SL Court in Anuradhapura humiliates hunger-striking Tamil political prisoners

The three hunger-strikers, waging fast-unto-death for the last 30 days demanding their cases not to be transferred to SL Court in Anuradhapura were on Tuesday forcefully taken to Anuradhapura Special Court, where the Judge told them their fast-unto-death or any protest being waged by Tamils would not work. “You have to either face case here or lodge an appeal against it,” the judge told the hunger-strikers, according to the families of the three hunger strikers told TamilNet on Wednesday. In the meantime, SL President Maithiripala Sirisena has again dodged responding to the request of the families of the Tamil political prisoners and is on a travel outside the island. SL Presidential Secretary Austin Fernando has told NPC Opposition Leader S. Thavarasa that Mr Sirisena would not be interfering in the matters of SL Attorney General.

The kith and kin of Tamil prisoners say their interactions with the SL State has been dealt with a humiliating manner, first by SL Governor and now by the SL Judge in Anuradhapura.

The grassroots organizations that were behind the mass protests and Jaffna University Student Union leaders waging their separate discourse of protests said they would step up the protests as the health condition of the political prisoners is worsening day by day.

The protests being staged by the families of enforced disappeared for more than 200 days also need to be seen coupled with the humiliating response coming from the SL State, commented Tamil political analysts in Jaffna.

The humiliation through engagement is a tactic of the Colombo in wearing out the political prisoners and the protesters. The protesters need to address the real culprits who are behind the agent State in Colombo, they further said.

Sulaxan Mathiyarasan (Kara’navaay North in Vadamaraadchi, Jaffna), Rasathurai Thiruvarul (6th Division, Vela’nai West, Jaffna) and Ganeshan Tharshan (Navalap-piddi, Kandy) are the Tamil political prisoners who are on fast-unto-death at Anuradhapura prison.