Demonstration to mark 200 days since the unlawful detention of Jeyakumary
A demonstration was held outside the Fort Railway Station, Colombo, on the 29th of September to mark 200 days since Jeyakumary was unlawfully detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), and calling for her release and the release of all other political prisoners held without charges under the PTA:
It received coverage in the Hindu, Lanka Focus, Vikalpa (and again), Global Tamil News, Pathivu, Tamil Guardian and Sri Lanka Brief. Appallingly no mainstream Sri Lankan media covered the event.
Several senior members of opposition political parties and civil society were in attendance, including:
- Gajen Ponnambalam – President, Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF)
- Siritunga Jayasuriya – General Secretary, United Socialist Party (CWI in Sri Lanka)
- M.A. Sumanthiran – MP, Tamil National Alliance (TNA)
- Mano Ganesan – Leader, Democratic Peoples Front (Political Party)
- Azath Salley – Leader, National Unity Front (NUF)
- Members of Civil Society
- Trade Unions leaders & members
- Members of the Clergy
- Civic conscious members of the general public
- Members of the Media
There was also a small counter-demonstration by pro-Government supporters, who hurled abuse at the demonstrators, held up offensive cartoons targeting prominent members of Sri Lankan Civil Society, and distributed a leaflet framing Jeyakumary as supporting the revival of the LTTE
