shahul Hameed Thanzil, 42, detained on April 20, 1991 in Vavuniya
District.
22. Abdul Raheem Jabreen, 24, detained on February 15, 1990 in
Mankumban, Jaffna District.
23. Neeran Mohideen Najeeb, 26, detained on December 10, 1989 in
Jaffna District.
24. Badurusaman Ramzeen, 23, a student, detained on March 10, 1989 in
Mullaitivu town, Mullaitivu District.
25. Jamal Mohamed Rafeek, 21, detained on February 24, 1991 in
Chunnakam, Jaffna District.
26. Abdul Jabbar Sunthoos, 24, detained on July 19, 1990 in Jaffna
District.
27. Ashankany Mohamed Nilan, 19, detained on July 19, 1990 in Jaffna
District.
28. Mohamed Hamza, 68, detained on July 25, 1990 in Jaffna District.
29. Seinulabdeen Firudouse, 43, detained on January 24, 1990 in
Mullaitivu District.
30. Vabusa Mohamed Farook, 52, detained on October 25, 1990 in
Mullaitivu District.
31. Cader Mohideen Subair, 26, detained on October 8, 1989 in
Mankulam, Vavuniya District.
32. Shareefdeen Baseer, 20, detained on May 28, 1991 in Vavuniya
District.
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IV. LTTE Address

Those interested in joining Amnesty International in our appeals on
behalf of the 32 people may write to the LTTE at:  211 Katherine Road,
London E6 1BU, United Kingdom, tel/fax:  0181-470-8593; 
Read disclaimer..

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 Latest News from Island News**** 06/28 0016  
Tamil Rebel Leader Attempts to Flee Sri Lanka

 COLOMBO (June 28,1997) - Velupillai Prabhakaran, leader of the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), is reportedly attempting
to  flee to another country as he is unable to face  the  ongoing
Jaya Sikuru  operation in northern Sri Lanka.
   The leader might escape together with his family to  Cambodia,
Laos  or  Myanmar,  the  newspaper  The  Daily  News today quoted
intelligence reports  as saying.
   The original plan, according to the paper, was to  first  send
his family abroad, but this plan had failed.
   Even some of his closest associates are reportedly planning to
desert  the leader, but they were forcibly kept by Prabhakaran to
provide  security until he escapes  from  the  country  with  his
family.
   A large number of LTTE cadres have been  killed  in  the  Jaya
Sikuru  (Certain Victory) Operation launched by government troops
on May 14 and  the LTTE rebels are said to be disillusioned  that
their leader is about  to flee the country.
   The  LTTE  has  been  fighting  a  14-year  war  against   the
government  for  a  separate  state  in the north and east of the
country.