Sinhala language was taught during rehabilitation. Released university student notify.

Friday , 15 February 2013

“We are not aware why government stated rehabilitation. Government from the day we were detained taught us Sinhala language”, was the statement given by Jaffna university student union Secretary P.Dharshanth who was detained and released from the Welikanda camp. He was queried yesterday, to mention regarding the rehabilitation given during detention.

Concerning the rehabilitation and the incidents occurred during the two months period, he said, we were arrested last December 1st, early morning hours by the Terrorism Prevention Police and was taken to Vavuniya. We were detained at the Terrorism Prevention Police office for 10 days and were investigated.

CID interrogated us in many angles but we without fear in detail mentioned that students from the Jaffna University are not involved with politics.

We said only remembering our relations demised at the Tamil rights struggle, we lighted lamp in commemorating them. Further we were in a peaceful way held protest against the attacks by the forces towards the students. Meanwhile the students did not at any circumstances function instigating violence was mentioned by us.

Meanwhile the CID queried us whether we have any links with the liberation tigers located in foreign countries, and whether we took training in foreign lands. We said “no” for such questions.

At the same time, we did not say that Tamil Eelam Liberation tiger Prabakaran is living or we living in by his name to the CID.

We also wish to notify, during interrogation by the CID, we were not at all harassed. They did not beat us, did not kick us, without any torture they inquired us, which is true.

We were detained for 10 days at Vavuniya, and were transferred to Welikanda camp, and they said, we would be given rehabilitation.

We are not aware what the government gave us in the name of rehabilitation. During the two months period we were detained, most of the days we were taught Sinhala language. In between we were requested to attend the counseling sessions conducted for the former rebels by the government at the Welikanda Camp. Other than this, we did not have any other rehabilitation.

Former rebels who were there were given vocational trainings. We being the university students were provided facilities to learn. They provided us with tables and chairs. We studied the course references which our parents gave us.

We did not undergo any sort of torture even at Welikanda Rehabilitation camp.

Internally and in foreign countries many voiced for our release, protested and campaigned and gave pressure to the government and we have a duty to give our gratitude to all our beloved at this time was said by Tharshanth.

Military personals attacked people engage in hunger strike at Waligamam North

[ Friday, 15 February 2013, 08:49.08 AM GMT +05:30 ]

Military personals carried out brutal attack against people engage in hunger strike at Waligamam North, short while ago.

People together with politicians engage in hunger strike protest on demanding to release lands and resettle people at the high security zone in the Waligamam north. Due to the attack tense situation reported in the area. However people were confident on their protest. According to the sources hunger strike protest commenced at 8.30 am this morning. Opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe was also present at this site. More than thousands of people were present at this hunger strike protest. A group comprise with 6 members suddenly arrive to the location ordered people to evacuate from the site. On this time parliamentarians requested police officials to arrest the suspects cause disturbances to the peaceful protest. However police personals have arrested a suspect and others were taken out by the military personals. Military personals carried out attack against secretary of the Mannippai Divisional Secretariat and the member of the Waligamam North Pradeshiya Sabaha. (2nd Lead) Opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe delivered special speech at the hunger strike protest currently underway in the Thelipalai area Jaffna. End of the speech group of unidentified personals carried out attack against people present at the hunger strike protest. Journalist of the Uthayan news paper was also attacked and suspects have taken away his camera. Members of the Tamil National Alliance have field complaint on this alleged attack at the Thellipalai police station. (3rd Lead) TNA Jaffna district parliamentarian E.Sarawanabawan hold discussions with army and police personals on this attack. Military personals have take away the "memory card" and return back the camera towards Uthayan news paper journalist.