7 more inmates surrender to SLA in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 March 2008, 18:52 GMT]
Seven men held in protective custody in Jaffna prison have surrendered to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and been placed in the newly opened SLA Rehabilitation Centre at Thellippa’alai, a SLA media report issued Friday said. 47 persons had earlier been placed in the Rehabilitation Centre,

45 persons placed in the protective custody in Jaffna prison due to death threats by SLA troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries, surrendered to SLA on 28 February and two more surrendered on 29 February, and were placed in the SLA Rehabilitation Centre in Thellippa’lai.

The inmates were allegedly enticed by the SLA to surrender with promises of release after investigations, and extortion also was alleged, sources in Jaffna said.

Seven more persons have been taken in by the SLA making a total of 54 in the Rehabilitation Centre.

All persons placed in the Rehabilitation Centre are being given vocational training and taught skills they could use in their future life in the society, the report said.

The SLA commander for Jaffna peninsula is taking special interest in the persons in Thellippa’lai Rehabilitation, it further said.

All involved in terrorist activities in the peninsula are invited to surrender themselves so that they too could be rehabilitated, the SLA media report said.