Tamil political prisoners' hunger strike continues

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 March 2003, 23:26 GMT]
As the hunger strike of about sixty Tamil political prisoners at Kalutara prison entered its thirteenth day Thursday, demonstrations and a general shut down (hartal) are being organized in the North-East province demanding the immediate release of them.

Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian, Mr.Appapillai Vinayagamoorthy, Thursday met with the Attorney General, Mr.K.C.Kamalasabeyson, and discussed with him about the plight of Tamil political prisoners now on hunger strike as their health is deteriorating.

Mr. Vinayagamoorthy is the President of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress, a constituent of the Tamil National Alliance.

About sixty Tamil prisoners who are on hunger strike now demand that they should be released on bail or should be transferred to prisons in the North-East. 

Mr. Vinayagamoorthy informed the Attorney General about the demands put forward by the Tamil political prisoners and wanted quick action in this regard as the health of the prisoners deteriorates daily due to hunger strike. About sixteen of the prisoners on hunger strike are now put on saline, prison authorities said Thursday.

Mr. Vinayagamoorthy also requested the AG to transfer all upcountry Tamil prisoners now at Kalutara to jails in the North-East. Failing that, they should be released on bail, he told the AG.