Photojournalism: Sri Lanka's Missing: NEW_NORTHMISSING_ASJ_35

Thangavel Sathiyathek holds a photo of her son, Magalingam Sivagini and his family at a protest site for loved ones of the disappeared in Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka. Thangavel Sathiyathek is missing her son, Magalingam Sivagini and his family. On the 18 May 2009 it was ordered that all LTTE should surrender. Thangavel went with her son and his family to the military camp to surrender. The military took him, his wife and their 3 children and she hasn't heard from them since. When she went to inquire about them at a military camp 3 days later she was arrested and held for 1 month. A few years ago she paid 400,000 rupees to someone who called her and promised if she paid money he would be released, but he never was. Sivagini was a politician in LTTE and his wife worked as a lawyer in the LTTE courts. {quote}I understand why they might want to hold adults by why would they keep the children? The youngest was only 2 1/2 years old. It's been 10 years, why are they keeping them? The government says everything is safe here in Sri Lanka and there are no problems, why can't they release them? Why would they keep them?{quote} Thangavel says.

Thangavel Sathiyathek holds a photo of her son, Magalingam Sivagini and his family at a protest site for loved ones of the disappeared in Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka. Thangavel Sathiyathek is missing her son, Magalingam Sivagini and his family. On the 18 May 2009 it was ordered that all LTTE should surrender. Thangavel went with her son and his family to the military camp to surrender. The military took him, his wife and their 3 children and she hasn't heard from them since. When she went to inquire about them at a military camp 3 days later she was arrested and held for 1 month. A few years ago she paid 400,000 rupees to someone who called her and promised if she paid money he would be released, but he never was. Sivagini was a politician in LTTE and his wife worked as a lawyer in the LTTE courts. "I understand why they might want to hold adults by why would they keep the children? The youngest was only 2 1/2 years old. It's been 10 years, why are they keeping them? The government says everything is safe here in Sri Lanka and there are no problems, why can't they release them? Why would they keep them?" Thangavel says.