Plight of Tamil Political Prisoners
Oct 06, 2016
“My son is Sellaiya Sudis Kumar. He was arrested on January 28, 2008 while he was traveling to Colombo for bring medicinal items for the hospital. No one interest to take that risk during that period.
My son told that he should go to Colombo to bring medicinal items from a Colombo government office for the benefit of patients at the hospital. Vavuniya police told us my son was arrested due to his involvement with LTTE and imprisoned in prison in Vavuniya. After that he was questioned and beaten by officers CID (Criminal Investigative Department) in Colombo. Then he has been transferred to Anuradhapura prison and Colombo. I went to visit him every prisons. It was not easy task due to needs to get a pass from the LTTE. He is 37 years now and have child at age of 12 years old. I have send letters to many authorities including President and Prime Minister. But I did not receive justice for my son. He was not a LTTE supporter. As a mother, I urge President Maitripala Sirisena to release all Tamil political prisoners without delay,” said Sellaiya Maheswari (63) in Kilinochchi in the Northern Province to Lanka News Web on September 30, 2016.
Above said painful story is not limit for Maheshwari. The bitter truth is it similar to the stories of relatives of many Tamil Political Prisoners in island wide.
Seventy Eight Tamil inmates in Anuradhapura Prison commenced a hunger strike on September 21, 2016 demanding the authorities to either release them grant them bail or put them on trial. It was not the first time they engaged in hunger strike. Although they were engaged in hunger strikes several times since they were imprisoned the authorities have been given number of broken promises for them.
They are being held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which allows the security forces to detain people for up to 18 months without bringing the before the court. Some of them were captive without any charges. Most of them have been imprisoned on suspicion of link with the LTTE (Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam) which was founded in 1976 and possessed its own “Military’ – Tigers (infantry), Sea Tigers (Sea wing) and Air Tigers (Air Wing), in the world, began its armed campaign in Sri Lanka for a separate Tamil homeland in 1983. LTTE was defeated by the Sri Lankan Security Forces in the month of May, 2009.
Since the authorities failed to deliver justice for Tamil political prisoners Tamil politicians, civil rights activists and relatives of inmates rushed to the street several times launched demonstrations demanding release Tamil political prisoners.
Talking to Lanka News Web Father Mariamuttu Sathivel, convener of Movement of Release of Political Prisoners pointed out that suspected LTTE inmates are political prisoners due to they have been taken to the custody under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) 1978.
“Some of Tamil inmates have been inhuman punishments in the custody. We do not have statistics of Tamil prisoners. The government neglected to issue their list. Tamil prisoners’ issue is a political and national problem.”
He added, “Most of Tamil inmates have given confessions to relevant officers. But we know that how they take it from inmates.”
According to Father Sathivel their movement has taken number of actions such as protest marches, demonstrations and sending petitions to authorities for pressure the government to release political prisoners
“Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been given presidential pardon for Karuna, Daya Master and Pillaiyan. As well as President Maitripala Sirisena has given a presidential pardon for Sivaraja Jenivan who an attempt to assassinate the President Sirisena in 2006. If so, why the President Sirisena not follow the same procedure to other Tamil inmates? said Sathivel, Anglican priest.
“The issue of Tamil inmates is a political problem. Therefore government should find a prompt action to release suspected LTTE supporters without unconditionally,” he added.
The Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka has been pointed out the fundamental rights of citizens of Sri Lanka as follows:
“Chapter III - Fundamental Rights
13 (1) No person shall be arrested except according to procedure established by law. Any person arrested shall be informed of the reason for his arrest.
(2) Every person held in custody, detained or otherwise deprived of personal liberty shall be brought before the judge of the nearest competent court according to procedure established by law, and shall not be further held in custody, detained or deprived of personal liberty except upon and in terms of the order of suet. judge made in accordance with procedure established by law.
(3) Any person charged with an offence shall he entitled to be heard, in person or by an attorney at-law at a fair trial by a competent court.
(4) No person shall be punished with death or imprisonment except by order of a competent court, made in accordance with procedure established by law. The arrest, holding in custody, detention or other deprivation of personal liberty of a person, pending investigation or trial, shall not constitute punishment.”
It is very clear that the government of Sri Lanka not ready to follow their constitution. If they really practice their supreme law in the country we never heard about hunger strike stories of Tamil political prisoners.
If the government can rehabilitate and free 12,000 ex-LTTE members why they play with lives of less two hundred Tamil inmates who suffer in prison since 1997?
The new Ranil-Maitri coalition government has been pledged their countrymen to protect democratic rights and stand for good governance and accountability. The new government should take this Tamil inmate issue seriously and release them without charges as a genuine witness to the process of reconciliation in the 30 years war hit Sri Lanka.
President Maitripala Sirisena has been given a presidential pardon for the Tamil rebel who attempted to kill him. It has given very good impression to the world. If so, President Sirisena can follow the same thing for other Tamil political prisoners. If he can come up with such stern decision Tamil political prisoners can reunion with their family members. And which is more no one can misuse Tamil inmates for their hidden political games.
