Arbitrary arrests escalate in Jaffna as terrified students face O/L exams

Sri Lanka’s counter-terrorism unit has stepped up its campaign of arbitrary arrests in the northern Jaffna peninsula, at a time when tens of thousands of panic-stricken students were getting ready to face the G.C.E Ordinary Level exams, commencing on December 11.

Media reports from Jaffna state, not less than 45 people including females have been arrested, by the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) from Achchuveli, Manipay and Kopay areas during the weekend on charges of terrorism related activities. Three more arrests have been made in Kilinochchi.

Families warned

The media reports said that apart from the University students, many among those arrested were former members of the Tamil Tiger rebels, who have gone through the government's “rehabilitation program” and those who have lived under the former LTTE-held areas in the Wanni.  

“All these people have been arrested by the TID and taken to Vavuniya. In many cases, the TID has found that the persons in its wanted lists have already left  abroad. In those cases, the parents or the spouses have been warned to report to the Vavuniya TID office,” the reports said. 

“As of Friday (Dec 7), relatives of 17 people arrested have lodged their complaints with the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Jaffna. We are aware of the fact that several more arrests remain unreported due to fear of reprisals. We understand there were several arrests, including females by the TID during last weekend, but we don’t know the exact number of people arrested,” HRC Northern Regional Co-ordinator, T. Kanakarajah has said on Monday (10).

Seven released 

Sri Lanka’s Defence Authority arrest campaign in Jaffna is visibly intensified when the international community and rights activists are busy watching closely the developments relating to the government’s move to impeach the country’s Chief Justice.

Of the dozens of Jaffna University students arrested, seven have been released on bail on Monday after the intervention of the University administration.

Protest in Kilinochchi

Meanwhile, major Tamil parties have staged another protest rally on Monday opposite the District Secretariat office in Kilinochchi, the former politico-military administrative capital of the LTTE, demanding the immediate release of the remaining Jaffna university students. 

The protestors carrying placards condemning the police and military atrocities in the northern Jaffna peninsula, have also demanded the authorities to “Put an immediate stop to arbitrary arrests”, “Respect the rights of Students” “Stop terrorising the Tamil people” and “Stop targeting the Tamil students community”.

© JDS