RAPE AND MURDER OF 
IDA CARMELITA IN PALLIMUNAI

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) received information from reliable sources that Ida Carmelitta was raped and killed allegedly by Sri Lankan soldiers on 12th July 1999 night in Pallimunai village in Mannar Island.

Five masked men, heavily armed came and forcefully pulled out the girl from the house and violently raped her and killed her.

The post mortem report submitted by Dr Emmanuel Pieries, District Medical officer of Mannar observed that the victim had been repeatedly raped. Her lips and breasts were bitten off violently. She was shot through her organ. Later at an identification parade, two Sri Lankan soldiers were identified.

The following is a statement given by the Mother of the victim to the government Authorities in Mannar Island in Sri Lanka and reported by the AHRC:

On 12.07.99, Monday at about 1(one) am, I was called by Kesavan Raju, who is having a vegetable shop in our compound.

At that time, my daughter, Ida Carmelita alias Laila, 21 years, 2 grand daughters, 10 & 8 (daughters of my eldest daughter Snekalatha) and I were sleeping in one room, my son Permil Rosary Hitlar, 23, and Pethuru Anthony (my Brother’s son) were in the other room and Mr. Lechumai Kanthan (an acquaintance of ours) was sleeping in the verandah.

When I heard Raju’s voice, I opened the door and found two armed men with their faces covered with a cloth below their eyes. They were wearing trousers, banian, gloves on their hands and holster. I did not see Raju as it was very dark.

They inquired where Napoleon was. Napoleon is my son, who was formerly a member of the LTTE, but now under the custody of the army for the last two years. He is brought by them from Colombo off and on and allowed to stay with us for a few days at a time. He was then here on such leave but that night he had gone somewhere and was not at home. I therefore replied that he was not at home, and inquired who they were. They replied they were from Iyakkam (movement) and slapped me heard on the right of my face and eye, dragged me outside the house, and as if they did not believe me, went inside the house.

From outside I could see one of them pulling off the sheet with which my daughter Ida was covering herself. He asked me who it was and I replied that it was my daughter. One then pulled me onto the courtyard, where I saw Raju, seated on the ground. They pulled off the sarong being worn by him and blindfolded me with it.

Then I heard them calling all the inmates to come out. My daughter began to cry out loud and they told my son to tell her not to shout. He requested her not to shout and came with her outside. She came and sat by my side and buried her face in my lap, sobbing.

After about two minutes, my blindfold was removed and all were asked to get inside the house. We all went into the bigger room. They then called one by one, the 3 males, except Raju, and put them into the other room and closed the door. Through fear I was also shouting and they came and slapped me several times for shouting.

Then they pulled me by my hair to the courtyard, where I saw 3 more armed men. They took a sarong from our fence and gagged me with it, twisted my hands and tied them belting me, and pushed me onto the ground and two men pressed me down with their feet.

First the two men who came earlier went inside the house and after about 3 minute; other three too went inside.

I then managed to sit up and then to stand. Thinking of diverting their attention to myself and off the children, I ran fast, outside our compound and along the road. My hands got loosened by that time and I pulled out the gag from my mouth. I went to the house of a relative and asked for a lantern. They had only a bottle lamp. While there we heard one gunshot first and 5-6 soon afterwards.

I ran to the Pallimunai Police post and told them what had happened and about the gunshots and appealed to them to come to our help. They replied that they could not come at that time and requested me to return home. But I sat for about two hours in front of the police post. At about 3.30 am, I went to another relative’s house, and told them that I would stay with them till dawn.

At about 6 am, I requested them to go and find out what had happened. Seeman Jovar went to our home and returned and informed us that my daughter had been shot and killed. I then came home and found many people already gathered there.

2 or 3 Army personnel came around 8 am and saw the body and left. The Grama Office was informed and he came and inquired and informed the police. The District Judge and the police came at about 10 am and held an inquiry. The DJ ordered that the body be taken to the hospital for post-mortem. We took the body in a van.

As requested, I went to the Mannar Police station and gave a statement. The body was brought home by my children at about 4 PM and we had the funeral late that evening.

I went to hospital the next day and was …admitted there. After two days I was told that I was wanted by the police and so I got myself discharged and went to the police station and my statement was obtained by the CID.

This case was called at the District Courts on 20th. There, I was asked for my consent to exhume the body and to send it to Colombo for further examination. I gave my consent for it and to have it buried in Colombo. It was exhumed on 21st and taken away.

Kesavan Raju identified two of the suspects at the courts. One of them was identified also by my son, Hitlar.