TNA demands release of arrested Tamil

youth In a letter to President Rajapaksa:

April 30, 2012

By Franklin R. Satyapalan

TNA Leader and parliamentarian R. Sampanthan has sought President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s intervention to secure the release of several youth taken into custody during the recent search operations in the Eastern Province, particularly in the Trincomalee District.

Sampanthan has in a letter, brought to the President’s notice that the arrested youth have been taken to Colombo and some undisclosed locations.

The TNAleader has said in his letter: "Many of those arrested have been leading normal civilian lives being bread winners of the young families. Some have had no connection to any illegal activities at all, certainly not recently. The action of the Police and the Security Forces, in addition to being arbitrary and illegal, has caused great consternation and unrest among the Tamil people of the Eastern Province. Some next of kin have been informed that they had been taken for "rehabilitation". I wish to bring to your notice that there is no legal provision under which this can be done".

Sampanthan has also requested President Rajapaksa to effect changes to the Pillayan Temple situated at the entrance to the General Hospital in Trincomalee.

"Renovations of this temple commenced in July 2011 and the structure had to be adjusted slightly to comply with the prescribed AHGAMAM rules. Consequently, some pillars of the temple seem to have been placed alongside the road. However, this section of the hospital road is no longer used as a public road since it is within the Hospital premises.

"The Urban Development Authority has directed that the front portion of the building, said to be on the road reservation area, be removed, on the basis that this is still a public road.

"I appeal to you to kindly intervene in this matter and direct the UDA to withdraw the said letter and permit the renovation work to be completed within one year as required by the AHGAMAM rules so that the Kumbabisheham scheduled for the 5th of June, 2012 can take place."

Responding to the TNA leader’s demand, the Defence Ministry told The Island last night that the security forces had been directed to conduct search operations in the former war zone and arrest the ex-LTTEcadres who had not undergone rehabilitation. The arrested youth would be rehabilitated and released, the government said.