Jeevan Hoole of UTHR(J) stated on the UTHR(J) Website that "The University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna) is an organisation which began to publish reports on human rights violations in the middle of 1988 from University of Jaffna. Although it started as a branch of the national organisation, it is still continuing to function against several odds even after the national organisation ceased to function" (UTHR(J) Apr. 1996). He reported that UTHR(J) relocated to Colombo following the 21 September 1989 killing of one of its founding members, Dr. Rajani Thiranagama, and the visit of gunmen to the home of another (ibid.). Hoole stated that UTHR(J)'s endeavour confronted "various obstacles and continuous assault from various sections from our own community" and that UTHR(J) functions under "continuous threat" from the LTTE in particular and other militant groups, and thus needs to live "semi- underground" (ibid.).

In a 29 December 1996 article, the Colombo-based English-language weekly, the Sunday Observer, reported that "The UTHR consists of academics from the Jaffna university but is based outside the region for fear of attacks by the LTTE as well as the military. A founder member of the panel was killed in Jaffna by gunmen in 1989."

More recent information on where the UTHR is presently based could not be found among the sources consulted.

Detailed information on the UTHR (J), including organization, activities, and history, can be found on the UTHR(J) Website at http://www2.hmc.edu/~JHoole/ AboutUTHR.html.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Sunday Observer [Colombo]. http://www.lanka.net. 29 December 1996. "Tigers Failed to Provoke Soldiers: University Teachers for Human Rights."

UTHR(J). http://www2.hme.edu/~Jhoole/AboutUTHR.html. April 1996. Jeevan Hoole. "About The University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna Branch)."