Updates on ground situation in Jaffna
Groundviews -10 Dec, 2012
After the violent unrest that started late November in Jaffna, (for photos and background, read The death of Freedom of Assembly, Expression and Religion in the North of Sri Lanka),Groundviews has continuously received updates on the ground situation. In addition to forwarding these updates via email, we have decided to post them on the site for increased awareness and greater public debate on the disturbing situation in and around post-war Jaffna today. The updates are posted as we received them and as accounts open t0 contestation. We also strongly welcome further verification and corroboration by readers in the area or familiar with what’s going on.
We will continue to update this blog post as we receive new updates. Please follow @groundviewson Twitter for notifications and also see our Facebook page.
Situation Update as at 11.20am, 10 December, 2012
The six students including five from the University of Jaffna (UoJ) Medical Faculty and one from the Management Faculty, who were handed over to the Vavuniya TID on December 6th, 2012, have been released this morning.
The six students including five from the University of Jaffna (UoJ) Medical Faculty and one from the Management Faculty, who were handed over to the Vavuniya TID on December 6th, 2012, have been released this morning.
Furthermore, of the three students who surrendered to the Human Rights Commission on the 7th of December, who on the advice of the Commission surrendered to the Vavuniya TID office, two have also been released this morning following 2-3 days of interrogation. However, there seems to be no further news on the whereabouts or welfare of the Student Union President, V. Bhavananadan, who also surrendered to the TID with the two Science Faculty students who have now been released.
Meanwhile, the three Student Union Members of the UoJ, Sanmugam Solaman, Kanagasundram Jenamajenth, and the Student Union Secretary Paramalingam Tharshaanan who were arrested on the 29th and 30th of November, are still being held in detention. Parents of the students had been denied permission to visit the boys at the TID Office in Vavuniya this morning. The parents of the students fear that their children have been transferred to the Rehabilitation Centre in Welikanda.
Situation Update as of 8 December, 2012
Three more University students, from the list of 10 handed over by the Kopai Police to the University authorities on the 6th of December, have surrendered to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) seeking protection yesterday (7th December). The three students include the current Student Union President, V. Bhavananadan.
This trend of seeking protection from the HRCSL is similar to how youth sought protection from the Commission and were placed in protective custody during the 2006-2008 period when youths were faced with threats and intimidation by the security forces and paramilitary groups.
This surge of arrests and detention has once again caused a fear psychosis to arise among University students and youth in the North.
The list of students handed over by the Kopai Police to the University Authorities on the 6th of December, 2012.
1. Selwarathnam Renuraj
2. V. Bhavananadan
3. Ambalawanapillai Prasana
4. T. Abarajithan
5. Pranadhan Sabeshkumar
6. Selvanayagam Janahan
7. Rajendran Miller Alexendar
8. Kanagarasa Sanjeewan
9. Sathyamoorthi Prasanna
10. Sinnaiya Shashikantha
2. V. Bhavananadan
3. Ambalawanapillai Prasana
4. T. Abarajithan
5. Pranadhan Sabeshkumar
6. Selvanayagam Janahan
7. Rajendran Miller Alexendar
8. Kanagarasa Sanjeewan
9. Sathyamoorthi Prasanna
10. Sinnaiya Shashikantha
Situation Update as at 12.30pm, 7 December, 2012 Continue reading »
