Allow Kumar Gunaratnam an opportunity to apply for ‘dual citizenship’

( March 10, 2016, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) When thousands have been given dual citizenship, why is Kumar being denied dual citizenship? AG’s role in ‘most talk about Political Prisoner’

Executive Director of the Sri Lanka Centre for Human Rights and Research, Keerthi Tennakoon issuing a statement said that the Government needed to take urgent action to grant Kumar Gunaratnam the opportunity to apply for dual citizenship.

Kumar Gunaratnam, a leader of the Frontline Socialist Party, has presently been remanded at the Kegalle remand Prison for over 100 days. In an unprecedented fashion, virtually unheard of and hitherto unseen in other parts of the world, he has been detained for a lengthy period for a violation of the immigration and emigration law.

It is not an immigration and emigration law related issue that is there in relation to Kumar Gunaratnam but a political problem. This issue can be solved through the intervention of the political leadership.

At present and as of now, the new Government has granted dual citizenship to approximately 4,000 persons or either has completed the basic aspects necessary to give dual citizenship to these persons. Thousands of Sri Lankans are being granted dual citizenship. Only Gunaratnam is being denied this.

 The crisis surrounding Gunaratnam is dragging on because the Attorney General’s Department is blocking opportunities for Gunaratnam to apply for the dual citizenship status.

Aside to the group detained under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the political prisoner who is at present in the most vulnerable situation is Kumar Gunaratnam. The country gains nothing by continuing to keep him in remand custody. The Government must take a creative approach to solve this crisis. There cannot be a legal solution to a problem which requires a political solution.

Both the President and the Prime Minister repeatedly told the people of the country prior to the election that all people of the land will be given political freedom. Yet, except for Kumar Gunaratnam, many have received political freedom. The Sri Lanka Centre for Human Rights and Research is of the firm conviction that this situation must be immediately rectified.

(letter by AG )