Girl's death triggers prisoners' protest in Negombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 June 2006, 19:17 GMT]
More than 250 Tamil youth and girls held in Negombo remand prison indefinitely, began a fast-to-death campaign inside the prison Monday, to protest against the death of a girl inmate who died Monday due to lack of medical facilities, sources from Negombo said. The protesting prisoners demanded they be produced in courts or be released on bail immediately, said sources from Negombo.

Phone messages from within the Negombo prison said that two of the fasting women fell ill and were taken to the hospital, while the physical condition of two youths have deteriorated.

Parents of the fasting inmates are to stage a protest demonstration Wednesday in front of the Negombo prison, added the sources.

Protesting inmates said no Tamil politician nor any higher Prison officials had visited them until Tuesday evening.

The protesters had informed the Sri Lanka Government Head (GoSL) of their protest and said their fast will continue until their demands are met, said the sources.

The Office of the Commissioner of Prisons in Colombo has refused to provide any information on this matter.