Government buries dead bodies of 47 IDPs in 14 days in Mannaar

The Sri Lankan government buried a total of 47 dead bodies of internally displaced people from Vanni region who were held in Sri Lanka Army-run internment camps, buried in Mannaar general cemetery in 14 days, from May 13 to May 27, by Mannaar District Secretariat.

These bodies were buried by the government authorities as their relatives refused to accept the bodies for burial because of their financial inability, according to sources.

The victims, who sustained serious injuries in artillery offensive by Sri Lankan military targeting “safety zone”, declared by the government, died as they did not get medical treatment.

After being injured they were admitted to Mannaar general hospital. Their bodies were kept in Mannaar general hospital mortuary for identification, 30 bodies were identified and 17 bodies not be identified.

Relatives who identified the 30 bodies refused to accept them for burial because of financial crisis. Later the bodies were buried by the government.

The 30 dead persons identified are: Manonmani Govindan, R.Kamalaraj, Kanagamma, K.Rajeswari , Sellaratnam, Piruthika, S.Sellaranee Meuyaththa, Keeman, Arumugam, Sivakolunthu Regina, Ramanathan Kumarasamy, Sriskandarajah Kanagaladchumy Kanthappu Sellamma andThillaimpalam Rajendran, K.Mathiaparanam, K.Thevan,Velaji, E.Kaththamuththu, Thirugnanaselvam, Arulanantham Sivarajah, Maruthai Kanthiah, Sinna Balakrishnan, Yasotha Moorthiammah Sivaraja Babu, Sinnathamby Thavachelvi, Nagiah Jeyarajah, K.Rajappu.