Citizens of Sri Lanka have a social responsibility to pressure the President Sirisena to declare a presidential pardon for ex-LTTE members in jail.
The authorities should understand that Tamil inmates suffered a lot during last decades in the prison. Therefore there is no other option than presidential pardon to release them.
“Nahi verena verani,
sammantidha kudacanam,
averena ca sammanti,
esa dhammo sanantano.”
(Hatred is, indeed, never appeased by hatred in this world. It is appeased only by loving-kindness. This is an ancient law.) – Dhammapada Verse 5.
By Lawrence Ferdinando - Colombo.
Above said painful story is not limit for Maheshwari. The bitter truth is it similar to the stories of relatives of many Tamil Political Prisoners in island wide.
Seventy Eight Tamil inmates in Anuradhapura Prison commenced a hunger strike on September 21, 2016 demanding the authorities to either release them grant them bail or put them on trial. It was not the first time they engaged in hunger strike. Although they were engaged in hunger strikes several times since they were imprisoned the authorities have been given number of broken promises for them.
They are being held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which allows the security forces to detain people for up to 18 months without bringing the before the court. Some of them were captive without any charges. Most of them have been imprisoned on suspicion of link with the LTTE (Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam) which was founded in 1976 and possessed its own “Military’ – Tigers (infantry), Sea Tigers (Sea wing) and Air Tigers (Air Wing), in the world, began its armed campaign in Sri Lanka for a separate Tamil homeland in 1983. LTTE was defeated by the Sri Lankan Security Forces in the month of May, 2009.
Since the authorities failed to deliver justice for Tamil political prisoners Tamil politicians, civil rights activists and relatives of inmates rushed to the street several times launched demonstrations demanding release Tamil political prisoners.
Talking to Lanka News Web Father Mariamuttu Sathivel, convener of Movement of Release of Political Prisoners pointed out that suspected LTTE inmates are political prisoners due to they have been taken to the custody under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) 1978.
“Some of Tamil inmates have been inhuman punishments in the custody. We do not have statistics of Tamil prisoners. The government neglected to issue their list. Tamil prisoners’ issue is a political and national problem.”
He added, “Most of Tamil inmates have given confessions to relevant officers. But we know that how they take it from inmates.”
According to Father Sathivel their movement has taken number of actions such as protest marches, demonstrations and sending petitions to authorities for pressure the government to release political prisoners
“Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been given presidential pardon for Karuna, Daya Master and Pillaiyan. As well as President Maitripala Sirisena has given a presidential pardon for Sivaraja Jenivan who an attempt to assassinate the President Sirisena in 2006. If so, why the President Sirisena not follow the same procedure to other Tamil inmates? said Sathivel, Anglican priest.
“The issue of Tamil inmates is a political problem. Therefore government should find a prompt action to release suspected LTTE supporters without unconditionally,” he added.
The Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka has been pointed out the fundamental rights of citizens of Sri Lanka as follows:
“Chapter III - Fundamental Rights
13 (1) No person shall be arrested except according to procedure established by law. Any person arrested shall be informed of the reason for his arrest.
(2) Every person held in custody, detained or otherwise deprived of personal liberty shall be brought before the judge of the nearest competent court according to procedure established by law, and shall not be further held in custody, detained or deprived of personal liberty except upon and in terms of the order of suet. judge made in accordance with procedure established by law.
(3) Any person charged with an offence shall he entitled to be heard, in person or by an attorney at-law at a fair trial by a competent court.
(4) No person shall be punished with death or imprisonment except by order of a competent court, made in accordance with procedure established by law. The arrest, holding in custody, detention or other deprivation of personal liberty of a person, pending investigation or trial, shall not constitute punishment.”
It is very clear that the government of Sri Lanka not ready to follow their constitution. If they really practice their supreme law in the country we never heard about hunger strike stories of Tamil political prisoners.
If the government can rehabilitate and free 12,000 ex-LTTE members why they play with lives of less two hundred Tamil inmates who suffer in prison since 1997?
The new Ranil-Maitri coalition government has been pledged their countrymen to protect democratic rights and stand for good governance and accountability. The new government should take this Tamil inmate issue seriously and release them without charges as a genuine witness to the process of reconciliation in the 30 years war hit Sri Lanka.
President Maitripala Sirisena has been given a presidential pardon for the Tamil rebel who attempted to kill him. It has given very good impression to the world. If so, President Sirisena can follow the same thing for other Tamil political prisoners. If he can come up with such stern decision Tamil political prisoners can reunion with their family members. And which is more no one can misuse Tamil inmates for their hidden political games.
Citizens of Sri Lanka have a social responsibility to pressure the President Sirisena to declare a presidential pardon for ex-LTTE members in jail.
The authorities should understand that Tamil inmates suffered a lot during last decades in the prison. Therefore there is no other option than presidential pardon to release them.
“Nahi verena verani,
sammantidha kudacanam,
averena ca sammanti,
esa dhammo sanantano.”
(Hatred is, indeed, never appeased by hatred in this world. It is appeased only by loving-kindness. This is an ancient law.) – Dhammapada Verse 5.
By Lawrence Ferdinando - Colombo.
