Sivasubramaniam Raveendranath
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Sivasubramaniam Raveendranath (born February 22, 1951)[1] is a Sri Lankan Tamil academic and the Vice Chancellor of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. He disappeared after attending a conference on December 15, 2006 in a high-security zone in Colombo[2][3] and was last seen leaving the conference after receiving a telephone call.[4] His current whereabouts are unknown[5] and his family have claimed that they believe that he has been killed.[6]
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[edit] Disappearance
Raveendranath had been with the Eastern University of Sri Lanka since its inception but he had to give his resignation following threats and the kidnapping of Dean Dr. K. Balasukumar to the University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman.[4] However, the UGC asked him to work from the capital, Colombo. He moved to Colombo and lived there with his daughter. According to his son-in-law, M. Malaravan:
He received several threatening calls from an unknown group asking him to resign, which led to him coming to stay with his family in Dehiwala in early October this year. He informed the UGC chairman with regard to this matter. He also wrote to Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa about the threats to his life.[4][5]
Prior to his disappearance, Raveendranath was attending the annual sessions of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science at Vidya Mandiraya, which is situated in a high security zone in Colombo. He was last seen leaving the session after receiving a phone call.[3][4][7]
Local media have reported that there are allegations that gunmen belonging to the paramilitary organisation Tamil Makkal Viduthalia Pulikal (TMVP) have kidnapped him.[8][9]
[edit] Reactions
Reacting to the disappearance, Amnesty International speculated that Raveendranath is being held by "an armed group operating with the tacit support of the security forces".[10] The University Teachers for Human Rights (UTHR), a local human rights organisation, also claimed that he has been abducted and alleged that there is "widespread consensus" that the TMVP is behind the disappearance and that the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence was aware of the kidnapping plot.[7] Robert J. Quinn, director of the Scholars At Risk network, issued an appeal to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse to locate him.[11]
[edit] Government investigation
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) investigation revealed that the initial threats to him came from an armed group suspected to be the TMVP. Raveendranath's driver has been detained and it is alleged that he had received telephone calls from people "believed to be" members of the TMVP.[4]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Raveendranath, Sivasubramaniam. Curriculum Vitae (DOC). Eastern University of Sri Lanka. Retrieved on 2007-08-09.
- ^ "Sri Lankan police drag out their inquiries into the murder of SEP supporter", 2007-08-10. Retrieved on 2007-08-10.
- ^ a b Zuhair, Ayesha (2007-05-02). The family members of Prof. S. Raveendranath anxiously await a miracle. Daily Mirror. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
- ^ a b c d e Fuad, Asif (2006-12-24). Disappearance of VC: CID in the dark. The Sunday Times. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
- ^ a b Gardner, Simon (2007-03-07). Abductions, disappearances haunt Lankan civil war. Gulf Times. Retrieved on 2007-07-23.
- ^ Missing top Sri Lankan academic may be dead, says family. Canada Standard (2007-07-04). Retrieved on 2007-07-23.
- ^ a b Hoole, Ranjan. "S.Raveendranath, Vice Chancellor of Eastern University", UTHR, 2007-07-19. Retrieved on 2007-08-10.
- ^ Morris, Chris. "Civil war haunts Sri Lanka again", BBC, 2007-01-20. Retrieved on 2007-07-23.
- ^ Fiorito, Joe. "The fate of a Sri Lankan scholar hits home here", Toronto Star, 2007-04-02. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
- ^ Amnesty International (2006-12-06). "Disappearance"/fear of torture or ill-treatment/health concern: Professor Sivasubramanium Raveendranath (m). Amnesty International. Retrieved on 2007-07-19. “Since he was in an area tightly controlled by the military, it seems likely that his captors are an armed group operating with the tacit support of the security forces. He is at risk of torture. He suffers from heart disease, putting his life in greater danger.”
- ^ Quinn, Robert J (2006-12-06). SRI LANKA: SAR appeals to SL President to locate disappeared Vice-chancellor Raveendranath. Scholars At Risk. Retrieved on 2007-07-19. “We are greatly concerned about his physical well being, not least because in September of this year unidentified gunmen demanding Prof. Raveendranath's resignation kidnapped the Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Eastern University, Professor Bala Sugumar, and because in the months thereafter Professor Raveendranath received repeated death threats demanding he abandon his post.”
