Tension rises in Jaffna as TID arrests more people under anti-terror laws
- Post 05 December 2012
- By Ramanan Veerasingham
The counter terrorism unit of the Sri Lankan Police on Tuesday night have arrested at least ten young men, including 'rehabilitated' former Tamil Tiger cadres, who are now resettled with their families in northern town of Jaffna, amid fears of fresh series of state violence in the war-ravaged areas.
Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission’s (HRC) Northern Regional Co-ordinator, T. Kanakarajah has said that relatives of at least seven arrested men have lodged complaints with the Jaffna HRC about their arrests late Tuesday (04).
He said that five men from Kopay Police Division and two from Chavekachcheri Police Division have been arrested by a special team attached to Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) from Colombo, after they were asked to report to the respective Police stations on Tuesday night.
Prevention of Terrorism Act
According to sources in Jafnna, all these people have lived under the LTTE held areas till the end of the war and later have moved to Jaffna. The arrested ex - Tiger cadres currently have re-settled themselves in Jaffna district after the process of so-called rehabilitation.
"The next of kin have been given documents relating to their arrests by the police and it has been specifically mentioned that they have all been arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA)", Kanagaraja has said in Jaffna.
These fresh arrests have come in the backdrop of the arrest of four Jaffna University undergraduates by the TID on Saturday (01).
Fear of reprisals
According to Kanagaraja the relatives of the seven men arrested have requested the Human Rights Commission not to reveal the names and other details of the arrested men fearing Police reprisals.
Meanwhile, reports from Jaffna reveal that Sinnathamby Ramadas, father of four and Selvarasa Senthildas from Urumpirai were asked to report to the Kopay Police on late Tuesday night. The relatives were later informed that they have been arrested by a special TID unit from Colombo and taken to Vavuniya.
"They were living with their families in the former LTTE held areas and continued to live with them after going through the process of rehabilitation. These men from Urumpirai, Kopay, Chavakachcheri and Jaffna areas have been arrested after reported emergence of LTTE propaganda posters in these areas during the Heroes' Day observation on November 27" the sources in Jaffna told JDS.
© JDS
