More evidence of Tamils facing torture - TAG

Friday, 01 June 2012

A report by the Tamil rights group, Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), provides primary evidence supporting the claims of torture against failed asylum seekers, and Tamils deemed to be political active.

Find report here.

See TamilNet article here.

One signed witness statement, which we should warn is extremely distressing, said:

"... about 5 CID officers beat me. And pushed me roughly and tightly. They hit my head against the wall and tore my T shirt off. Then one person untied the knots in my hand and ordered me to undress. They forced me to undress and then beat me left and right with their booted legs..."

"They tied my hands back again, spoke something in Sinhala, switched off the lights and locked me inside. The light switch was outside the room. I was locked alone in a small room. I was not given any food that day. I did not know what will happen to me ever after."

"After some time, they came in switched on the lights and opened the door. It should have been the following day. I wouldn't gage the time. I was lying naked on the floor. They came and kicked me with the boots. One of them spoke in broken Tamil. He said that I was a member of the LTTE because my family member was an important person in the LTTE."

"They beat me all over (my head, back and legs). I replied that I didn't know anything at all already screaming with pain. One of them spoke very bad Tamil and beat me with a big stick. He didn't want to my pleas and then they hit my genitals with their booted legs. I couldn't bear the pain and I fainted. I did not know what happened thereafter."

Speaking to TamilNet, Jan Jananayagam of TAG said,

"TAG's report presents these sources of evidence showing how failed asylum seekersmay face risks either simply by virtue of their status as failed asylum seekers, or due to imputed political opinion regarding LTTE involvement or support especially when returning from places such as the UK that traditionally have very active Tamil diaspora communities."